Breitling and Deus Ex Machina Release Top Time Deus Limited Edition Chronograph

Breitling, the Swiss watchmaker that's been around since 1884, and Deus Ex Machina, the Australian customize-anything brand born in 2006, have recently shaken hands and produced only 1,500 timepieces to be had by only a handful of chronograph connoisseurs.

Going by the full name of Top Time Deus Limited Edition, it is meant to pay tribute to the original 1960’s watch from Breitling, an embodiment of the true nomad spirit. If you don’t know what this piece looks like, just check out the images in the gallery to compare the two models.

This new yet classic version of the chronograph isn’t just a redesign completed by Breitling. To create the piece you see, an entirely new creative branch took hold. Three long-standing members of the Deus design family joined hands with Breitling to give rise to the Breitling Deus Squad. Forrest Minchinton, Sierra Lerback, and Jeremy Tagand were called upon to bring back the feel of a time before marketing and branding.

At first glance, a 41-millimeter-thick stainless-steel case matching a racing-themed calfskin leather strap stands out from under any cufflink and offers a simple yet elegant look. Yellow and orange detailing pop against the black bezel, while a red lightning-bolt-shaped chronograph hand stands out against a nostalgic cream-colored dial. Yellow minute and hour hands maintain the same balance found in the bezel design, while “squircle-shaped” chronographs show counter hands that continue to stay true to the yellow, red, and black theme.

On the bezel, you’ll also notice the words “in benzin veritas,” Deus Ex’s moto. On the case back, creative director Carby Tuckwell engraved a raw and retro-looking motorcyclist in rally racer mode and the word “DEUS” on the gas tank. Underneath, “BREiTLiNG + DEUS” follows the same raw etched design. Then there’s all the “Manufacture en Suisse” and “Certifie Chronometre,” meaning it’s a COSC-certified piece, a rating only 3% of the world’s watches ever receive.

Inside, a Breitling 23 caliber with self-winding mechanical movement will generate a power reserve of approximately 48 hours. In addition, 27 jewels provide smooth and frictionless action to make sure this puppy is efficient to 99.99% accuracy. A 28,800 v.p.h. level ensures that any hand gestures and body movements won’t affect the piece’s accuracy.

I mentioned earlier that the case is stainless-steel. The motorcyclist case back is snap-sealed for securing the interior mechanism. A one-gasket, non-screw locked crown helps set your time however ahead you want to live your life, while a convex sapphire crystal has been glare-proofed on both sides for literal “crystal-clear” visibility. Together, these components offer decent 3-bar water resistance, making it suitable for day-to-day use, but you’ll probably want to take it off before taking a swim.

Another feature that deserves its own paragraph is the strap; just look at it. A straight and brown calfskin leather strap with a stainless-steel tang-type buckle. On the underside, a yellow lining is held in place by brown stitching.

There's only one word to describe this chronograph: classic. Honestly, when is the last time you’ve seen a new and modern watch offer such a classic look? If you like it enough to want to buy it, you better have $4,990 ready. That's a small price to pay for a collector's item, don't you think?