Breitling Top Time Deus Limited Edition

The Breitling Top Time Deus Limited Edition was born from the collaboration with the firm Deus Ex Machina and is a tribute to the retro style of their custom motorcycles.

Breitling’s first major novelty for 2021 is its partnership with Australian lifestyle brand Deus ex Machina to bring to life a precious limited-edition chronograph, the Top Time Deus, which refers to the original Breitling from the 1960s and is a tribute to the nomadic lifestyle. The first Top Time had a clear mission: to respond to the needs of “young active professionals” with a range of “ultra-modern chronographs”, lenses that continue to apply to this model. Deus’s philosophy evokes an era that developed before various activities that pursued freedom – motorcycling, surfing, skateboarding, among others – were commercialized to fundamentalist factions.

The 41 mm diameter, 14.27 mm thick stainless steel case of the Breitling Top Time Deus exhibits a simple design that anchors its roots in the 1960s. Narrow lugs, an even narrower polished bezel, and a simple cylindrical case are a classic formula of a mid-century sports watch, while the tall piston pushers give it personality.

The case back features an engraving of a motorcycle and a rider based on a sketch by Deus ex Machina creative director Darby Tuckwell. The scrawled look of the engraving continues with the text “Breitling + Deus”, a statement of intent against the usual perfection of lines. Even so, we must criticize its poor tightness, about 30 meters that withstand little more than splashes and the occasional chirimiri.

But if the case is pretty, I find the panda dial great, both for its design and for its attractive color palette. To emphasize its vintage inspiration, the surface is a warm matte cream color, which is paired with a black perimeter ring that includes a tachymeter scale, orange and yellow accents inspired by classic motorcycle gauges, and the motto of Deus «In benzin veritas»

The two counters change their traditional roundness for rounded corner squares that add a subtly distinctive touch, while the hands have been color-coded for better readability: yellow for an hour and minute indications and the small seconds at 9 o’clock, and orange for the central treadmill and the 30-minute totalizer at 3 o’clock.

The geometry of all the hands is very particular: the hourly rectangular ones join with the square bases of the hands of the two counters and, above all, the central chronographic second’s hand in the shape of a ray. This daring detail is subtle enough to go unnoticed at first glance, but it grabs our full attention once we realize its uniqueness. The dial is finished with the vintage Breitling logo, counterbalanced by the Deus emblem at 6 o’clock.

Inside it is housed the Caliber 23, a chronograph based on the Valjoux 7753 whose chronometry is certified by the COSC. Beating at a frequency of 28,800 alternates per hour (4 Hz), it offers a 48-hour power reserve.

The Breitling Top Time Deus is accompanied by a rally-style strap in calfskin aged in warm tobacco brown and lined in yellow. Only 1,500 copies will be made, and its price is € 4,850. It is now available exclusively online, and we will have to wait until the end of March to find it at authorized dealers.

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Co-designed with Australian lifestyle brand Deus Ex Machina, the custom motorcycle and surf outfitter, the Top Time Deus is a nod to Breitling’s original 1960s watch and a true tribute to the nomad spirit. Originally launched in the 1960s, Top Time had a clear mission: to suit the needs of “the young and active professionals” with a range of “ultra-modern chronographs”. The sports watch appealed not only to that demographic but also to those attracted by its bold lines. The Top Time Deus will appeal to bikers, boarders, and backpackers, all looking for the freedom to explore the world their own way, at their own pace. Featuring a 41-millimeter stainless-steel case matched to a brown racing-themed calfskin leather strap, the Top Time Deus features yellow and orange details, a lightning-bolt-shaped chronograph hand on top of squircle-shaped chronograph counters, Deus’ adage “In Benzin veritas” and a retro-looking motorcyclist in rally racer mode – by Deus creative director Carby Tuckwell – engraved on the case back. Limited to 1500 pieces, this Top Time is powered by the Breitling Caliber 23, a COSC-certified chronometer.