Watch Paparazzi

Television presenter Jeremy Clarkson spotted wearing Breitling

Jeremy Clarkson, television presenter and former Top Gear frontman, was photographed wearing a Breitling Chronomat in the classic two-tone steel and yellow gold configuration. The sighting shows a white dial model with gold-tone applied indices, three white sub-registers, and the distinctive bi-directional rider-tab bezel that has defined the Chronomat's visual identity since its modern reinvention in 1984.

The Breitling Chronomat B13047 — the reference most consistent with the visual evidence here — houses the Breitling Calibre 13, a self-winding movement based on the ETA Valjoux 7750. Beating at 28,800 vph with a 42-hour power reserve, the movement is COSC-certified as a chronometer, aligning with Breitling's longstanding commitment to aviation-instrument precision. The case measures 39mm in diameter, combining a brushed stainless steel body with polished yellow gold pushers, crown guards, and the four iconic rider tabs at 12, 3, 6, and 9 o'clock on the bezel.

The Chronomat's collector significance is hard to overstate. Conceived by Breitling's Ernst Schneider in collaboration with the Italian aerobatic display team Frecce Tricolori, the 1984 Chronomat reestablished Breitling as a serious manufacture after the quartz crisis. The two-tone configuration — combining 316L stainless steel with 18k yellow gold — occupied the aspirational middle ground between full-steel sport and full-gold dress watches throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, making it a favourite among professionals who wanted visible luxury without the full commitment.

Clarkson's taste in watches has always leaned toward robust, recognisable pieces. A Breitling Chronomat — mechanical, Swiss-made, chronograph-equipped, and visually assertive — fits that brief precisely. The brown leather strap seen here replaces the more common Rouleaux bracelet, giving a slightly more casual register to an inherently formal complication.

On the grey market, clean examples of the B13047 in two-tone with white dials currently trade in the $2,500–$4,000 range depending on condition and box/papers. Original retail in period hovered around $4,200. It remains an accessible entry into vintage Breitling collecting with strong brand recognition and reliable movement serviceability.