Widths differ across this line. Enter or pick your exact reference to get its width.
18 to 22 mm
Verification: Listed by the maker for ref. AB01765, AB01769A1G1X1 and 27 more
Attachment: spring bars or to verify, depending on the reference
38 to 42 mm cases · 1965 to 2025
Official page: Breitling
Report an errorIndicative information. Check your watch before buying a strap: whatsmylugwidth.com is not responsible for an incorrect size.
The story · Since 1962
Q handed Sean Connery's Bond a Top Time that hid a geiger counter in Thunderball. The prop then vanished, turned up at an English car boot sale priced at £25, and sold at Christie's for £103,875.
£25
price of the lost Thunderball Top Time at a car boot sale
Worn by
Willy Breitling's team started designing the Top Time in 1962 and launched it in 1964 in steel, solid gold and gold-plated cases. Breitling says it was aimed at young, active professionals and also won over young women.
In Thunderball a heavily modified Top Time Ref. 2002 hides a geiger counter that Bond uses to track two stolen nuclear warheads. The art department built the bespoke case with the Valley Tool Company, and only one was made.
The quartz crisis ended Top Time production in the 1970s. When Ernest Schneider restarted Breitling in 1982, the Top Time was not brought back.
In March 2020 Breitling issued a 2,000-piece re-edition, Ref. A23310121G1X1, in a 41 mm steel case with Calibre 23. Its two white subdials framed in black earned it the collectors' name Zorro dial.
February 2021 brought the Top Time Deus, then a Classic Cars capsule of Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Corvette and Shelby Cobra models. In February 2022 the Top Time Triumph was paired with a 270-piece Triumph Speed Twin and sold only to the bike's owners.
The 2023 Classic Cars models, including a Ford Thunderbird, moved to the in-house B01 with 70 hours of reserve, and late 2023 added B21 tourbillons in 44 mm ceramic and 43 mm bronze. In 2025 came a 38 mm cushion-cased B01 Racing trio and 750-piece tributes to cyclists Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali.
In July 2026 Breitling launched three Top Time B01 Chronograph 41 limited editions honouring the Aston Martin DB5: 1,022 in steel, 315 in steel and platinum, and 250 in 18k red gold with Breitling's first onyx dial.
Film role: as James Bond in Thunderball he wears a Q-modified Top Time Ref. 2002 with a geiger counter. Christie's said the only other watch he wore as Bond was a Rolex Submariner. Personal ownership is not documented.
2025. In April 2025 Breitling issued 750-piece Top Time B01 tributes to the cycling rivals Fausto Coppi (AB01768A1A1X1) and Gino Bartali (AB01767A1C1X1). In 2025 it also issued a 125-piece FC Bayern Munich 125th anniversary edition, AB01769A1G1X1, at €7,250.
2022. The Top Time Triumph could only be bought by owners of the 270-piece Triumph Speed Twin it was made with.
2013. Thought lost after filming, the Thunderball prop was spotted by a collector at a British car boot sale for £25 and sold at Christie's Pop Culture auction in South Kensington on 26 June 2013 for £103,875 (US$160,175), more than double its estimate.
1965. Thunderball: Q issues Bond (Sean Connery) a Top Time inside a large case with a built-in geiger counter, the first Q-modified watch of the series.
Breitling's own page says Willy Breitling set out to design an unconventional chronograph; Swisswatches says Breitling began designing the model in 1962 and unveiled the Top Time in 1964.
Three 750-piece models, AB01771A1B1X1, AB01771A1L1X1 and the Martini Racing AB01772A1G1X1.
A smaller 38 mm cushion-shaped case.
The line's switch to the in-house B01. The red gold RB01761A1Q1X1 measures 41 mm by 13.3 mm, runs about 70 hours and is water resistant to 10 bar.
20 mm between the lugs with an 18 mm 18k red gold folding clasp.
Top Time tourbillons unveiled towards the end of 2023: Corvette SB21252A1Q1X1 and Shelby Cobra SB21251A1C1X1 in 44 mm black ceramic, Mustang NB21251A1L1X1 in 43 mm bronze, with 55 hours of reserve.
