Breitling Celebrates Cycling’s Greatest Champion With Top Time B01 Eddy Merckx
Limited to 525 pieces, Breitling’s latest Top Time chronograph honours the most successful cyclist in history.
Some sporting records are broken. Others become legends. Then there are those that appear untouchable.
For more than half a century, Eddy Merckx has remained the benchmark against which every cyclist is measured. Widely regarded as the greatest rider the sport has ever seen, the Belgian icon amassed an astonishing 525 victories during a career that redefined professional cycling.
Now Breitling pays tribute to that extraordinary legacy with the new Top Time B01 Eddy Merckx, a limited-edition chronograph inspired by one of sport’s most dominant champions.
Following the success of the Top Time Coppi and Top Time Bartali editions, which celebrated cycling’s most famous rivalry, Breitling turns its attention to the man many consider the ultimate winner.
The Cannibal
Nicknamed The Cannibal for his relentless appetite for victory, Merckx dominated cycling throughout the late 1960s and 1970s. His achievements remain staggering: five Tour de France victories, five Giro d’Italia titles, a Vuelta a España win, 19 Monument classics and three World Championships.
Perhaps most remarkably, he spent a record 96 days in the Tour de France’s yellow jersey, a feat that still stands today. Few athletes have ever exerted such complete control over their sport.
Breitling and the Spirit of Speed
Breitling’s connection with cycling stretches back more than a century. The Swiss watchmaker produced specialist timing instruments for cyclists in the late 19th century and, by the 1930s, was supplying official timing equipment for competitive races.
That heritage makes the Top Time collection a natural platform for celebrating cycling’s golden era. Originally launched in the 1960s, the Top Time embodied the decade’s youthful energy and appetite for adventure. Its bold dial designs and motorsport-inspired aesthetic quickly made it one of Breitling’s most distinctive chronographs. The new Eddy Merckx edition channels that same spirit of performance.
“Eddy Merckx is the greatest cyclist of all time. His record speaks for itself. These watches capture that drive, that constant push to go further, faster and beyond limits.”
Jean-Marc Pontroué, CEO, Breitling
Dressed in Yellow
The most striking feature is undoubtedly the vibrant yellow dial — an unmistakable reference to the Tour de France’s iconic yellow jersey.
Silver chronograph counters sit within Breitling’s distinctive ‘squircle’ sub-dials, creating a high-contrast display that recalls vintage race-timing instruments while maintaining a thoroughly contemporary appearance. Every detail reinforces the connection to Merckx’s career.
His signature appears above six o’clock, while the sapphire caseback reveals the manufacture movement beneath an “Eddy Merckx Tribute” engraving. Around the edge, each watch is individually numbered “One of 525”, a direct reference to his extraordinary total of 525 professional victories.
Powered by Breitling’s Flagship Chronograph Movement
Beneath the caseback beats Breitling’s in-house Calibre B01, one of the industry’s most respected automatic chronograph movements. The COSC-certified calibre delivers approximately 70 hours of power reserve and features a column wheel and vertical clutch architecture for precise chronograph operation.
Housed within a 41mm stainless-steel case, the watch also features a tachymeter scale and classic mushroom pushers, underscoring its sporting credentials. Owners can choose between a black perforated calfskin racing strap with contrasting white stitching or a stainless-steel mesh bracelet for a more contemporary look.
Legacy on the Wrist
Eddy Merckx transformed numbers into history. With the Top Time B01 Eddy Merckx, Breitling transforms those same numbers into a highly collectible chronograph, one that celebrates not only an extraordinary athlete, but an era when determination, endurance and ambition defined greatness.
Limited to just 525 pieces worldwide, this is a fitting tribute to cycling’s most enduring legend.
Technical Specifications:
TOP TIME B01 EDDY MERCKX
Reference: AB01762C1I1X1, AB01762C1I1A1
Caliber: Breitling Manufacture Caliber B01
Diameter: 30 millimeters
Depth: 7.2 millimeters
Winder: self-winding mechanical, bidirectional with ball bearing
Power reserve: approximately 70 hours
Number of components: 284
Balance frequency: 28,800 a/h or 4 hertz
Chronograph: column-wheel, vertical clutch, 1/4th second and 30-minute
Display: hour, minute, second
Certification: COSC-certified
CASE
Material: stainless steel
Diameter: 41 millimeters
Thickness: 13.30 millimeters
Height (upper lug tip to lower lug tip): 50.4 millimeters
Water resistance: up to 10 bar (100 meters)
Glass: cambered sapphire, glare-proofed on both side
Caseback: screwed steel, sapphire crystal
Crown: non screw-locked, two gaskets
Bezel: fixed
DIAL/HANDS
Yellow dial with silver chronograph counters
Super-LumiNova® luminescent hour and minute hands
STRAP
Black racing-themed calfskin leather strap (20/18 mm) with folding clasp or stainless-steel mesh bracelet with butterfly clasp
PRICE
Top Time B01 Chronograph 41 Eddy Merckx (Bracelet) RRP £6,600.00
Top Time B01 Chronograph 41 Eddy Merckx (Strap) RRP £6,200.00
For more information please visit Breitling