Breitling Top Time: From the 1964 Original to the 2026 DB5 Tribute
The Breitling Top Time is a chronograph line that Breitling introduced in 1964 as a simpler, cheaper and more youthful alternative to the Navitimer. It earned a place in film history the next year, when a modified Top Time ref. 2002 appeared in Thunderball (1965) as a Geiger counter. The name went quiet in the 1970s, came back in March 2020 as a 2,000-piece 41mm limited edition with a “Zorro” dial, and by October 2026 covers a 38mm three-hander, cushion-case B01 chronographs, cycling and car tributes, and a $11,400 to $41,500 Aston Martin DB5 tribute. This page follows the Top Time from 1964 to today, covers the movements, sizes and prices, and ends with buying advice. Claims are labelled Confirmed (two or more sources agree), Reported (one source), Community (forums and dealer listings) or Uncertain (sources conflict). Current Breitling US prices were read on October 31, 2026; all prices are indicative.
Breitling Top Time at a glance
| Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Maker | Breitling, Switzerland. See our Breitling brand history |
| Introduced | 1964 as an affordable, youthful chronograph (Confirmed: Breitling, Swiss Watches Magazine); Willy Breitling began designing it in 1962 (Reported: Swiss Watches Magazine) |
| Famous for | A modified ref. 2002 as the Geiger-counter watch in Thunderball (1965); Breitling and Wikipedia both say Sean Connery's Bond wore it (Confirmed) |
| Original size | Ref. 810: about 38mm (Reported: Worn & Wound, dealer listings). One 2020 review says the original was 35mm (Uncertain) |
| Original movements | Venus 178 in the ref. 810 (Community); Valjoux 7733 on the original per SJX (Reported). Late-1960s ref. 2007 listed with a Valjoux 7730 (Community) |
| Production gap | Dropped in the 1970s; not revived until March 2020 (Reported: Swiss Watches Magazine, SJX) |
| Current sizes | 38mm (B31 three-hand and B01 Racing/cycling), 41mm (B01 Eddy Merckx, DB5 tribute, 2020 and 2022 limited editions), 42mm and 40mm (2021 Classic Cars) |
| Current movements | In-house B31 three-hand (78 hours) and B01 chronograph (about 70 hours), both COSC; B21 tourbillon chronograph on the top models |
| Typical new price (US) | $5,850 (B31) to $8,450 (B01 cycling) for core models; $11,400 steel DB5 tribute; $51,500 B21 (Breitling US, Oct 31, 2026) |
Breitling Top Time timeline
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1962 | Willy Breitling begins designing the Top Time (Reported: Swiss Watches Magazine). |
| 1964 | The Top Time is introduced in steel, gold and gold-plated versions as an entry-level chronograph. |
| 1965 | A modified Top Time ref. 2002 appears in Thunderball as a Geiger counter. |
| 1970s | The line is discontinued during the quartz crisis (Reported). |
| June 26, 2013 | The Thunderball Geiger-counter watch sells at Christie's in London for GBP 103,875, about US$160,175. |
| March 2020 | Top Time Limited Edition “Zorro”: 41mm, Calibre 23, 2,000 pieces, $4,990. |
| September 6, 2021 | Classic Cars trio (Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Corvette, Shelby Cobra) reported by Worn & Wound. |
| February 22, 2022 | Top Time Triumph: 41mm, Calibre 23, $5,500. |
| March 2023 | Classic Cars range moves to the in-house B01 and adds a Ford Thunderbird (Hodinkee, per Wikipedia citation). |
| July 2025 | Three-hand Top Time B31, 38mm, 78-hour in-house movement, $5,900 on bracelet (Worn & Wound, July 18, 2025). |
| July 1, 2026 | Top Time B01 Eddy Merckx: 41mm, 525 pieces. |
| July 20, 2026 | Top Time B01 Chronograph 41 Tribute to Aston Martin DB5: 1,022, 315 and 250 pieces (Oracle of Time). |
1964: the Top Time arrives
Breitling's own history page says the Top Time was first introduced in 1964 as a youthful, sporty chronograph aimed at the motoring and pop-culture generation of the era. Swiss Watches Magazine adds that it arrived in steel, solid gold and gold-plated versions, and that Willy Breitling began designing it in 1962 as an affordable, modern chronograph. Its production reportedly ran to the late 1970s. Confirmed for the 1964 introduction and the entry-level role; the 1962 design start is Reported.
