BREITLING Top Time B31
BREITLING presents the Top Time B31, a brand new collection powered by the first three-hand manufacture movement designed and developed by the Grenchen based Swiss watchmaker. Austin Butler, the Oscar-nominated actor, is the face of the new Top Time B31.
Since the 1960s, the Top Time has never been just about keeping time, but also about exploring the world in your way, at your own pace. At the time, Willy Breitling’s bold and unconventional chronograph captured the era’s free-spirited energy. It symbolized self-expression, offering a break from traditional watch design.
From the start, Top Time was built for speed and style. It became a favorite among motorsport enthusiasts, fashion icons, and even secret agents – James Bond famously wore a Q-modified Top Time in Thunderball (1965). As one of the first chronographs designed to appeal to both men and women, its bold, graphic designs took over magazine pages and the silver screen.
Now, the BREITLING Top Time B31 reimagines that legacy as a time-only series, breaking from its chronograph roots while staying true to its unconventional spirit. With a classic 38 mm size, it strikes the perfect balance between heritage proportions and modern design.
Behind the collection, the new time-only Caliber B31 represents a return to the fundamentals of watchmaking, delivering robust performance in a sleek, modern form. As the first Breitling designed and developed manufacture three-hand movement, it builds on the engineering excellence established with the Breitling Manufacture Chronograph Caliber 01.
With applied indexes on the dial, attention naturally falls to the magnified date aperture. A bright orange seconds hand adds a defining detail across three colorways: white on blue, black on green, and sky blue on white. Staying true to the Top Time design codes – where the chronograph featured a bold tachymeter scale – this three-hand version keeps the focus on minutes and seconds in the contrasting rehaut.
A thin profile was top of mind, ensuring a comfortable fit that hugs the wrist. Two key features make this possible: tapered lugs and the crystal with two curved tiers, refining the profile for a smooth, streamlined look.
The BREITLING Top Time B31 watch pairs with either a perforated leather strap with contrasting stitching, inspired by the collection’s racing roots, or a three-row stainless-steel bracelet with an asymmetrical center link – a Breitling signature that enhances wrist presence and lends a sportier feel.
Four years in the making, the new time-only Caliber B31 brings enhanced reliability in a new 28mm x 4.8 mm dimension. Its unique architecture incorporates Breitling’s instantly recognizable signature components: the free-sprung balance wheel for improved precision, and the skeletonized bidirectional oscillating weight powering the automatic movement.
Engineered to impress, these features are visible through the watch’s open caseback, with elements finished in Geneva stripes and perlage.
This new automatic caliber reinforces Breitling’s reputation as a technical leader. For the production of components, the Breitling Chronometrie relies on its network of trusted suppliers, while movement assembly will be shared by Breitling and on a dedicated line with AMT in La Chaux-de-Fonds.
Like all Breitling manufacture movements, the B31 is a COSC-certified chronometer, ensuring exceptional accuracy. It also undergoes testing equivalent to 16 years of use: 100,000 crown winds, 3,456,000 weight turns, and 60,000 shocks at 500 G, among other extreme challenges. The caliber stays powered for approximately 78 hours off the wrist and comes backed by a five-year warranty.
Model: Breitling Top Time B31
References
AB3113A71C1A1, AB3113A71C1X1, AB3113171L1A1, AB3113171L1X1, AB3113281A1A1, AB3113281A1X1
Movement
Breitling Manufacture Caliber B31
Diameter: 28.40 millimeters
Depth: 4.80 millimeters
Winder: Self-winding mechanical, bidirectional with ball bearing
Power reserve: Approximately 78 hours
Number of components: 181
Balance frequency: 28,800 a/h or 4 hertz
Display: Hour, minute, second and date window with quick setting
Certification: COSC-certified
Case
Material: Stainless steel
Diameter: 38 millimeters
Thickness: 10.3 millimeters
Height (upper lug tip to lower lug tip): 45.8 millimeters
Water resistance: Up to 10 bar (100 meters)
Glass: Cambered sapphire, glareproofed on the inner side
Caseback: Screwed-in, sapphire crystal
Crown: Non screw-locked, two gaskets
Bezel: Fixed
Dial
Blue with a white inner ring
Green with a black inner ring
White with a sky-blue inner ring
Super-LumiNova® luminescent hour markers, hour and minute hands
Strap
Blue, green and beige racing-themed calfskin leather strap with pin buckle (20/18mm) or stainless-steel bracelet with folding clasp
