Breitling: Two chronographs for two sports legends
Breitling: Two chronographs for two sports legends
The cycling-affiliated watch brand Breitling has now united two Italian cycling legends who are still admired today for their great achievements in the 1930s to 1950s, but above all are known for their legendary rivalry as well as extraordinary friendship and mutual respect.
The latter was captured on camera by Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali in a moment of shared endurance: passing a water bottle shortly before the final sprint of the Tour de France in 1952. This image, with the so-called "Bottle of Honour," is one of the most iconic in cycling history.
Reporter Carlo Martini photographed this now-legendary image: Fausto Coppi, in the yellow jersey, leads the way through the Alpine rocky desert of the Galibier, with Gino Bartali behind him. The image shows the exchange of a water bottle between the rivals and has become a symbol of fairness and reconciliation.
Martini's photo agency later revealed that the scene had been staged for the photographer; in fact, it had taken place the day before. This didn't change the message of this photo.
Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali were ambassadors for Breitling at a time when the brand was the official timekeeper for cycling's biggest races. Competing fiercely, yet united by their love of the sport, Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali dominated the European cycling scene, defined an era in cycling, and inspired millions.
Two chronographs for two legends
Breitling has now dedicated two limited-edition chronographs to these two exceptional biographies. The "Top Time" models, with their striking colors, are inspired by their bicycles and jerseys.
Breitling CEO Georges Kern says: "Coppi and Bartali had one of the greatest rivalries in sports. They pushed each other to new heights. An incredibly inspiring story that these watches bring to life."
The "Top Time" line was introduced by Willy Breitling in the 1960s as an unconventional collection of racing chronographs designed to capture the era's passion for speed and style. As the zeitgeist changed, the "Top Time" appealed to men and women alike for its dynamic proportions and graphic dials.
The "Top Time B01 Fausto Coppi" and "Top Time B01 Gino Bartali" timepieces differ in color scheme, but share the case and bracelet construction, as well as their mechanical inner workings. Thus, they reflect the sporting differences of the two cyclists as well as their shared sporting spirit.
The “Coppi” version features turquoise subdials on a white dial and an orange lightning-shaped second hand that echoes the colors of Coppi’s bicycle.
The “Bartali” version features a blue dial with yellow accents, inspired by the cyclist’s jersey.
Both editions, limited to 750 pieces, bear their respective nicknames on the tachymeter scale: "Il Campionissimo" (Champion of Champions) for Coppi and "L'Intramontabile" (The Timeless One) for Bartali. They also feature their signatures at 6 o'clock.
Each watch is available with either a perforated calfskin strap or a stainless steel mesh bracelet. They also share a 41-millimeter stainless steel case, water-resistant to 10 bar. The screwed-down caseback with sapphire crystal reveals the COSC-certified in-house Caliber 01 with a 70-hour power reserve.
The outer ring is engraved with either “Fausto Coppi Tribute” or “Gino Bartali Tribute” and “One of 750”.
The sub-dials in the shape of supercircles (not quite square, not quite round) at 9 and 3 o'clock show the running seconds and the minutes of the chronograph, while the mushroom-shaped pushers are used to control the chronograph functions.
(RRP (depending on the bracelet) €7,250 or €7,650)
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