Larger cases than the 41 mm B01: 44 mm ceramic and 43 mm bronze.
The first Top Time Deus, a 41 mm steel chronograph on Calibre 23, launched in February 2021.
The first Classic Cars capsule: Ford Mustang A253101A1L1X1 and Chevrolet Corvette A25310241K1X1 on Calibre 25, Shelby Cobra A41315A71C1X1 on a modified Calibre 41.
Case size moved away from 41 mm: 42 mm for the Mustang and Corvette, 40 mm for the Cobra.
The reference Sean Connery wore, heavily modified, in Thunderball. The 2026 steel DB5 edition is described as closest in spirit to it.
Breitling Top Time references in our database. Each card says where its width comes from: listed by the maker (linked to the maker's page in the details), two independent sources agree, or listed in our database and not yet verified by us.
Top Time 810 Reverse Panda
Lug width: 19 mm
Source: Not yet verified Attachment: Spring barsCase size: 38 mmYear: 1965Black/White dialCase material: Steel
Top Time B01 Chronograph 41
Lug width: 20 mm
Source: Maker Attachment: Spring barsCase size: 41 mmYear: 2023Black dialCase material: Steel
Top Time Classic Cars 2025
Lug width: 22 mm
Source: Not yet verified Attachment: Spring barsCase size: 41 mmYear: 2025Blue dialCase material: Steel
Top Time B01 125 Years Fc Bayern München Limited Edition
Lug width: 20 mm
Source: Maker Attachment: Spring barsCase size: 41 mmSilver dialCase material: Stainless steel
Top Time B01 Chevrolet Corvette
Lug width: 20 mm
Source: Maker Attachment: Spring barsCase size: 41 mmRed dialCase material: Stainless steel
Top Time B01 Chevrolet Corvette
Lug width: 20 mm
Source: Maker Attachment: Spring barsCase size: 41 mmRed dialCase material: Stainless steel
Top Time B01 Chronograph 41 Tribute To Aston Martin Db5
Lug width: 20 mm
Source: Maker Attachment: To verifyCase size: 41 mm
Top Time B01 Chronograph 41 Tribute To Aston Martin Db5
Lug width: 20 mm
Source: Maker Attachment: To verifyCase size: 41 mm
Top Time B01 Chronograph 41 Tribute To Aston Martin Db5
Lug width: 20 mm
Source: Maker Attachment: To verifyCase size: 41 mm
Top Time B01 Deus
Lug width: 20 mm
Source: Maker Attachment: Spring barsCase size: 41 mmBlack dialCase material: Stainless steel
Top Time B01 Deus
Lug width: 20 mm
Source: Maker Attachment: Spring barsCase size: 41 mmBlack dialCase material: Stainless steel
Top Time B01 Fausto Coppi
Lug width: 20 mm
Source: Maker Attachment: Spring barsCase size: 41 mmWhite dialCase material: Stainless steel
Top Time B01 Ford Mustang
Lug width: 20 mm
Source: Maker Attachment: Spring barsCase size: 41 mmGreen dialCase material: Stainless steel
Top Time B01 Ford Mustang
Lug width: 20 mm
Source: Maker Attachment: Spring barsCase size: 41 mmGreen dialCase material: Stainless steel
Top Time B01 Ford Thunderbird
Lug width: 20 mm
Source: Maker Attachment: Spring barsCase size: 41 mmWhite dialCase material: Stainless steel
Top Time B01 Gino Bartali
Lug width: 20 mm
Source: Maker Attachment: Spring barsCase size: 41 mmBlue dialCase material: Stainless steel
Top Time B01 Racing
Lug width: 18 mm
Source: Maker Attachment: Spring barsCase size: 38 mmBlack dialCase material: Stainless steel
Top Time B01 Racing
Lug width: 18 mm
Source: Maker Attachment: Spring barsCase size: 38 mmGreen dialCase material: Stainless steel
Top Time B01 Racing
Lug width: 18 mm
Source: Maker Attachment: Spring barsCase size: 38 mmWhite dialCase material: Stainless steel
