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Breitling unveils new Premier and Top Time Classic Cars models

There are six new models in the Premier B01 Chronograph 42 in steel and gold, and four new models, including one inspired by the Ford Thunderbird, in the Breitling Top Time Classic Cars Collection. All are powered by the in-house B01 Chronograph.
Breitling has been building its Premier line since 2018 when it was relaunched, and over the past couple of years, the line has seen a consolidation in terms of design. It was in 2021 that a colourful trio of Datora and Duographs was introduced, and last year saw the inclusion of tourbillons, in three watches that have come to be the most expensive in Breitling's lineup. For 2023, additions to the Premier line are by way of six new references in the Premier B01 Chronograph 42, and four new models in the now-permanent Top Time Classic Cars Collection.

Breitling Premier B01 Chronograph 42 Ref. AB0145221B1P1

With five models in steel and one in gold, the 42mm watches feature vintage-Premier details, including the smooth fixed bezel, twin-register dial, and applied Arabic numerals. There is a tachymeter scale on the flange and a date window rests at 6 o’clock. The hour and minute hands are syringe-shaped and filled with Super-LumiNova®, and the central seconds hand is tipped red. There are tone-on-tone subdials with chronograph minutes at 3 o’clock and running seconds at 9 o’clock. The chronograph can be started and stopped with streamlined rectangular pushers. Dial shades include salmon, blue, green, black, and cream in the stainless-steel models. The sixth reference comes in 18K red gold with a classic cream dial. The watches come on a choice of classic alligator black, gold brown, or brown leather strap, or sleek 7-row metal bracelet, and are water resistance to 100 metres.


Breitling Premier B01 Chronograph 42 Ref. AB0145371L1A1

All watches are powered by the in-house developed Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01. The movement with a column wheel and a vertical clutch debuted in 2009, and is a crowned jewel in the brand’s arsenal. Not just COSC-certified (accuracy within -4 and +6 seconds per day),  the movement has also passed the brand’s in-house testing, which includes shock testing (approx. 60,000 shocks at 500 G), crown testing (more than 100,000 crown winds), winding of oscillating weight (3,456,000 weight turns) and chronograph pusher testing (approx. 5,840 start-stop-reset engagements). Beating at a frequency of 4Hz, it has a power reserve of 70 hours. 

Breitling Premier B01 Chronograph 42 Ref. RB0145371G1R1 in gold


The Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01 used in the new Premiers is a version designed last year – it has a slimmer profile now, in keeping with the style of watch. The rotor has been changed from a bi-metal rotor to a monobloc tungster rotor that achieves same technical characteristics that are needed to efficiently wind, but is slimmer.

The brand has also introduced new variations in the Top Time Classic Cars line. In 2021, the brand unveiled this as a capsule collection of three pieces, and this year, it has found a more permanent place in Breitling’s universe. 

The new Breitling Top Time B01 Classic Cars Collection

The 2021 models were 42mm, and powered by the manual-winding Calibre 25. The 2023 models – Top Time B01 Ford Mustang, Top Time B01 Shelby Cobra, and Top Time B01 Chevrolet Corvette are 41mm, and along with the change in the engine, feature design updates to its tachymeter scale, minute markers, and the dial layout with the change in the positions of the hour and minute markers due to the calibre change. A new, fourth watch joins this – the Top Time B01 Ford Thunderbird in a red and white colour scheme. The watches feature contrasting, perforated straps. 

Top Time B01 Ford Mustang caseback Ref. AB01762A1L1X1

Images: Courtesy Breitling
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