Matt Clymo 
Breitling continues its run of Top Time releases in the first half of 2025 with the newly unveiled Top Time Racing collection, complete with cushion case and 60s appeal!
The 1960s was a decade that encapsulated many things: ideas, free speech, expression of personal identity, and, to a lesser extent, or more accurately, less ubiquitous, beautiful cars and, along with this, motor racing. We often hear people involved in motorsport talking about the golden age of motor racing, and let’s face it, some of the most well-known watches in the world were born in this era. One of which was the Breitling Top Time. Designed to appeal to a younger demographic and in particular, those who loved the motoring culture be it cars, bikes, motor racing or just weekend cruisers, the Top Time tapped into a sub-culture in a way not many others had.
So it is no surprise that Breitling, which has made 2025 the year of the Top Time (so far), has released yet another 60s throwback vintage-inspired collection. This time, it is the Top Time Racing collection with the B01 Chronograph movement powering the racing-inspired pieces, all in a unique 38mm cushion case and dashboard dials.
The collection comprises three pieces; a black dial model with a tan leather strap, a green dial model with a matching green strap and a collaboration piece with the famed Martini Racing Rally Team. We’ll be doing a more in-depth review on the Martini Racing piece in a few weeks, so for now, we will focus on the black and green versions in this release.
As mentioned, the new Breitling Top Time Racing Chronographs take their inspiration from the unique models from the 1960s. What is immediately noticeable is the 38mm cushion-style steel case with the grooved insets on each corner, giving the Top Time Racing collection an unmistakable sportiness about them.
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In addition to the cushion case, the new Top Time Racing Chronographs take their dial design from the dashboards of race cars. You can see the rounded and curved elliptical shape the centre section makes, and you can imagine this on the dash of the cars, lit up in the evening with the speedometer and rev counter on each side pushing the limits. While we don’t have a speedo or rev counter, we do have the “Squircle” chronograph counters. Not quite square, not quite circle, these squircle-grained sub-dials track the chronograph minutes at 3 o’clock and the small seconds continuously running at 9 o’clock.
Like the last two recent Top Time releases, the new B31 and the B01 Coppi & Bartali, these new pieces come with leather racing straps. The semi-perforated holes (in only the top half of the leather) in the Top Time Racing evoke the style of leather driving gloves of the 1960s. Back when steering wheels were large and many made of wood, the gloves helped drivers grip the wheel and wrangle the cars around corners in the days before power steering and leather steering wheels made it all too easy to manoeuvre cars around street corners, or the race circuit. I feel these are a great addition, something I mentioned in my review of the recent Top Time B31 pieces released in late March, as they do give the watch that vintage vibe and offset the dial colours nicely. The green leather adds to the continuing look of the watch, whereas the tan leather contrasts the black dial nicely.
Inside is the Breitling B01 Chronograph movement, which is now a tried and true calibre, developed by Breitling as their first in-house movement prior to the B19 and B31. It has been around now for quite a few years, since 2007 in fact. Breitling finalised the movement ready for production just three years after it made the decision to start producing its own movements, and in 2009 started to produce these for new Breitling models at scale commercially. With a 4hz beat rate, a 70-hour power reserve and a column wheel and vertical clutch set-up, it is designed to go the distance. Unlike other models, The Top Time Racing chronographs have a closed caseback, which in one way reduces the case thickness and makes waterproofing easier, but I would have liked to have seen an open caseback on these models.
Initial Thoughts
Each of these references is limited to 750 models, including the Martini Racing edition and are for true fans of motorsports. Even if you’re not a motoring enthusiast, the green and black dial models are great-looking pieces that have a vintage charm to them. Yes, they’re a little less conventional than a standard sports chronograph, but let’s face it, where is the fun in that?
At 38mm in size, these watches will be perfect for some wrists, but not others. Those who love a vintage throwback with the appropriate sizing will find them a great-sized chronograph. Those with larger wrists or people (like myself) who like a slightly larger watch may find these on the smaller side, but I’ll be honest here, I’ve not tried these on yet so will reserve my judgment until I and the team get them on the wrist. The new Top Time B31 models I felt were a little small for me, but the addition of the chronograph, the added thickness as a result, as well as the cushion case may see me changing my mind. I’ll let you know in a few weeks…
Reference: Breitling Top Time B01
- Black Dial with Tan Strap: AB01771A1B1X1
- Green Dial with Green Strap: AB01771A1L1X1
Specifications
- Dimensions: 38mm x 13.3mm thick x 44.1mm lug-to-lug
- Case Material: Stainless steel cushion case with satin-brushed and polished surfaces with beveled insets on the cushion corners
- Dial: Sunbrushed green or black dial with dashboard-styled inner, squircle sub-dials with “squircular” graining
- Movement: Breitling in-house Manufacture Calibre 01
- Power Reserve: Approx. 70 hours. (28,800 VpH/4Hz Frequency)
- Water Resistance: 100m (10 bar)
- Crystal: Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment.
- Strap/Bracelet: Tan or green calfskin leather racing-styled strap with stainless steel pin buckle.
