Breitling have added the Ford Thunderbird to their successful Top Time Classic Cars collection with the addition of the Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01 ‘under the hood’.
Breitling have partnered with some of the coolest names in wheels to create its Top Time designs – brands like Deus Ex Machina and Triumph Motorcycles for bikes, Ford Thunderbird and Mustang, Chevrolet Corvette, and Shelby Cobra for cars.
“The Top Time represented a break from traditional watch design for a generation that was breaking with convention in every way. We are going after that sense of freedom and fun with the 1960s-inspired Top Time Classic Cars collection, and are thrilled to once again partner with Ford to introduce the new Thunderbird model, along with updated versions of the Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Corvette, and Shelby Cobra chronographs.”
Georges Kern, CEO, Breitling
The updated Classic Cars collection now includes the Ford Thunderbird model with a red strap and clean white dial that draws the eye to the teal Thunderbird logo and red chronograph hands. The four watches feature the colours and emblems of their 1950s and 1960s sports car counterparts, and now all come with a new engine under the hood: the Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01.
The manufacture movement, whose refined mechanics are visible through the open sapphire-crystal case-back, provides an approximately 70-hour power reserve and a 5-year warranty. First released in 2009, the Breitling 01 Caliber is one of the most highly regarded chronograph movements in the industry, designed for maximum precision, reliability, and functionality.
Design elements include the perforated leather racing strap, speed-measuring tachymeter scale, and contrasting ‘squircle’ (not quite square, not quite round) subdials that are evocative of vintage dashboard gauges. And just like its style-driven 1960s predecessor, the Top Time’s 41-mm stainless-steel case is a comfortable size for car and watch lovers of all stripes.
Ford Thunderbird
The Ford Thunderbird was unveiled in 1954 at the first post-war Detroit auto show. 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 Thunderbird was not so much about living life in the fast lane, as it was about cruising in comfort and style. The two first generations remain the most collectable models, nicknamed the ‘Classic Bird’ (1955–1957) for early two-seaters and the ‘Square Bird’ (1958–1960) for the later four-seat iterations.
Technical Specifications:
TOP TIME B01 FORD THUNDERBIRD
REFERENCE
AB01766A1A1X1 or AB01766A1A1A1
WATCH MOVEMENT
Caliber: Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01
Diameter: 30 millimeters
Depth: 7.2 millimeters
Winder: self-winding mechanical, bidirectional with ball bearing
Power reserve: approximately 70 hours
Number of components: 336
Balance frequency: 28,800 a/h or 4 hertz
Chronograph: column-wheel, vertical clutch, 1/4th second, 30-minute and 12-hour totalizers
Display: hour, minute, second
Certification: COSC-certified
CASE
Material: stainless steel
Diameter: 41 millimeters
Thickness: 13.8 millimeters
Height (upper lug tip to lower lug tip): 50.36 millimeters
Water resistance: up to 10 bar (100 meters)
Glass: cambered sapphire, glare-proofed on both sides
Case back: screwed steel, sapphire crystal
Crown: non-screw-locked, two gaskets
Bezel: fixed
DIAL/HANDS
White with tone-on-tone chronograph counters
Super-LumiNova® luminescent hour markers, hour and minute hands
STRAP
Red calfskin leather strap with a folding buckle (20/18 mm) or stainless-steel mesh bracelet with a butterfly clasp
PRICE
RRP £6,600 (Bracelet)
RRP £6,250 (Strap)
For more information please visit Breitling