The best-documented reference is the 810, a manual-wind chronograph that came in at least two case designs, usually called Mk I and Mk II by collectors. Dealer listings and forum posts describe a 38mm case with 19mm lugs and the manual-wind Venus 178 column-wheel movement, and a WatchProSite owner post dates one Mk II to about 1968. Community. Worn & Wound (September 2021) also gives the original a 38mm case and a snap-on caseback, and reports that racing driver Jim Clark wore an 810. Reported. The case size is not fully settled. SJX (March 2020) wrote that the 2020 revival grew “from 35 mm” on the original. We treat 38mm as the likely figure and 35mm as Uncertain.
The Top Time sat below the pilot-focused Navitimer in both price and ambition. It had no slide-rule bezel, and dealer listings show panda and reverse-panda dials. Dealer pages describe Mk I cases as short-lived and harder to find, but we found no Breitling statement on production numbers, so any figure you read for how many were made should be treated as unsupported.
References and vintage movements
Beyond the 810, collectors encounter several other reference numbers, and the sources are thin. The Thunderball watch was a ref. 2002, and SJX says the vintage model used a hand-wound Valjoux 7733. Reported. A dealer listing for a late-1960s ref. 2007 gives a Valjoux 7730, and another dealer lists a ref. 2002-33 with a 7733. Community. Those three Valjoux numbers are close relatives and are easy to mix up, so check the movement itself rather than trusting a listing title.
The practical lesson is that “vintage Top Time” is not one watch. The 810 with a Venus 178 and the 2002 with a Valjoux are different watches with different servicing needs and different parts supply. We did not find an authoritative Breitling reference table, so we do not publish a full reference-by-reference list; ask a seller for the reference, the movement number and photos of the case back before buying.
Thunderball and the Geiger-counter watch
The Top Time's fame comes from Thunderball(1965). Breitling's page says a modified Top Time with a hidden Geiger counter appeared on Sean Connery's wrist as James Bond. Wikipedia's Top Time entry says Bond receives a Top Time in a large case containing a built-in Geiger counter to track the stolen nuclear warheads. Confirmed. Haute Time, reporting the 2013 sale, says it was the first specially modified watch Q issued to Bond in the film and that Connery wore it.
The screen prop was not an ordinary Top Time. Haute Time and James Bond Lifestyle say the art department worked with the Valley Tool Company on a bespoke underwater Geiger-counter case with a glazed bezel that houses the original Breitling watch, and that only one was made. The Christie's lot described a stainless steel Breitling chronograph, ref. 2002. Reported. After filming the watch was considered lost until a collector spotted it at an English car boot sale in 2012 with a price tag of GBP 25 (Wikipedia, Haute Time, James Bond Lifestyle). It then sold at Christie's Pop Culture auction in South Kensington on June 26, 2013 for GBP 103,875, about US$160,175 at the time, against an estimate of GBP 40,000 to GBP 60,000. Confirmed for the sale; we have not independently seen Christie's own lot page.
Two common errors are worth avoiding. The Top Time was a gadget in the film, not Bond's everyday watch, which is a Rolex Submariner in our James Bond watches guide. And the Top Time in Thunderball is not the Navitimer that also appears in the film. Wikipedia places the Navitimer on the SPECTRE pilot, while our Bond guide attributes a Navitimer 806 to a different character, so we do not name the wearer here. Uncertain. Our Bond guide also says the prop was “made in 1962” and in a 47mm case; we could not verify either from the sale coverage we read (Haute Time dates the watch to 1965), so we do not repeat them.
The 2020 revival
Swiss Watches Magazine says the Top Time stayed dormant after Ernest Schneider relaunched Breitling in 1982, and that Georges Kern revived it in March 2020. The result was the Top Time Limited Edition, ref. A23310121G1X1, nicknamed “Zorro” for its white dial with black segments around the chronograph counters. SJX (March 26, 2020) gave 41mm, Calibre 23 (a COSC-certified automatic based on the Valjoux 7753, 28,800 vph, 48-hour reserve), 2,000 pieces and $4,990. Gear Patrol and Watch Collecting Lifestyle (search summaries) give the same price and edition size, and a dealer listing gives 14.2mm thick. Confirmed.
