This fully serviced Breitling Top Time is the vintage original that has inspired the reissue. Model reference 2000.4
HOW DO WE DATE THIS WATCH?
From the serial number on the inside of the case back we can accurately date this watch to being made in 1966. The Top Time model was first launched in 1964 but in 1966 was first upgraded with movement in this watch, before the case changed slightly from pump pushers to rectangular ones for the chronograph.
CONDITION
The re-issue of the Top Time takes an awful lot of styling clues from this watch, but at £4,100 is a lot more money than buying an original. You can seen more about the new watch on Breitling’s website here.
The case on this watch is the monocoque construction, and while it does look like the back comes off it does not. The watchmaker who serviced this watch took the photos of the inside of the case back and the movement before reassembly, so apologies if the lighting is not perfect on the photos. His attention on the Valjoux 7730 movement though means this is running sweetly, with the chronograph starting, stopping and resetting perfectly. It is not cheap to service a chronograph movement, but that cost is now taken care of. Cosmetically the gold plated case is very good, with just the bottom edges of the pump pushers showing plating wear, The dial and subdials are very good, just with the tiniest of marks, and the tachymeter inner bezel is unusually good for this model (these are often worn, more so in the later two part cases.). The dial is known as a reverse panda, as a true panda dial is a white dial with black subdials (like a Giant Panda’s eyes). The crown is signed. The leather strap is new, and could be swapped for a different colour if preferred.
The Top Time is the only Breitling watch to feature in a Bond film, 1965’s Thunderball.
This watch will be supplied with our branded presentation box and our Certificate of Authenticity.
Please see the HD video for more detail. All photos and videos are part of the description and are of the actual watch unless mentioned. We do not photoshop any pictures, and the images are copyright of birthyearwatches.com and should not be used without permission.
SIZE
Width with crown 38.5 mm
Width without crown 35.6 mm
Between lugs 19 mm
Lug to lug length 42.1 mm
Case Thickness 11.9 mm
All sizes are approximate.
Included with this watch is a 6 month guarantee and free delivery to UK addresses. If you live outside the UK we can still deliver to most countries. Please see our Worldwide Shipping information, or Contact Us. Payment can be made by most credit or debit cards, bank transfer or PayPal.
