As we wait in anticipation of this year’s Watches & Wonders in Geneva, watch brands have already started rolling out their new releases and we just get to sit back and enjoy the new models, movements, and entire collections before us.
However, Breitling will not be at this year’s show, just like they were infamously absent last year as well. In fact, the Swiss watchmaker opted to unveil models separately, allowing us to focus on what they have in store. In 2024, we saw a titanium cased Chronomat B01 Chronograph along with a special-edition Aerospace watch commemorating the first-ever global balloon flight. For 2024, Breitling treats us to a three-hand, non-chronograph version of its Top Time model.
The Car Lover’s Watch
While fans might know Breitling for its Navitimer and Chronomat watches, or even the much sought-after Avenger series, the brand’s Top Time is an interesting case. In a world filled with watchmaker-automaker partnerships, Breitling doesn’t have any exclusive partnership. Rather, it gets to play the field by teaming up with different brands to honor classic nameplates through the watchmaking process. Since reviving the line in 2020, we’ve seen collaborative efforts with Shelby, Deus, Chevy, Triumph, and even Ford.
These B01-powered chronograph watches have all ranged from 40mm to 42mm in case diameter, but that’s because a chronograph requires a bit more space for all the information it’s communicating.
No Chronograph, No Problem
The latest in a string of de-chronographed watches from Breitling, the new three-hand Top Time is powered by the brand’s manufacture B31 automatic time-date movement. Just like they’ve done with the Navitimer and Chronomat, the removal of the chronograph registers allows Breitling to shrink the case size down a bit and simplify the dial while retaining the aesthetics of the respective series.
Breitling is a well respected watchmaker with a ton of history, including the creation of one of the first chronograph wristwatches with a separate pusher in 1915, along with the first-ever automatic chronograph movement in 1969 with the Navitimer (a collaboration with Dubois-Depraz, Heuer, and Hamilton). Needless to say, Breitling is considered a pioneer in the chronograph sphere, which is what makes this three-handed “side project” all the more interesting.
Breitling is very much synonymous with the chronograph but their three-handers are forcing us to view them in a different way. Some have even drawn comparison between this new Top Time B31 and Rolex’s Datejust.
Breitling Top Time B31 Basics
Case in point (literally), the Top Time B31 has been shrunk down to a more wearable 38mm stainless steel with a 10.3mm thickness (down from 13.3mm). Aside from the expected absence of pushers, everything from the round case shape to the tapered lugs matches the larger chronograph versions.
Available in three dial color options — white with a light blue minute track, blue with a white minute track, and green with a black minute track — the watches all sport an orange second hand and numerals every five minutes on the outer ring. There’s also a date window at the 3 o’clock with a cyclops bubble on top.
You can opt for a three-row stainless steel link bracelet with a lever-operated micro-adjustment system or a perforated racing-style leather strap for a vintage look. These colors are complementary to their respective dial: brown for the white dial, blue for the blue, and green for the green.
As for the B31 movement, it’s a COSC chronometer-certified automatic caliber with 78 hours of power reserve. Visible through the see-through caseback, the movement is the result of four years of development, built exclusively for Breitling by Sellita’s AMT customs branch.
Spec Sheet
Case Size: 38mm
Lug-to-Lug: 45.8mm
Case Thickness: 10.3mm
Case Material: Stainless steel
Water Resistance: 100m
Movement: Breitling B31 automatic
Band: Stainless steel bracelet or perforated leather strap
Limited Edition?: No
Pricing & Availability
Available now, the Top Time B31 starts at $5,600 ($5,900 on the steel bracelet) — over two grand less than the cheapest chronograph Top Time watch. Head over to Breitling’s website to learn more.
Recap
Breitling Top Time B31 Three-Hand
Breitling ditches the chronograph registers for its latest Top Time watches, opting instead for a three-hand B31 movement.
