When Breitling announced its partnership as the official timekeeper of FC Bayern Munich last year, one question quickly arose: how would such a collaboration be expressed in the form of a watch? The answer has now arrived with the launch of the Breitling Top Time B01 125 Years FC Bayern München Limited Edition, marking the club’s 125th anniversary. The result is a timepiece brimming with references to FC Bayern, reflected in the design and colour palette of the dial, movement, and strap. This special edition is aimed at fans of the club, which – alongside Benfica Lisbon – is now regarded as the world’s largest sports club in terms of membership, boasting over 400,000 members and holding the title of Germany’s record champion with 34 league titles. Time, then, to take a closer look at the watch.
The most striking FC Bayern references are found on the silver dial. Breitling has created a diamond-shaped motif through the interplay of brushed and matte surfaces – a nod to the club’s emblem, which itself incorporates the blue and white lozenges of the Bavarian state flag. The subdials at 9 and 3 o’clock, displaying the running seconds and chronograph minutes respectively, are rendered in deep red, as is the outer tachymeter scale.
The subdials deserve particular attention: upon closer inspection, they are slightly recessed, feature a circular “azuré” pattern, and are not perfectly round but gently flattened at the edges – a shape reminiscent of the dashboard instruments in classic sports cars. Breitling refers to this signature Top Time design as a “squircle” – a blend of square and circle.
The deep red hue of the tachymeter scale – a typical feature on chronographs used to measure units per hour, such as the average speed of a car – is interspersed with red and light brown accents. Another FC Bayern reference is found in the chronograph seconds hand, which appears in the club’s distinctive shade of red. Meanwhile, just above the 6 o’clock position, the club’s name and official anniversary inscription are proudly displayed.
The stainless-steel case of the limited edition measures 41 mm in diameter and 13.3 mm in height, and is water-resistant to 10 bar (100 metres). To imbue the watch with a touch of vintage charm, it is fitted with mushroom-shaped chronograph pushers.
Turning the watch over reveals the B01 movement through a transparent caseback, bearing the official emblem commemorating FC Bayern Munich’s 125th anniversary. The movement is COSC-certified and offers a power reserve of approximately 70 hours, operating at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour. The outer edge of the caseback is engraved with “125 Jahre FC Bayern München” and “One of 125”. Breitling’s in-house Calibre B01, introduced in 2009, was first incorporated into the Top Time collection in 2023 with the launch of the new Classic Cars models. It replaced the previously used ETA- and Sellita-based calibres and brought with it a column-wheel chronograph mechanism, an extended power reserve of 70 hours, and COSC chronometer certification.
This Breitling FC Bayern Munich special edition is strictly limited to 125 pieces – a nod to the club’s anniversary – and will be available exclusively at Breitling boutiques in Munich, Berlin (Kurfürstendamm and Mitte), and Düsseldorf. Upon request, the watch may also be obtained from other Breitling boutiques in Germany or selected retail partners in Munich.
The Breitling Top Time B01 125 Years FC Bayern München Limited Edition is fitted with a perforated calfskin strap in retro style, which further accentuates the watch’s vintage appeal. The timepiece is priced at €7,250.
