1967 Breitling Top Time Chronograph Gold-Plated (Ref. 2000) Black "Reverse Panda" Dial

While Breitling is probably best known for aviation-related watches like the iconic Navitimer, the brand was actually founded in 1884, almost 20 years before the Wright brothers ever took their first flight. Leon Breitling's first watches were of the pocket variety, as was de rigueur of the time, before the brand transitioned into wristwatches in 1914—and released one of the first wrist-worn chronographs just a year later.

Fast-forward a few decades and, in 1964, Breitling released the Top Time. Designed to be the watch for the "next generation", it catered to the younger and more rebellious demographic of the 1960s, and at a lower price point than their more specialized timepieces.  

The Top-Time ref. 2000 was the first execution of the Top-Time and features the highly regarded manual winding Venus Cal. 188 with a running seconds counter at 9 o'clock and a 45-minute recorder at 3 o'clock. This particular ref. 2000 features an unpolished gold-plated case with classic pushers and a striking "reverse panda" dial—all the trimmings of a classic chronograph, but with the renegade attitude that could only come from the 60s.