The Breitling Top Time Aston Martin DB5 collection is the most significant watch release from Breitling in years, and the brand is aware of this. Breitling and Aston Martin continue their partnership with a chronograph inspired by one of the most famous cars ever made. The new Top Time B01 Chronograph 41 Tribute to Aston Martin DB5 honors the legendary British grand tourer that became a cultural icon after appearing with Sean Connery in the 1965 James Bond film Thunderball. In the movie, Bond wore the Breitling Top Time ref. 2002, connecting two famous designs from the 1960s. This combination of two 1960s icons on one wrist is the basis for three new limited editions: a stainless-steel model priced at $11,400 (1,022 pieces), a steel-and-platinum version at $18,600 (315 pieces), and an 18k red-gold flagship with the brand's first natural onyx dial at $41,500 (250 pieces). All three models feature a real wood rehaut, a hand-colored calfskin strap, and the COSC-certified Caliber B01.
For more from Breitling's Top Time range, check out our Breitling collection archive and our limited edition watch guide. Here is everything you need to know about the Breitling Top Time Aston Martin DB5.
Breitling Top Time B01 Chronograph 41 Tribute to Aston Martin DB5 — steel edition on the wrist. Image: © Breitling via WatchTime
The Bond Connection That Breitling Won't Mention
The historical link between the Breitling Top Time Aston Martin DB5 and James Bond is real, and Breitling has chosen not to mention it. They make no official reference to Bond in this release. Not a single word. This silence is a way of communicating. In 1965's Thunderball, Sean Connery wore a modified Breitling Top Time ref. 2002 that had a Geiger counter and drove the same silver Aston Martin DB5 seen in Goldfinger a year earlier. The car and the watch were already connected before Breitling and Aston Martin formed any partnership. Now that partnership is official. Breitling replaced Girard-Perregaux as Aston Martin's watch partner at the beginning of 2026. The Breitling Top Time Aston Martin DB5 represents a collaboration that turns a historical coincidence into a meaningful connection.
Earlier in 2026, the two brands launched the Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team edition. The Breitling Top Time Aston Martin DB5 is the second release from this partnership and the first to focus on heritage rather than the current motorsport program.
The Three Editions at a Glance
The three new editions include:
A stainless steel edition with a silver sunray-brushed dial, limited to 1,022 pieces.
A stainless steel version with a platinum bezel and glossy black lacquer dial, limited to 315 pieces.
An 18-karat red-gold edition limited to 250 individually numbered pieces, featuring Breitling's first dial made from natural black onyx.
All three Breitling Top Time Aston Martin DB5 editions together — steel, steel/platinum, and red gold with onyx dial. Image: © Breitling via WatchTime
Edition 1: Steel with Silver Dial, $11,400
The entry point of the Breitling Top Time Aston Martin DB5 collection captures the 1960s spirit of both brands. This model features full stainless steel and a silver dial. It is limited to 1,022 pieces and closely resembles the vintage Top Time ref. 2002. The silver sunray-brushed dial showcases two "squircle" sub-dials, which reference the dashboard instruments of the DB5. This shape is between square and round, very much of its time. The running seconds hand is at 9 o'clock, while the 30-minute chronograph counter is at 3. The central chronograph seconds hand completes the display.
A distinctive feature of the steel model is the Aston Martin-engraved exhibition caseback rotor, which is rhodium-plated, unlike the 18k red gold rotor found in the higher editions. The 1,022-piece limit is also significant; it refers to the DB5's original production number of about 1,023 cars made in the first two years starting in 1963.
Reference: AB0178121G1X1
Case: 41mm stainless steel
Dial: Silver sunray-brushed, black "squircle" sub-dials
Rotor: Rhodium-plated with Aston Martin engraving
Limited to: 1,022 pieces
Price: $11,400 / £8,650 / ₹15,96,500 (approximately)
Steel edition front: silver sunray dial, black squircle sub-dials, pump pushers and real wood rehaut. Image: © Breitling via WatchTime
Edition 2: Steel with Platinum Bezel, $18,600
The middle edition of the Breitling Top Time Aston Martin DB5 features a platinum bezel on the stainless steel case. This combination shifts the look from sporty to what Oracle Time calls "stealth-wealth luxury." The steel model with a platinum bezel and black lacquered dial has a limited run of 315 pieces at $18,600. The black lacquered dial offers a more dramatic surface than the silver of the steel model; it has depth instead of shimmer and highlights the warm tones of the real wood rehaut by contrast. The platinum bezel provides a polished touch that indicates a subtle improvement in material quality without reaching the higher price of red gold.
The 315-piece production limit is much tighter than the 1,022-piece steel edition. This middle version holds significant rarity compared to the entry model while still being accessible to serious collectors.
Reference: PB0178121B1X1
Case: Stainless steel body, platinum bezel
Dial: Black lacquered sunray-brushed
Rotor: 18k red gold with Aston Martin engraving
Limited to: 315 pieces
Price: $18,600 / £14,400
Edition 3: Red Gold with Natural Onyx Dial, $41,500
The flagship of the Breitling Top Time Aston Martin DB5 collection makes history in two ways. It is the first Breitling watch to have a natural stone dial. It is also the only edition out of three that features a full 18k red gold case. This 18k red gold flagship includes 250 individually numbered pieces priced at $41,500, complete with a dial cut from natural black onyx.
