Meet the new Breitling Top Time B01 Classic Cars Shelby Cobra Watch
Thursday - 23 March 2023
Welcoming Breiting’s released Top Time Classic Cars Shelby Cobra watch, inspired by the 1960s sports car but this time powered by an in-house movement that is put on show through a sapphire-backed case.
The Classic Cars Capsule collection was an instant hit when it was released back in 2021. Classic car lovers could hit the road in their favourite collectable and show their love of the automobile world through a specially designed timepiece. Take, for example, the Ford Mustang Top Time watch, with its deep green dial and black-filled “squircle” chronograph counters and the rich red colour of the Chevrolet Corvette – adorned with piercing yellow accents and a black surrounding tachymeter scale. These two watches measure a 42mm diameter and were fitted with the same movement – the Calibre 25. It was COSC-certified and delivered a power reserve of 42 hours once fully wound. The captivating blue-coloured Breitling Top Time Shelby AC Cobra watch, however, featured a dual chronograph layout with scales placed at the 3 and 9 o’clock location, a smaller case diameter of 40mm and was powered by a different movement – the Breitling 41 movement, equipped with a power reserve of 42 hours also. Improved and tested to COSC standard but manufactured at Breitling, all new models from the Top Time Classic Cars collection are now powered by the B01 calibre with an improved 70-hour power reserve. What’s more, the movement is now showcased through the back of the case, via a sapphire crystal glass lens. Here is a look at the new Breitling Top Time B01 Classic Cars Shelby Cobra watch.
Inspired by the original Ford Shelby Cobra
The new Breitling Top Time B01 Classic Cars watch modifies the 2021 Breitling Top Time Shelby Cobra watch, based on the original Ford Shelby Cobra – a concept that was a continuation of Ford's efforts to bring back the retro sports cars that had been successful in the 1960s, including the Ford GT40 and the fifth generation Ford Mustang. When carmaker, Carroll Shelby got the news that AC Cars from England would stop production of their AC Ace model due to the unavailability of the Bristol six-cylinder engines, the entrepreneur was able to fulfil his dream of building a revolutionary car that would influence the car industry and epitomize the classic muscle car forever. The extreme sports car combined British chassis with American racing engineering and is still a hugely sought-after car today. During the production of the Shelby Cobra, the car was put through rigorous periods of testing and was extensively researched before the finished product was developed, putting in the hard miles and paving the way for the fleet that followed. In the same way, all of Breitling’s timepieces are subjected to stringent testing and the in-house movement that powers the watch is not only put through hours and hours of tests to determine its robustness and performance, but it is also COSC-certified. It’s clear, having considered this dedicated approach to both car and watch, that timekeeping and sports cars are two entities that are aligned in more ways than one.
The design of the Breitling Top Time B01 Classic Cars Shelby Cobra watch doesn’t feel generic in any way. The vintage style case of the watch and its dial is simple yet it perfectly captures the era in which the brand takes its inspiration from. The sub-counter dials, placed at 3 and 9 o’clock on this dial, are “squircle”-shaped and evoke the profile of TV screens seen in the 1960s and 1970s. Overall, the re-released model communicates an elegant and well-portioned dial with chronograph sub-scales filled with white centres. These scales offer the small seconds at 9 o’clock and the 30-minute count-up feature at 3 o’clock. The watch foregoes the presence of a date feature. Instead, this space is dedicated to the Cobra emblem, which can also be admired on the surface of the sapphire crystal glass exhibition feature on the reverse side of the case.
The 41mm Breitling Top Time B01 Classic Cars Shelby Cobra watch is crafted from stainless steel with piston-pusher style buttons at 2 and 4 o’clock on the dial for controlling the chronograph functions of the watch with ease. In addition to this, the steel case is integrated with 100-meter water resistance and is topped with a strong piece of scratch-resistant and anti-reflective sapphire crystal glass that protects the surface of the dial from all sorts of damage. Inside the case is the reliable B01 Calibre, as aforementioned, performing at a rate of 28,800 vibrations per hour and equipped with a column wheel for a smoother performance.
The new Breitling Shelby Cobra watch can be enjoyed on two types of strap. The first option is a brown perforated leather strap with white contrast stitching and a Breitling-engraved stainless steel folding clasp. The second option is a Breitling Ocean Classic bracelet in stainless steel, which secures with a Breitling-engraved butterfly clasp.
If you’d like to place an order for the new Breitling Top Time B01 Classic Cars Shelby Cobra watch, you can call and speak to a member of our Jura Watches sales team today on 01335 453453
