Breitling Honors Cycling Legend with the Top Time B01 Eddy Merckx

As the cycling world enjoys the Tour de France, Breitling is unveiling a new tribute to the sport's greatest champion. The new Top Time B01 Eddy Merckx joins last year's Top Time Coppi and Top Time Bartali editions, continuing the brand's celebration of cycling's most influential figures. Limited to 525 pieces, the chronograph honors the Belgian rider whose record of 525 professional victories, including five Tour de France titles, 11 Grand Tours, and 19 Monument classics, remains unmatched.

Originally introduced in the 1960s, the Top Time captured the decade's youthful spirit with bold graphics, unconventional proportions, and a design language inspired by motorsport and racing. Today, it has evolved into one of Breitling's most expressive collections, combining vintage styling with the brand's modern manufacture movements while regularly celebrating icons from the worlds of speed, adventure, and performance.

Water-resistant to 100 meters, the 41mm steel chronograph is powered by Breitling's Manufacture Caliber B01, a self-winding movement equipped with a column wheel and vertical clutch. Certified as a COSC chronometer, the top-notch caliber beats at 4 Hz, offers a power reserve of approximately 70 hours, and displays elapsed time via a central chronograph seconds hand and a 30-minute counter. The sapphire case back reveals the mechanical powerhouse framed by the inscription "Eddy Merckx Tribute." The framing ring is engraved "One of 525," referencing the extraordinary number of victories achieved by the Belgian cycling legend.

Visually, the Top Time B01 Eddy Merckx draws inspiration from the colors of the race leader's jersey. Its bright yellow dial is contrasted by silver "squircle" chronograph counters, a signature feature of the modern Top Time collection that blends square and circular forms while enhancing legibility. A tachymeter scale on the periphery reinforces the chronograph's racing character, while Superluminova-filled hour and minute hands ensure readability in low-light conditions. Merckx's signature appears prominently above 6 o'clock.

The watch is offered on either a black perforated calfskin racing strap with white stitching and a folding clasp or a stainless-steel mesh bracelet with a butterfly clasp, underscoring the collection's vintage-inspired character while providing two distinct wearing options. Limited to 525 pieces, the Top Time B01 Eddy Merckx is priced at $8,050 on the leather strap and$8,450 on the mesh bracelet.

To learn more, visit Breitling, here.