There is a specific fantasy about what the Aston Martin DB5 sells, and it has almost nothing to do with gadgets. It is that refined feeling of being somewhere beautiful, moving fast, and dressed exactly right.
In 1965, Breitling captured that exact sentiment when a Top Time Ref. 2002 appeared on Sean Connery’s wrist in Thunderball alongside the DB5. It became the very first Q-modified watch in James Bond history—a moment where automotive speed and horological style aligned in a shared language.
Six decades later, Breitling and Aston Martin have returned to that cinematic intersection with the Top Time B01 Chronograph 41 Tribute to Aston Martin DB5.
Translating Automotive Heritage to the Wrist
Instead of slapping a car logo onto a dial, the design team—led by Breitling’s Head of Product Design, Pablo Widmer—translated the interior tactile richness of the DB5 directly into the watch’s architecture.
The 41mm cushion-shaped stainless steel case features grooved corners and mushroom pushers that pay homage to 1960s motoring chronographs. Framing the dial is a wooden inner rehaut ring that directly mirrors the DB5’s iconic steering wheel. The “squircle” (square-circle) sub-dials evoke classic dashboard instrument gauges, while hand-colored gradient calfskin straps mirror the depth of patinated upholstery.
The Three Limited Editions
Offered across three distinct tier executions, each iteration offers a different expression of luxury:
1. The Pure Classic: Stainless Steel & Silver Dial
- Reference: AB0178121G1X1
- Limitation: 1,022 pieces
- Price: SGD 15,200 / US$11,400
- Details: Featuring a sunray-brushed silver dial paired with black sub-dials, this edition stays truest to the original 1960s Top Time Ref. 2002 worn on screen. It is fitted with a rhodium-plated rotor visible through the sapphire caseback.
2. The High-Contrast Executive: Steel & Platinum Bezel
- Reference: PB0178121B1X1
- Limitation: 315 pieces
- Price: SGD 22,500 / US$18,600
- Details: This variant introduces a high-gloss black lacquered dial offset by a solid platinum bezel. The added weight of the platinum gives the piece a distinct wrist presence, finished with an 18k red gold winding rotor.
3. The Haute Horlogerie Flagship: 18k Red Gold & Natural Onyx
- Reference: RB0178131B1X1
- Limitation: 250 individually numbered pieces
- Price: SGD 58,000 / US$41,500
- Details: The crown jewel of the collection features a solid 18k 5N red gold case. Marking Breitling’s first-ever use of natural stone dials, the face is cut entirely from natural black onyx, delivering an extraordinary depth and luster.
The Engine: Manufacture Caliber 01
Powering all three references is the Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01.
- Architecture: In-house self-winding mechanical chronograph with a column wheel and vertical clutch for crisp pusher engagement.
- Performance: COSC-certified chronometer operating at 28,800 vph (4 Hz) with a robust 70-hour power reserve.
- Exhibition Back: The open sapphire caseback reveals a custom rotor engraved with Aston Martin iconography (rhodium-plated on the steel model; 18k solid gold on the platinum and red gold models).
As Georges Kern noted, the DB5 is a design that never fades. By bypassing superficial branding in favor of genuine material storytelling—wood, stone, and automotive leather—Breitling and Aston Martin have created a collection that feels timeless on the wrist.
