The worlds of watchmaking and motoring are inextricably, rivetingly linked. Luxury replica watches have always ticked where engines have thrummed; and this enduring, well-engineered association has led to some seriously cool collaborations during decades past. From Swiss made fake Breitling, the last slice of such high-octane horology is this; the Breitling Premier Top Time Triumph Limited Edition.
Earlier this week, Gentleman’s Journal took a flying visit to Triumph Motorcycles’ Hinckley HQ for the unveiling of the icy blue-hued copy watch. There, among the Tigers and the Tridents, we were introduced to this latest handsome Top Time from perfect fake Breitling — as well as a new ‘Speed Twin’ motorcycle from Triumph itself. But what, aside from this collaboration, links the two brands — and when did the cheap replica Breitling Top Time become such an icon of the café racer subculture?
Back in the mid-1960s, that’s when. It was the height of the eternally summery, swinging decade, and young enthusiasts were riding their lightweight, powerful motors from café to café. Willy Breitling — ever a champion of the zeitgeist — set out to capture this speed-driven style, and strap it around his wrist. He created the Breitling Top Time replica for sale, a sporty watch designed specifically for ‘young and active professionals’. And, this week, top copy Breitling and Triumph joined forces to roar it back to life.
It’s an exceedingly alluring watch, and one that will share a very special relationship with the motorcycle launched alongside it; the Triumph Speed Twin best 1:1 fake Breitling Limited Edition. Because, to celebrate 120 years of Triumph, the first ever collaboration between the two brands will see the ‘Zorro-dialled’ Top Time rolled out alongside 270 exclusively co-branded, individually numbered motorcycles.
With a price tag of £16,000, the Triumph’s price tag weighs a little heavier than its wrist-mounted stablemate (the Swiss replica Breitling costs £4,500). But the specs and stats make for persuasive reading. Each of the ice-blue bikes is unique, and features an individually numbered handlebar clamp. That distinctive polychromatic blue paint is noteworthy, too; having been spectrograph-matched to the original Triumph Thunderbird 6T colour from 1951 — and formulated to complement the dial of the chronograph to a luxury fake Breitling Top Time T.
Elsewhere, Triumph has specced out its new Speed Twin with fully adjustable Öhlins twin shocks, complete with gloss black springs. That same slick black colour can be found striped down the tank, where hand-painted coach lines evoke the precise indices and markings of Swiss movement fake Breitling’s timepiece. The Speed Twin is also fitted with Brembo M50 callipers, high specification Marzocchi USD forks and is powered by a liquid-cooled, crank angle parallel twin engine.
It’s a six-speed, twin-exhausted piece of motorcycling history; the first machine manufactured by the brand alongside a quality super clone timepiece — and the ideal choice for those whose passions lay squarely between high speeds and horology.
Amidst the ice-blue, the dial also boasts a high-contrast tachymeter scale, offering clear legibility for riders — even if you’re reading the time from the saddle of your swift-shifting Triumph. Inside the case, you’re looking at the manufacture’s revered ‘Caliber 23’, the COSC-certified chronometer with a power reserve nudging 48 hours.
“This collaboration is born out of a shared philosophy of bold and original design,” Triumph CEO Nick Bloor tells us. “The high quality replica Breitling Top Time Triumph brings that uncompromising style and craftsmanship together.”
“Triumph’s heritage and modern-retro aesthetic are just two of the many things we have in common,” adds Georges Kern, CEO of AAA fake Breitling. “Their blending of tradition with technology is completely in sync with what we do.”
It’s true. There’s a thread that strings these two brands together. Both best quality replica Breitling and Triumph have an intimate relationship with their past incarnations; and frequently look to their own archives for inspiration. Whether that’s a forgotten tank shape for Triumph, or a case shape that fell by the wholesale copy Breitling wayside, there’s a respect and reverence for heritage that keeps these companies ticking — and motoring — along. And nowhere is that more evident that with this latest vintage-cool collaboration.