In a new age of electric vehicles, Breitling pays tribute to vintage cars through its modern-retro chronographs.
Launched in 2021, the Top Time Classic Cars collection welcomes a new member inspired by the Ford Thunderbird. In addition, the Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Corvette and Shelby Cobra versions have been updated in the same 41mm size and with even more throttle, thanks to the Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01.
The Ford Thunderbird was unveiled at Detroit's first post-war auto show in February, 1954. Ford stylist Alden Giberson recommended Thunderbird, while other suggested names included Beaver, Detroiter and Savile.
It was touted as a fun-to-drive cabriolet that made its presence felt through its luxurious design, solid build and dramatic tail fin. The two first generations remain the most collectable models, nicknamed the Classic Bird (1955–1957) for the two-seaters and the Square Bird (1958–1960) for the four-seat iterations.
The colours and emblem are incorporated into the design of the Top Time B01 Ford Thunderbird watch matched with a red perforated leather racing strap.
Water resistant to 100m, the stainless steel 41mm case has been enhanced to accommodate the self-winding mechanical movement.
The clean white dial has a dash of colour with the Thunderbird logo in teal, chronograph hands in red, and the tachymeter scale is partially red between 2 and 3 o'clock to indicate high speed.
Evoking vintage dashboard gauges, the subdials are squircle as they are not quite square nor round.
On the caseback, the sapphire crystal reveals the manufacture movement centred by the Thunderbird logo. Released in 2009, the Breitling Caliber 01 with a 70-hour power reserve is engineered for precision and reliability, assured by the rigorous COSC certification.
The Swiss watchmaker actually has a rich heritage in chronographs. Léon Breitling, who founded the company in 1884, focused on this complication, which became in demand for industrial, military and scientific applications as well as for athletic organisations.
In 1905, as automobiles emerged as the preferred mode of transportation, he patented a pocket-watch tachymeter that could measure any speed between 15 and 150kph.
In the 1960s, third-generation Willy Breitling worked on improving the image of the mechanical chronograph to attract a new audience.
Following the first designs presented in 1962, two years later Breitling introduced the affordable Top Time with simple yet elegant lines for young men and women interested in sports and technology.
Deliberately kept short and catchy, the name of the watch underlined its modern design and the energy of the Swinging Sixties.
Like the 1960s American sports cars, the Top Time was a sports watch and something cool for the baby-boomer generation.
The Ford Mustang debuted in the same year as the Top Time. The first-generation, produced from 1964 until 1973, was affordable, compact and sporty.
The Top Time B01 Ford Mustang features a green dial and black chronograph counters while the Chevrolet Corvette model differs with a red face.
Under General Motors, the Chevrolet division launched its first sports car in 1953. Revisiting second-generation Chevrolet Corvette, produced from 1963 until 1967, Breitling was particularly inspired by the Sting Ray in creating the collection's third chronograph.
Interestingly, this American car brand was named after Louis Chevrolet, the son of a watchmaker in La Chaux-de-Fonds. After emigrating to the US, he became a racing driver and an automobile pioneer. He passed away in June 1941, but his legacy passed on with the Chevy, along with a memorial at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum.
Another racer and Le Mans winner, Carrol Shelby imagined a car that combined British design with American engineering. A small, light chassis was ingeniously matched with a reliable big-block engine for the blisteringly fast Shelby Cobra.
Following its debut in 1962, the Shelby Cobra became the only American sports car to win the European FIA World Manufacturers' Championship race series.
The stripes on the iconic sports car have been interpreted in the design of the Top Time B01 Shelby Cobra with a white tachymeter scale and chronograph counters contrasting the blue dial.
Going into details, unlike the other three watches, the serpent logo replaces a subdial at 6 o'clock.
