Breitling never does things by halves. Case in point: the exciting new updates to their coolest retro chronograph collections…
Breitling always likes to do things a little differently… And thumb their nose at the watch establishment. Just as the world’s watch nuts have been gearing up to head to Geneva for Watches & Wonders 2023, Breitling’s decided to steal their thunder and drop a massive number of exciting new watches ahead of the industry’s big show.
Last year, it was all about the Navitimer. This year, two collections have been given some love – the Top Time and Premier collections. Heritage-focused with fun modern twists, both these families of chronographs have a lot to offer. Let’s dive in and take a look.
The new Breitling Premier collection
The original Premier collection first hit the market back in 1940, designed by Willy Breitling, grandson of the brand’s founder, Léon. These groundbreaking watches took the technical prowess of Breitling’s action-tested chronographs and gave them a stylish touch: Breitling had always been a leader when it came to the development of chronographs but Willy was one of the first to recognise a market for a gentlemanly, fashion-forward version of the handy tool.
Breitling brought back the Premier in style back in 2021. These modern Premiers feature designs that closely resemble those first pioneered by Willy back in the 40s but also boast a variety of modern innovations under the skin – crucially, the COSC-certified Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01.
The new 2023 Premier collection’s watches now feature a date window at 6 o’clock, and there’s now a comfy seven-row metal bracelet option for the retro watch – two features fans have no doubt been crying out for.
There are five dial colours available: black, blue, salmon, green or cream, all of which feature tone-on-tone chronograph counters, Arabic numerals, vintage-inspired hands and semi-shiny alligator straps with tone-on-tone stitching. You can also get a cream model in rose gold, if you’re feeling bougie.
An underrated icon joins the Top Time Classic Cars collection
Breitling has always been a brand associated with big boy’s toys, whether that’s planes, boats or cars. Last year, the 139-year-old Swiss firm teamed up with some of America’s most influential car makers to produce a unique collection of watches that celebrate iconic muscle cars of all time: the Top Time Classic Cars collection.
The first three watches in the collection pay homage to the Chevrolet Corvette C2 ‘Stingray’, the AC Shelby Cobra and the first-generation Ford Mustang. Now, another Ford joins the ranks of the Classic Cars collection: the original Ford Thunderbird.
The Thunderbird isn’t quite as well-known as the Mustang and isn’t technically a muscle car – it’s more of a luxury cruiser. A big, sleek convertible with a fat V8 and plenty of charm, it remains an underrated icon of 1950s American car design and one of the best vehicles the Blue Oval has ever come up with.
We reckon the Top Time B01 Ford Thunderbird might also be one of the best retro chronographs Breitling’s ever come up with, too. Featuring an eye-catching white dial, a jaunty red leather strap and a tri-compax layout, it’s at once both the most subtle and most distinct of the Classic Cars collection watches.
Check out all the new Premier and Top Time Classic Cars watches at Breitling’s online boutique here.