SJX noted the vintage watch used a hand-wound 7733, while the 2020 watch is an automatic with a modern 7753 base. Our Premier page covers the other Breitling line that supplied vintage cues in this era, and the Chronomat page covers the sports chronograph that anchors the range.
Classic Cars, Triumph and the in-house move, 2021 to 2023
After the 2020 limited edition, the Top Time became a platform for themed releases. The sequence is clear in outline but untidy in the details.
2021 Classic Cars. Worn & Wound (September 6, 2021) described three Top Time chronographs named for 1960s cars: a red Chevrolet Corvette, a racing-green Ford Mustang and a blue-and-white Shelby Cobra. The Corvette and Mustang were 42mm, 13.65mm thick, on the Caliber 25 (ETA 2892-based, 42-hour reserve); the Cobra was 40mm on a Caliber 41. The article gives a $5,500 asking price for the watches but does not say whether that is per watch. Reported.
2022 Triumph and the Deus. Worn & Wound (February 22, 2022) covered the Top Time Triumph: 41mm, 14.27mm thick, Calibre 23, $5,500, tied to a Triumph Speed Twin limited motorcycle of 270 bikes. The same article says a Deus Ex Machina collaboration followed the Zorro in 2021, but Fratello places the Deus in late 2022 and Top Gear in July 2023. Uncertain for the Deus date; we do not choose one.
2023 in-house move. Swiss Watches Magazine says the Classic Cars line gained four new models, including a Ford Thunderbird, and moved to the in-house B01, a column-wheel chronograph with a 70-hour reserve and COSC certification. Wikipedia cites Hodinkee (March 21, 2023) for the same shift. Confirmed. The same source adds a Top Time B21, a chronograph tourbillon with a 55-hour reserve, developed with La Joux-Perret. Breitling's US page lists B21 Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Corvette and Shelby Cobra models at $51,500 each.
The 38mm B31 and the cycling and racing editions
The most visible change is the 38mm three-hander. Worn & Wound's hands-on (July 18, 2025) says Breitling launched a new three-hand Top Time with the in-house B31: 38mm wide, 10.6mm thick, 45.6mm lug to lug, 100m water resistance, 28,800 vph, a 78-hour reserve, COSC certification and a five-year warranty, at $5,900 on bracelet and $300 less on leather, in three dials inspired by vintage car clocks. Reported by Worn & Wound; Fratello and Acquire coverage appear consistent, and a retailer notes the 2025 launch. Breitling's US page lists three B31 references at $5,850 on October 31, 2026. The three-hander has no chronograph, so it echoes the Top Time name more than the 1960s watch.
The chronograph line continues in B01 form. Swiss Watches Magazine mentions 2025 B01 Racing models in a 38mm cushion case, 750 pieces per edition, and Revolution describes Gino Bartali and Fausto Coppi cycling editions in 2025 at 750 pieces each. The Top Time B01 Eddy Merckx followed on July 1, 2026, timed to the Tour de France: 41mm, 13.3mm thick, B01, 100m, 525 pieces to match Merckx's victories, with a “One of 525” caseback. Search coverage citing Oracle of Time gives US prices of $8,050 on leather and $8,450 on mesh bracelet. Reported. Breitling's US page on October 31, 2026 lists the Racing, Bartali, Coppi and Merckx references at $8,050 to $8,450.
We could not verify case sizes for the B01 Deus and B01 Triumph references now listed at $7,650. Breitling's page states 38mm generally for the collection, but the 2022 Triumph was 41mm, so check the specific reference. Uncertain. We found no quartz Top Time and make no claim about one.
