Breitling Top Time Restoration
There is a specific challenge in working on a vintage chronograph that arrives at the workshop partially disassembled. A Breitling Top Time recently came in, in what we’d describe as “kit form” – with the movement loose from the case, loose components, and various unrelated parts all enclosed together. To restore this iconic watch back to excellent working order it required a complete overhaul, repair and setting up of the chronograph.
The Breitling Top Time is a highly regarded reference from the mid-20th century. When a watch of this calibre is delivered with its components separated, the first step is to carefully inspect every part to identify why it was taken apart and to check for any hidden wear or damage.
Servicing the Valjoux 7730 Movement
The movement inside this watch is a manually wound Valjoux 7730 chronograph. Once all the loose components were accounted for, they were very carefully disassembled, checked and cleaned by hand, then put through our multi-stage ultrasonic cleaning process to remove old, degraded lubricants.
During the reassembly and full service, we replaced the mainspring to ensure the movement achieves the c
A critical phase of rebuilding this movement is setting up the chronograph mechanism. This involves making precise adjustments to the depthing of the gears, ensuring the teeth mesh perfectly so the stopwatch function engages and runs without causing friction or stopping the watch. Usually we only need to make slight adjustments to get the chronograph working correctly, however in this instance almost every aspect of the mechanism was very poorly depthed.
Case Restoration and Final Assembly
While the dial and hands were left entirely original, in agreement with our client the case was given some much needed attention. While the original pushers were kept exactly as they arrived to maintain their authentic look, the base metal case was given professional chrome plating to restore its sharp, bright finish.
To complete the work, we fitted a new dome and a replacement crown. With the Valjoux 7730 movement fully adjusted, timed, and housed back in the refreshed case, this classic Breitling is now fully functional and ready for reliable service once again.