Breitling and Deus Ex Machina Reimagine the Top Time Deus with New Light Blue Colourway

Last year Breitling launched an incredibly cool, retro-styled version of their already cool, retro Top Time in collaboration with Australian lifestyle brand, Deus Ex Machina. I loved it – and it’s worth having a read about, especially as there’s now a shiny new version of the Top Time Deus.

In essence, this is just a new colourway of the previous watch. That means a 41mm stainless steel case and a funky bi-compax chronograph layout with squared subdials. It even brings back some of the unique Deus Ex Machina touches, like the lightning bolt chronograph second hand, mushroom pushers and engraved branding on the caseback.

What’s different here is the dial, which replaces the neo-vintage beige and black with a cleaner, brighter combination of white and lacquer and a sky blue tachymeter scale. That scale also uses red and orange highlights instead of orange and yellow, but is otherwise the same, again with In Benzin Veritas – Deus Ex Machina’s motto, ‘in fuel, there is truth’ – rather than the prosaic tachymeter label.

Inside is the Breitling Calibre 23, a solid, accurate chronograph from the watchmaker with a 48-hour power reserve. It’s not going to set the world on fire, but it’s worth having.

So far, so similar to 2021. It’s a fresh colourway, and one I much prefer (as Isotope’s Scottish Watches collab), I love blue and white). This time though the collaboration has expanded to include a full capsule collection of Breitling / Deus Ex Machina branded gear available from six Breitling stores – two of which are here in London on Bond Street and Regent Street, if you’re interested. It’s good-looking stuff.

How long the lifestyle collection will be around, time will tell, but we do know there are 2,000 pieces of the new Top Time Deus. That’s a substantial number for a limited edition, so feel free to weigh your decision for a while. £4,650 isn’t cheap, but it’s certainly not too pricey for a watch this painfully cool.