Top Time B01 Racing Shadow Rider
Lug width: 18 mm
Source: Maker Attachment: Spring barsCase size: 38 mmBlack dialCase material: Stainless steel
Top Time B01
Lug width: 20 mm
Source: Maker Attachment: Spring barsCase size: 41 mmBronze dialCase material: 18k red gold
Top Time B01 Shelby Cobra
Lug width: 20 mm
Source: Maker Attachment: Spring barsCase size: 41 mmBlue dialCase material: Stainless steel
Top Time B01 Shelby Cobra
Lug width: 20 mm
Source: Maker Attachment: Spring barsCase size: 41 mmBlue dialCase material: Stainless steel
Top Time B01 Triumph
Lug width: 20 mm
Source: Maker Attachment: Spring barsCase size: 41 mmIce blue dialCase material: Stainless steel
Top Time B01 Triumph
Lug width: 20 mm
Source: Maker Attachment: Spring barsCase size: 41 mmIce blue dialCase material: Stainless steel
Top Time B21 Chevrolet Corvette
Lug width: 22 mm
Source: Maker Attachment: Spring barsCase size: 42 mmWalnut burl dialCase material: Ceramic
Top Time B21 Ford Mustang
Lug width: 22 mm
Source: Not yet verified Attachment: Spring barsCase size: 42 mmGreen dial
Top Time B21 Shelby Cobra
Lug width: 22 mm
Source: Maker Attachment: Spring barsCase size: 42 mmBlue dialCase material: Ceramic
Top Time B31
Lug width: 20 mm
Source: Maker Attachment: Spring barsCase size: 38 mmGreen dialCase material: Stainless steel
Top Time B31
Lug width: 20 mm
Source: Maker Attachment: Spring barsCase size: 38 mmCream dialCase material: Stainless steel
Top Time Modern “Deus”
Lug width: 20 mm
Source: Not yet verified Attachment: Spring barsCase size: 41 mmWhite/Black/Red dialCase material: Steel
Top Time トップタイム B01 レーシング 仮面ライダー リミテッド
Lug width: 18 mm
Source: Maker Attachment: Spring barsCase size: 38 mmBlack dialCase material: Stainless steel
Top Time トップタイム B21 ジャパン リミテッド
Lug width: 22 mm
Source: Maker Attachment: Spring barsCase size: 42 mmGreen dialCase material: Ceramic
No reference matches.
Breitling Top Time references use 18 mm or 20 mm or 22 mm depending on the reference and case size, so check yours in the list below. The most common is 20 mm (22 of 33 references with a known width). The Breitling Top Time ref. AB01771A1B1X1, AB01771A1L1X1 and 3 more take 18 mm (listed by the maker). The Breitling Top Time ref. AB01765, AB01769A1G1X1 and 19 more take 20 mm (listed by the maker). The Breitling Top Time ref. SB21252A1Q1X1, SB21251A1C1X1 and 1 more take 22 mm (listed by the maker).
No. 4 different lug widths appear across the line, often by case size or generation. Check the reference engraved on the case back or between the lugs.
Breitling lists 20 mm between the lugs for Ref. A23310121G1X1, with the strap tapering to an 18 mm tang buckle.
Breitling gives 20 mm between the lugs for the 41 mm Top Time B01 RB01761A1Q1X1, with an 18 mm folding clasp on the gold version.
No: Breitling lists 13.3 mm for the B01 RB01761A1Q1X1 and 14.27 mm for the Calibre 23 A23310121G1X1, both 41 mm wide.
No. The 2021 Mustang and Corvette are 42 mm, the Shelby Cobra is 40 mm, the tourbillons are 43 or 44 mm and the 2025 B01 Racing is 38 mm, so check the reference before buying a strap.
The gap between the two lugs that hold the strap, in millimetres. A new strap must match it exactly: 20 mm lugs take a 20 mm strap.
Most watches use spring bars, so any strap of the right width fits. Many smartwatches use their own band system instead, such as Apple Watch bands or Garmin QuickFit.