BREITLING – TOP TIME B21 Classic Cars Chronograph Tourbillon 2023

 

BREITLING – TOP TIME B21 Classic Cars series Chronograph Tourbillon 2023

 A POWERFUL CLASSIC GETS AN ENGINE BOOST:
INTRODUCING THE TOP TIME CLASSIC CARS TOURBILLON

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Breitling has been souping up its precision chronographs with high complications since the 1940s, and now it builds on that tradition by adding a tourbillon to the Top Time Classic Cars Collection, the series that celebrates the Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Corvette, and Shelby Cobra. The Top Time B21 Classic Cars Chronograph Tourbillon is now both a symbol of speed and a celebration of Breitling’s legacy as a pioneer in the genre of luxury sport chronographs.

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  The Top Time B21 Classic Cars Chronograph Tourbillon is equipped with the same Breitling Caliber B21 that made its debut last year in the Premier Tourbillon. Breitling worked hand in hand with the specialty movement maker Manufacture La Joux-Perret to develop the movement, which takes the uncommon step of combining a tourbillon with a chronograph to make the watches so distinctly Breitling. It’s the first time the Swiss watchmaker has introduced a tourbillon in the Top Time Collection, and it will be combined with some exotic materials: combinations of bronze, ceramic, and titanium for the cases, and walnut burl on one of the dials.

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“We are thrilled to introduce a tourbillon to the Top Time Classic Cars series,” says Breitling CEO Georges Kern. “There is no better expression of Breitling’s expertise in making precision tool watches that combine functionality with sophistication and style. Like the cars it represents, the Top Time B21 Classic Cars Chronograph Tourbillon is all about its design and its engine.”

STYLE AND SPEED

The Top Time Collection was introduced in the 1960s to meet the demands of people with active lifestyles. Third-generation founder Willy Breitling wanted to create an unconventional chronograph that was more style driven than the traditional tool watches Breitling was known for. He called it the Top Time, and it was as much about having a good time as it was about telling the time, becoming a fast favorite among car and motorcycle enthusiasts. 

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Over the years, Breitling has partnered with American classic sports car makers to capture the sense of verve and energy that characterized the 1960s. Today’s Top Time Classic Cars Collection consists of updated collaborations with Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Corvette, and Shelby Cobra.

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  The design is modern retro, with mushroom chronograph pushers and an up/down dial design with the tourbillon carriage at 12 o’clock. At 6 o’clock, the chronograph minute counter occupies a “squircle” (part circle, part square) register that’s a nod to vintage dashboard gauges. A tachymeter scale circles the outer dial.

MEET THE CLASSIC CARS

The Top Time B21 Ford Mustang has a 43-mm bronze case with a titanium back, and a green dial to match the colors of the first-generation Ford Mustang, produced from 1964 to 1974. It was a car that truly captured the freewheeling spirit of the ’60s.

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The Top Time B21 Shelby Cobra has a 44-mm black ceramic case with a titanium back, crown, pushers, and buckle. The blue dial matches the livery of the car, created in 1962 by Le Mans winner Carroll Shelby, who combined a small, light, British-style chassis with a strong, reliable American small-block engine.

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  The Top Time B21 Chevrolet Corvette has a 44-mm black ceramic case with a titanium back, crown, pushers, and buckle. The walnut burl dial and perforated leather racing strap are a homage to the steering wheel and dashboard inlays of the legendary 1960s “Sting Ray”­ Chevy Corvette.

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Breitling worked with the specialty movement maker Manufacture La Joux-Perret to develop the B21. Running at a frequency of 28,800 a/h (4 hertz), with a power reserve of 55 hours, the Breitling Caliber B21 has a column-wheel-controlled design with a horizontal clutch. It is a COSC-certified chronometer with a skeletonized oscillating weight that allows a view of the column wheel through the caseback. 

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The tourbillon houses the balance wheel, balance spring, and escapement in a rotating cage, setting the entire assembly in perpetual motion — and effectively cancels —  the pull of gravity, which affects the watch’s accuracy in different positions. 

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 The Top Time B21 Classic Cars Chronograph Tourbillon is water-resistant to 100 meters, and comes with Breitling’s 5-year warranty. In other words, all the style, power, and performance you would expect from a classic.

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TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

 Model : BREITLING – TOP TIME B21 Classic Cars Chronograph Tourbillon

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• Reference: SB21252A1Q1X1   - FORD MUSTANG 

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• Reference: SB21251A1C1X1  - SHELBY COBRA

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• Reference: NB21251A1L1X1  - CHEVROLET CORVETTE

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MOVEMENT
Caliber: Manufacture Caliber B21 (Manufacture La Joux-Perret)
Diameter: 35 millimeters
Depth: 8.15 millimeters
Winder: automatic
Power reserve: approximately 55 hours
Balance frequency: 28,800 a/h or 4 hertzJewel: 30 jewels
Chronograph: tourbillon chronograph, column-wheel, vertical clutch, 1/4th second,
60-minute counter
Display: hour, minute, second
Certification: COSC-certified
CASE
Material:  

