Breitling and Bentley Announce the Bentley Mulliner Tourbillon

The Bentley Mulliner Tourbillon debuted this week as the latest collaborative effort between luxury watchmaker Breitling and the ultra-luxury Bentley brand of automobiles.

The Bentley Mulliner Tourbillon gets its name from Breitling’s Mulliner workshop, which employs 100 artisans skilled in the craft of haute horology. With only two examples of the new watch to be produced each year, the technicians have ample time to customize each one according to the buyer’s specifications. He can choose between fifteen different shades for the dial, 11 different types of bracelets and six different veneers for the wood ring found under the rear crystal.

Powered by the Breitling Calibre 16b manual-wind movement, the timepiece boasts a healthy 42 hour power reserve. 26 jewels reside inside the 18K red gold case, which attaches to a bracelet available in 10 different shades of crocodile leather – or a linked 18K red gold strap. The multifaceted dial consists of hour, second, chronograph and date functions while the front and rear sapphire crystals protect the watch to a depth of 50 m. The wooden ring found under the rear crystal brings a novel element of organic warmth to the otherwise  metallic world of horology.

Breitling’s enduring partnership with Bentley dates back to 2001 when the watchmaker initiated a multi-year sponsorship of the carmaker’s 24 Hours of Le Mans team. The company also has a rich history in aeronautics and seeks to keep that legacy alive by sponsoring such acts as the Breitling Wing Walkers. Celebrity pilot and Breitling spokesman John Travolta recently appeared in Singapore to show the world the new aviation-themed Breitling Navitimer Blue Sky.

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Source and photos courtesy Breitling for Bentley website.