The 2026 Aston Martin DB5 tribute
The Top Time B01 Chronograph 41 Tribute to Aston Martin DB5 launched July 20, 2026 (Oracle of Time). It is the Top Time's most direct link back to Thunderball, where the Aston Martin DB5 also appears; Oracle of Time notes both the DB5 and the Breitling in the film. It is 41mm, 13.8mm thick, cushion-shaped, 100m water resistant, with a B01 (28,800 vph, 70-hour reserve, COSC), an exhibition caseback, a tachymeter rehaut in wood referencing the DB5 steering wheel, and hand-coloured gradient leather straps. Confirmed across Oracle of Time and our news story.
There are three editions: steel with a silver sunray dial, ref. AB0178121G1X1, 1,022 pieces; steel with a platinum bezel and black lacquer dial, ref. PB0178121B1X1, 315 pieces; and 18k red gold with an onyx dial, ref. RB0178131B1X1, 250 pieces. Oracle of Time calls the gold version Breitling's first stone dial. Prices on Breitling's US page on October 31, 2026 are $11,400, $18,600 and $41,500, listed as “contact us.” Watchtime reports the same $11,400 for the steel model. Oracle of Time's UK prices are GBP 8,650, GBP 14,400 and GBP 35,100, while another outlet says UK prices start from GBP 6,950, so the sterling figures conflict. Confirmed for US prices; Uncertain for UK. Our earlier news story said pricing was undisclosed; it has since been published.
Breitling has other 2026 stories in our coverage: the Chronomat refresh, the Navitimer B09 and Cosmonaute and the Superocean Heritage 36. The Top Time is the only one of them with a Bond link.
Breitling Top Time models and indicative US prices
| Collection | Years | What it is | Price (US) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vintage ref. 810 (Mk I and Mk II) | 1964 to 1970s | Manual-wind, about 38mm, Venus 178 (Community) | Roughly $3,000 to $5,000 asking; WatchPatrol estimated $4,100-$5,000 for a 1968 Mk II (undated listings) |
| Top Time Limited Edition “Zorro” | March 2020 | 41mm, Calibre 23, 2,000 pieces | $4,990 at launch; about $4,950 pre-owned asking (The 1916 Company, undated) |
| Top Time Classic Cars (Mustang, Corvette, Cobra) | 2021 | 40mm or 42mm, Calibers 25 and 41 | $5,500 asking per Worn & Wound; current price not verified |
| Top Time Triumph | Feb 2022 | 41mm, Calibre 23, 14.27mm | $5,500 at launch; B01 Triumph listed at $7,650 (Breitling US, Oct 31, 2026) |
| Top Time B31 (three-hand) | July 2025 | 38mm, 10.6mm, 78-hour B31 | $5,850 (Breitling US, Oct 31, 2026) |
| Top Time B01 Racing, Bartali, Coppi, Merckx | 2025 to 2026 | B01 chronograph, 38mm or 41mm, limited | $8,050-$8,450 (Breitling US, Oct 31, 2026) |
| Top Time B01 Aston Martin DB5 tribute | July 2026 | 41mm, B01, 1,022 / 315 / 250 pieces | $11,400 / $18,600 / $41,500 (Breitling US, Oct 31, 2026) |
| Top Time B21 Classic Cars | 2023 on | Chronograph tourbillon, Mustang, Corvette, Cobra | $51,500 (Breitling US, Oct 31, 2026) |
Buying a Breitling Top Time: vintage, relaunch or new
Vintage. Asking prices we found for ref. 810 examples ran from about $3,000 to roughly GBP 4,950 for unusual dials or boxed sets, one listing estimated $4,100 to $5,000 for a 1968 Mk II, and a gold-capped panda-dial auction ended at a $550 current bid in June 2026 before premium. Community. These are undated dealer and auction figures, not sold-price data, so compare recent sales before you pay. Check the movement, dial originality, case condition and whether the pushers and crown are correct for the reference.
The Thunderball tie-in. Do not pay a Bond premium for an ordinary ref. 2002. The prop sold for GBP 103,875 because it was the single screen-used watch in a bespoke Geiger-counter case. A standard vintage Top Time is not that watch. Our Bond guide covers what to buy if you want a screen-linked watch.