• bronze 
• Diameter: 43 millimeters
  

Material:  

• Black ceramic
• Diameter: 44 millimeters

Thickness: 15.40 millimeters
Height:  51.89 millimeters
Water resistance: up to 10 bar (100 meters)
Glass: cambered sapphire, glareproofed on both sides
Case back: screwed, sapphire crystal
Crown: non screw–locked, two gaskets  /  titanium, non-screw-locked, two gaskets
Bezel: bronze, fixed  /  black ceramic, fixed

DIAL

• Green
• Blue
• Brown walnut burl

HANDS  Super-LumiNova® luminescent hour and minute hands
STRAP 

• Brown calfskin leather strap with titanium folding buckle (22/18 mm
• Blue calfskin leather strap with titanium folding buckle (22/18 mm)
• Brown calfskin leather strap with titanium folding buckle (22/18 mm)

Dimensions
Product Weight (Approx.)    144.0 g.
Watch-head Weight (Approx.)    112.0 g.
Height (upper lug tip to lower lug tip)    50.0 mm
Lug width (in-between lug)    22/18 mm

🔴 #PREMIERstyle
🔴 #BREITLINGtourbillon  🔴 #BREITLINGpremier 🔴 #BREITLINGchronograph

Year: 2023
PRICE -Excl. Sales Tax  USD 47,000.00

 Warranty Duration (Years): 5
+3 years Mechanical Manufacture Breitling Movements 

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Press Release - 2022
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Press contact ROMY HEBDEN 
Head of Public Relations
E-mail: romy.hebden@breitling.com
BREITLING SA
Schlachthausstrasse 2
2540 Grenchen
Switzerland
Telephone: +41 32 654 54 54
Mobile: +41 79 731 90 28
E-mail: media@breitling.com

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De Bethune – DB28XP Kind Of Blue Tourbillon Sapphire Edition

De Bethune – CURRENT DB28XP ‘Kind Of Blue’ Tourbillon Sapphire Titanium Limited Edition 2023

Hong Kong, December 1st, 2023 – Currently on a tour across Asia to engage with passionate collectors of the brand and explore its rich history and culture, Denis Flageollet, the founder and master watchmaker of De Bethune, has chosen to unveil the new DB28XP Kind of Blue Tourbillon Sapphire in Hong Kong. 

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This special timepiece, he believes, will resonate with a market attuned to the vibrations of such artifacts and the energy they exude.

A Natural Evolution of Excellence

The DB28XP Kind of Blue Tourbillon Sapphire represents the seamless evolution of two iconic models from De Bethune: the DB28XP and the DB28 Kind of Blue Tourbillon. It encapsulates the best of both worlds by merging the sleek design and refinement of the DB28XP with a distinctly blue aesthetic inspired by the DB28 Kind of Blue Tourbillon, a hallmark of the Manufacture’s signature style.

A Captivating Dial

This is a realm where layers of interpretation, textures, and the interplay of light with shadows and reflections take centre stage. Crafted from blued titanium, the watch unveils an architectural fusion of space, time, and light at first glance. Its deep and luminous blue hue is achieved through the natural oxidation of the material, transforming each timepiece into a unique work of art.

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The dial, entirely crafted in Microlight, breathes new life into and modernizes the traditional guilloché technique. Across its expansive flat surface, this method gains newfound significance, reinforcing its structure. By playing with shadow and light, it introduces depth, resulting in a more structured and dynamic architectural outcome. The overall effect becomes distinctly contemporary.

Ultra-Thin Mastery by De Bethune

De Bethune embarked on a groundbreaking journey into the realm of ultra-thin timepieces in 2020 with the launch of the DB28XP, celebrating two decades of mechanical and aesthetic exploration. In his pursuit of an ultra-thin watch, Denis Flageollet conceived it as both a technical and aesthetic challenge—an intricate dance between delicacy and complexity, an adventure demanding precision and a harmonious interplay between design and constraints.

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As if destined, the DB28XP has evolved into an embodiment of beauty, an elegance that epitomizes simplicity even in its most absolute form. Today, it stands as an ideal representation of refined aesthetics and technical finesse.

The Chronometric Expertise of De Bethune

The manually winding DB2009v4 movement features the distinctive De Bethune balance wheel, visible through the dial via a 6 o’clock opening. It is the outcome of De Bethune’s ongoing physical and mathematical approach to enhancing its functionality. This balance wheel incorporates the latest advancements—modest in diameter, crafted from titanium, and fitted with small white gold weights positioned externally, providing it with exceptional inertia, reliability, and remarkable regulating quality.

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Equipped with the renowned De Bethune hairspring, a delicate spring considered the soul of the mechanical watch, it has been meticulously designed to maintain its center of gravity precisely at the midpoint. This is achieved through a flat curve fixed externally to the hairspring. Variations in the thickness of the blade contribute to nearly perfect concentric development, offering numerous advantages, including reduced height, improved concentricity quality, finer adjustment of the pallet, eliminating the need for pins, and the curve’s shape acting as a shock absorber.

