The story
The 1960s was a decade of experimentation, fun, freedom and energy. Whether cruising on a motorcycle or revving up a sportscar, living life at full speed was the order of the day. Willy Breitling felt this change of pace and set out to design an unconventional chronograph that would capture the verve of era. He called it the Top Time. That spirited tradition continues today. Breitling partners with some of the coolest names in wheels to create its Top Time designs. In the early 1960s, the Le Mans winner Carroll Shelby imagined a car that matched a small, light British-style chassis to a strong, reliable American small-block engine. When it was introduced in 1962, the Cobra met with instant success, both among sportscar fans and on the racing circuit. It remains blisteringly fast and cherished by collectors to this day. The Top Time B21 Shelby Cobra features the colors of its classic-car counterpart as well as a perforated leather racing strap, speed-measuring tachymeter scale, and contrasting “squircle” (not quite square, not quite round) subdials that give the feel of vintage dashboard gauges. Inside its chassis of ceramic and titanium hums a brag-worthy engine: the exceptional Chronograph Tourbillon B21 from La Joux-Perret.
