Breitling Top Time

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REF 2002
Manual-winding
36 MM
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SKU AS04470
Article Number 40940009
ref 2002
case size 36 MM
movement Manual-winding
approximate age 1960s
dial color Silver
material Stainless Steel
style Chronograph
category Vintage
bracelet Leather
lug width 19 MM
Includes Analog:Shift Logan brown montone leather strap with steel pin buckle.
material Montone
overall condition The case is in very good condition overall showing normal signs of wear from age and use. Sunburst silver Tritium 'Panda' dial with applied indices is in excellent condition, showing even patination to luminous elements with matching handset. Signed crown.
REF 2002
Manual-winding
36 MM
– Show less
SKU AS04470
Article Number 40940009
ref 2002
case size 36 MM
movement Manual-winding
approximate age 1960s
dial color Silver
material Stainless Steel
style Chronograph
category Vintage
bracelet Leather
lug width 19 MM
Includes Analog:Shift Logan brown montone leather strap with steel pin buckle.
material Montone
overall condition The case is in very good condition overall showing normal signs of wear from age and use. Sunburst silver Tritium 'Panda' dial with applied indices is in excellent condition, showing even patination to luminous elements with matching handset. Signed crown.

Why We Love it

When it comes to vintage chronographs, Breitling can be somewhat polarizing. While best known for their Navitimer line of aviation computer watches, some collectors find their dials too busy and difficult to read for daily wear. As a result, these chronographs don’t always get the same appreciation as some of their contemporary counterparts.

We'd like to change that, and this watch, the Top Time, is the best way we know how.

In the 1960s, a few years after the Navitimer Reference 806 ‘Cosmonaute’ orbited the planet on the wrist of Scott Carpenter, Breitling launched a line of simpler, more subdued chronographs called ‘Top Time.’ Unlike the Navitimer, the Top Time was meant for more basic tasks than timing an orbital burn. Therefore, its design was less complex than that of the Navitimer, but no less appealing.

Its clean lines and splashes of color (and lower price tag) were meant to attract the eye of its intended audience: the youth. As Willy Breitling said upon the Top Time’s release in 1964, “Our special models [like the Top Time] are particularly suited to the needs of young and active professionals…”

This particular Top-Time, a Reference 2002, features an excellent 36mm steel case housing an always desirable white 'panda' dial with applied indices and black subsidiary registers, a matching handset, a signed crown, and the venerable Valjoux 7733 hand-cranking movement powering it within.

With sharp looks and an appealing style, the Top Time has become a classic, and it's not hard to see why.

And that, dear friends, is what collecting vintage is all about

Brand Story

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Breitling, one of the most illustrious names in the annals of the “tool watch,” was founded by Léon Breitling in 1892. And though the firm is no longer operated by its namesake family, it still produces some of the world’s best pilot’s watches, many of which now feature in-house movements.

The company first started manufacturing wrist chronographs as early as the 1930s. In 1936 they became an official supplier to military forces of the United Kingdom and Canada. While perhaps best known for the Navitimer and Chronomat lines — which were used heavily by pilots of many nations — Breitling also produced scores of other chronograph models that merit consideration, such as the more affordable Top Time and Premier. Dive watches, such as the Super Ocean, are also part of the company’s offerings.

The late 1970s was a turbulent time for the Swiss watch industry, and many storied houses were swept away by the Quartz Crisis. By 1978, Breitling was in trouble due to the illness of its leader, Willy Breitling, and the steep decline in sales that had cut through the entire industry. Unable to keep operations going, the company was liquidated, and parts, toolings and naming rights were sold off.
Between 1979 and 2017, Breitling continued under the ownership of the Schneider family. In 2017 an 80% stake in the firm was sold to a British private equity firm, with the remaining 20% sold in 2018. In 2019, the company released the caliber B01, an in-house, automatic chronograph movement that’s since found its way into the Chronomat and Navitimer collections, bringing the tale of this famed manufacturer full circle.

A:S Guarantee

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Our Pledge

Analog:Shift stands behind the authenticity of our products in perpetuity.

Condition

Since our pieces are vintage or pre-owned, please expect wear & patina from usage and age. Please read each item description and examine all product images.

Warranty

We back each Analog:Shift vintage timepiece with a one-year mechanical warranty from the date of purchase.

International Buyers

Please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.

Shipping & Returns

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All of our watches include complementary insured shipping within the 50 states.

Most of our products are on hand and will ship directly from our headquarters in New York City. In some cases, watches will be shipped directly from one of our authorized partners.

We generally ship our products via FedEx, fully insured, within 5 business days of purchase. An adult signature is required for receipt of all packages for insurance purposes. Expedited shipping is available at an additional cost. We are also happy to hand deliver your purchase in Manhattan or you may pick it up at our showroom.

Returns must be sent overnight or by priority international delivery, fully insured and paid for by the customer. A restocking fee may apply. Watches must be returned in the same condition as initially shipped.

We welcome international buyers, please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.

Make it yours will fit standard 19mm watches

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Breitling Top Time

Breitling Top Time

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Breitling Top Time

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