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Furthermore, the internal structure of the material remains intact, having been neither stressed nor bent. Through these proven and continually evolving enhancements, De Bethune has increased the power reserve efficiency by +20%, extending it to a total of 5 days. This achievement is visible through the sapphire glass case back, allowing connoisseurs to marvel at the complexity and beauty of each component.

The De Bethune Tourbillon: Why So Small, So Light, So Fast?

In the expansive array of complications and functions that De Bethune has mastered, the tourbillon has often taken a leading role. A tourbillon equippd with an extraordinarily lightweight cage (0.18 gr., the lightest ever created) rotating every thirty seconds, comprising a total of 63 components (the lightest of which weighs less than 0.0001 gram!).

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Today, a wrist-worn watch experiences significantly more “torture” than a pocket watch. Rapid and erratic wrist movements impose kinetic brutality on watch mechanics, warranting careful consideration. Just as Breguet invented the tourbillon to counteract the effects of Earth’s gravity and enhance the precision of marine watches, De Bethune sought ways to optimize it for today’s wristwatches.

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The equation? To be more effective on a wrist subjected to quick and erratic movements, the tourbillon must have a higher frequency and a faster rotation speed.

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By creating a tourbillon in titanium and silicon with a frequency of 36,000 vibrations/hour and an extraordinarily lightweight cage rotating every thirty seconds, describing the feat is easier  than achieving it. Much like an airborne insect, a true exoskeleton maintains the entire structure.

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Thus, the De Bethune tourbillon, so small, so light, so fast, simply fulfills its function better for contemporary watches. The futuristic shape of the tourbillon bridge symmetrically and perfectly supports the tourbillon on both sides, keeping it in its position.

Comfort and Innovation

True to the essence of all models in its collection, the DB28XP Kind of Blue Tourbillon Sapphire consistently surprises with the lightweight construction of its case. Crafted entirely from polished blued grade 5 titanium with a microlight case, embellished with sapphire rods and mounted on floating lugs that adapt to the size and various movements of the wrist—a patented De Bethune system. The case features a more contoured profile, following the natural lines of the wrist. The Microlight finish of the baseplate extends onto the sides, reaching the outer edge of the case—a meticulous undertaking that proves challenging in the absence of simple geometric elements.

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Completing the ensemble is an alligator leather strap with a titanium buckle, contributing to the practical and enjoyable wear of this timepiece.

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TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Collection  CURRENT

Name:  DB28 XP Kind of Blue Tourbillon Sapphire

 Reference: DB28XPTJB

🔰Limited edition of 10 pieces

Case
     Case material: Blued polished grade 5 titanium with “microlight” case middle set with baguette sapphire
    Diameter: 43 mm
    Thickness: 9.1 mm
    Lugs: Blued polished grade 5 titanium floating lugs – De Bethune Patent (2006)
    Crystal: Sapphire (1,800 Vickers hardness) with double anti-reflective coating
    Caseback: Screwed case back in blued grade 5 polished titanium that opens on a linear power reserve indicator
    Sapphire (1,800 Vickers hardness) with double anti-reflective coating
    Water-resistant to 30 meters (3 ATM)
Dial and hands
Display: Polished titanium hands
Dial: Titanium hour ring with blued microlight decoration and polished hour markers.
Blued grade 5 circular satin titanium minutes and seconds ring
Bridge cover on the barrel and triangular central bridge in grade 5 blued polished titanium with blued drawn chamfered contour.
Milky Way patterns produced by laser beam micro milling, gilded with 24-carat gold leaf
Movement
    Caliber DB2009v5
    Mechanical hand-wound movement
    Adjustment: Winding and setting the time by means means of the crown (2 positions)
    Diameter: 30 mm
    Number of parts: 380
    Number of jewels: 40
    Frequency: 36,000 vibrations per hour
    Power reserve: 5 days, ensured by a self-regulating twin barrel – De Bethune Innovation (2004)
    Adornment: Hand-crafted finishing and decoration 
 Function
Hours, Minutes, 30’’ indicator via the ultra-light De Bethune tourbillon cage at 6 o’clock, power reserve on the back
Specificities
    Titanium balance with white gold inserts, optimised for temperature differences and air penetration –
De Bethune Patent (2016)
"De Bethune" balance-spring with flat terminal curve De Bethune Patent (2006)
Silicon escape wheel
Ultra-light De Bethune 30’’ tourbillon in titanium De Bethune Innovation (2008)
Strap and buckle
 Strap: Extra-supple alligator leather with alligator lining
Buckle: Blued grade 5 titanium buckle and pin

🔰Limited edition of 10 pieces

🔴Price: 296,830 EUR / US $ 297,750 💰

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Press release -- Geneva 2023
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De Bethune Geneva Office 
25 Grand-Rue 1204 Geneva
Switzerland
Tel: +41 22 310 22 71
Fax: +41 22 310 33 40
Contact: mailto:press@debethune.com

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