Onyx is a type of layered chalcedony, a microcrystalline quartz. It has been used in luxury items for centuries. However, it rarely appears on watch dials, especially not in a manufacture chronograph. The natural stone has its own texture and slight variations. It interacts with light in a unique way that no painted or lacquered surface can match. Paired with the 18k red gold case, the onyx dial elevates the Breitling Top Time Aston Martin DB5 from a sporty vintage tribute to something that resembles fine jewelry craftsmanship.
This edition also features an 18k red gold rotor, visible through the sapphire caseback, engraved with the Aston Martin wings design.
Reference: RB0178131B1X1
Case: 18k red gold
Dial: Natural black onyx (Breitling's first natural stone dial)
Rotor: 18k red gold with Aston Martin engraving
Limited to: 250 individually numbered pieces
Price: $41,500 / £35,100
Red gold edition: natural black onyx dial — Breitling's first-ever stone dial. Image: © Breitling via WatchTime
What All Three Share: Wood, Leather, and the B01
The most unusual design choice in the entire Breitling Top Time Aston Martin DB5 collection is the real wood rehaut, which is the inner bezel ring between the dial and the crystal. A wooden rehaut brings to mind the DB5's handcrafted steering wheel, while the hand-colored brown calfskin strap reflects the rich tones and character of the car's leather upholstery. Together, these details create a strong automotive feel without losing the sporty nature of the Top Time.
Wood in a watch is not new. Wooden sub-dials and chapter rings show up sometimes in independent watchmaking. However, using wood as the rehaut of a 41mm chronograph from a major Swiss company is quite rare. It adds a tactile detail that completes the automotive interior metaphor: the feel of a steering wheel at 12 o'clock and a leather driver's seat on the wrist.
The engine of the watch is the Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01, a COSC-certified chronograph movement designed for precision and reliability. The B01 uses a column wheel to control the chronograph sequence and a vertical clutch for smooth, consistent engagement. It operates at 28,800 vph (4Hz), offers a 70-hour power reserve, and is visible through the sapphire exhibition caseback on all three editions.
Breitling Top Time Aston Martin DB5: Full Specs
Shared across all three editions:
Case diameter: 41mm
Case thickness: 13.8mm
Lug-to-lug: 47.9mm
Case shape: Cushion with Art Deco grooves at corners
Pushers: Mushroom (pump-style, vintage-correct)
Crystal: Sapphire (front and caseback)
Water resistance: 100m
Rehaut: Real wood (DB5 steering wheel reference)
Movement: Breitling Manufacture Caliber B01, automatic, COSC-certified
Frequency: 28,800 vph (4Hz), column wheel, vertical clutch
Power reserve: 70 hours
Caseback: Sapphire display with Aston Martin-engraved rotor
Strap: Hand-colored gradient brown calfskin (DB5 upholstery reference), folding clasp
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. How much does the Breitling Top Time Aston Martin DB5 cost?
Three editions are available: $11,400 for the steel (1,022 pieces), $18,600 for the steel with platinum bezel (315 pieces), and $41,500 for the 18k red gold with natural onyx dial (250 pieces).
Q2. What is the price of the Breitling Top Time Aston Martin DB5 in India?
The platinum-bezel steel edition is listed on Breitling India's website at about ₹15,96,500. Please check the current pricing on Breitling's official India product page or with authorized India retailers.
Q3. Why is the Breitling Top Time Aston Martin DB5 collection important?
It brings together two 1960s icons— the Breitling Top Time, worn by Sean Connery in Thunderball (1965), and the Aston Martin DB5, driven by Connery in the same film— in an officially sanctioned collaboration. The red gold edition also marks Breitling's first use of a natural stone dial.
Q4. What movement powers the Breitling Top Time Aston Martin DB5?
The watch features the Breitling Manufacture Caliber B01, an in-house automatic chronograph that is COSC-certified, with a column wheel, vertical clutch, 4Hz beat rate, and a 70-hour power reserve.
Q5. Does the Breitling Top Time Aston Martin DB5 contain real wood?
Yes. The rehaut, or inner bezel ring, on all three editions is made from real wood, connecting to the handcrafted wooden steering wheel of the original DB5.
Q6. Which edition of the Breitling Top Time Aston Martin DB5 is the rarest?
The 18k red gold edition with a natural onyx dial is the rarest. It is limited to 250 individually numbered pieces and costs $41,500, making it the smallest run and the highest priced item in the collection.
The Bottom Line
The Breitling Top Time Aston Martin DB5 deserves its historical reference, not just for marketing reasons. The genuine wood rehaut, the hand-colored leather strap, and the squircle sub-dials taken from the car's instruments reflect design choices that link to the DB5's interior rather than merely mimicking its color scheme. The unspoken but clear Bond connection adds a cultural layer that no purely fictional branding can create. The natural onyx dial on the red gold flagship showcases Breitling's watchmaking history while paying tribute to someone else's car. For the complete Hodinkee introduction article, Hodinkee's DB5 write-up explores the Bond angle in depth. For more limited-edition chronographs, check our chronograph collection guide. For a review covering the design details of all three editions, Oracle Time's article provides the most comprehensive breakdown.