Modern. If you want the look at the lowest price, the 2020 Zorro is the oldest revival; one dealer asked about $4,950 pre-owned against its $4,990 launch price (undated), so check current sold prices. The B31 three-hander is the smallest and thinnest and has no chronograph; the B01 cycling and racing models are the practical chronographs, and the DB5 steel is the most expensive of the regular editions at $11,400. Neither the Breitling US page nor any source we read states a resale premium for the DB5, so we make no appreciation claim. Pre-owned prices for B01 models were not verified.
Related pages. See our Breitling history, the Navitimer for the pilot's chronograph, the Chronomat for the modern sports chronograph and the Premier for the dressier line.
Myths and mix-ups, corrected
- “Bond wore the Top Time everywhere in Thunderball.” It is a gadget watch: a Q-modified Top Time in a bespoke Geiger-counter case. Our Bond guide lists the Submariner as his everyday watch.
- “The Thunderball Top Time is a standard ref. 2002.” The Christie's lot was described as a ref. 2002, but the prop sat in a custom case made with the Valley Tool Company, and only one was made.
- “The Top Time was a pilot's watch.” Breitling describes it as a youthful, motoring-and-pop-culture chronograph, positioned below the Navitimer.
- “The 2020 Top Time is a faithful reissue.” It is a 41mm automatic on a Valjoux 7753-based Calibre 23, whereas the original was a smaller manual-wind watch.
- “Every modern Top Time is 38mm.” The 2020 and 2022 models were 41mm, the 2021 Classic Cars were 40mm or 42mm, and the Merckx and DB5 editions are 41mm. Only the B31 and Racing line are described as 38mm.
- “The Top Time has a quartz version.” We found no quartz Top Time in our sources.
Sources
Retrieved October 31, 2026: Breitling US Top Time collection page; Swiss Watches Magazine Top Time history; Wikipedia, Breitling Top Time; SJX (March 26, 2020); Worn & Wound (September 6, 2021; February 22, 2022; July 18, 2025); Oracle of Time (July 20, 2026); Revolution (July 1, 2026); Haute Time (June 27, 2013); James Bond Lifestyle; Watchtime and Gear Patrol via search summaries; dealer and forum listings (WatchProSite, Everywatch, WatchPatrol, Loupe This, The 1916 Company), treated as Community. Watchtime, Hodinkee and Watchfinder returned errors when fetched; Fratello's B31 article body did not load; we did not see Christie's own lot page. Prices are indicative, in US dollars unless a source's currency is shown; pound, euro and Swiss-franc figures are reported as given and not converted except where a source gave its own conversion.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Breitling Top Time come out?
Breitling says the Top Time was first introduced in 1964 as a youthful, sporty chronograph. Swiss Watches Magazine says Willy Breitling began designing it in 1962.
Did James Bond wear a Breitling Top Time?
Yes, in Thunderball (1965) Sean Connery's Bond wears a modified Top Time with a hidden Geiger counter, per Breitling and Wikipedia. It is a gadget watch; his everyday watch in the film is a Rolex Submariner.
How much did the Thunderball Top Time sell for?
GBP 103,875, about US$160,175, at Christie's in South Kensington on June 26, 2013, per Haute Time. A collector found it at a car boot sale in 2012 priced at GBP 25.
How big is the original Top Time?
The ref. 810 is reported at about 38mm, though one 2020 review said 35mm, so sizes are not fully settled.
What movement does the Top Time use?
The vintage 810 reportedly used a Venus 178; SJX says the original used a Valjoux 7733. The 2020 revival used the Calibre 23, and current models use Breitling's in-house B01 chronograph or three-hand B31.
How much does a new Breitling Top Time cost?
On Breitling's US page on October 31, 2026: the B31 three-hander was $5,850, the B01 Deus and Triumph $7,650, the cycling and racing editions $8,050 to $8,450, the Aston Martin DB5 tribute $11,400 to $41,500 and the B21 models $51,500.
How much is a vintage Breitling Top Time worth?
Asking prices for the ref. 810 were roughly $3,000 to $5,000 in the undated listings we found. These are dealer figures, not sold prices.
Is there a 38mm Breitling Top Time?
Yes: the B31 three-hander is 38mm and 10.6mm thick per Worn & Wound, and Breitling describes Racing models as 38mm in cushion cases. The Merckx and DB5 chronographs are 41mm.
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