Breitling Caliber B31

Brand	Breitling
Caliber Number	B31
Manufacturer	Sellita AMT
Movement Type	Automatic, self-winding mechanical
Chronometer Spec?	Yes (COSC)
Diameter	28.4mm
Height	4.8mm
Jewel Count	26 jewels
Beat Rate / Frequency	28,800 bph / 4 Hz
Lift Angle	Unconfirmed
Power Reserve	78 hours
Rotor Direction	Bi-directional
Rotor Style	Ball-bearing with 3 screws
Hand-Windable?	Yes
Hand Winding Direction	Clockwise
Anti-Shock Device	Incabloc
Balance Wheel	Free-sprung
Regulator	None
Hand Count	3
Functions	Central hours; central minutes; central seconds; date at 3:00
Hacking Seconds?	Yes
Finishing	Perlage, damaskeening (stripes)
Country of Manufacture	Switzerland, Swiss made
Known Models	Breitling Top Time B31 (Ref: AB3113 – AB3113171L1A1, AB3113A71C1A1, AB3113281A1A1, AB3113281A1X1, AB3113A71C1X1, AB3113171L1X1) (Add your watch to the comments below…)

The Breitling caliber B31 is a 3-hander automatic watch movement with a date. This calibre is found in the Breitling Top Time B31 that was introduced 0n March 25, 2025.

In Breitling’s own words:

“This latest Top Time lineup introduces the Caliber B31 – the first three-hand manufacture movement designed and developed by Breitling. It is precision with attitude, proving that a great timepiece isn’t just about keeping time, but making it count.” –Source

Breitling In-House Movement?

Previous Breitling manufacture movements (which many watch blogs incorrectly – at least in the opinion of this publication – refer to as “in-house” movements) were produced in partnership with Kenissi in Le Locle, Switzerland, based on framework shared with Tudor movements – however, the calibre B31 was not.

The new 2025 cal. B31, which Breitling says took four years to develop, is produced in by Sellita  Manufacture AMT, a bespoke/manufacture movement division of Sellita Watch Co. S.A., in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Neuchâtel, Switzerland.

In the quote above, Breiting states that the B31 was designed and developed by them, but with the manufacturing being outsourced to Sellita AMT, the B31 is a manufacture movement rather than “in-house” – which is why the brand aptly refers to it as such.

Let’s use the Caliber Corner’s “In-House” Formula Checklist below to determine it’s eligibility for “in-house” labeling (which, remember, the brand themselves did not use – only watch media):

• In-house designed? Yes, according to the brand, but it’s almost guaranteed that the manufacturers had some input – in fact, this is their specialty, to help brands develop exclusive manufacture movements rather than using an off-the-shelf Sellita that already exists.
• In-house manufactured? No.
• In-house assembled? Apparently, at least partially (it is unconfirmed to what extend the parts are assembled once they arrive from Sellita AMT, but it could just mean the casing of the completed movements).
• “Manufacture” caliber? Yes. It is manufactured by Sellita AMT.
• “Exclusive” caliber? Yes (at least with regards to the exact configuration – see below).
• “In-house” movement? No (a movement must check all of the boxes to qualify for this attribution).

B31 looks like a TAG Heuer TH31-00?

You may hear some enthusiasts saying the B31 is similar to the TH31. Well, they both have 31 in the caliber number. But hey, let’s be conspiracy theorists here… let’s look at the facts: The Breitling B31 and TAG Heuer TH31 are both produced by Sellita AMT. The rest is just based on observation and not confirmed: They aren’t exactly the same, but also not entirely different.

Folks do need to understand that Sellita AMT exists as a way for brands to utilize Sellita’s production capabilities, without using Sellita’s off-the-shelf catalog of movements. So it is very possible that the B31 is based on a similar architecture that other Sellita AMT produced calibers start with. It would be an astonishing coincidence if Breitling showed up with tech sheets and drawings they created from scratch, that just happen to resemble other Sellita AMT made calibers such as the TH31.

In other words, Sellita AMT helps watch brands be able to offer more of a “value proposition” to set their new releases apart from other brands, while at the same time giving them ability to broaden their marketing vocabulary to use words and phrases such as manufacture movement and designed in-house, etc. While some may see this as a stretch, it can still be true.

Picture this: Brand A wants justification to charge $XXXX move money for their upcoming launch. But they market is smarter now, so how can they do it with a stock movement that all the non-conglomerate microbrands are using in watches that cost $XXXX less? That’s where Sellita AMT comes in. They can provide a general framework of a movement that is exclusive to Sellita AMT clients only (nothing to do with the standard SWXXX stuff everyone else has), PLUS the ability to customize some aspects of the design – sort of a mix and match of components and designs. This could entail regulator types, rotor cutouts, finishing techniques, jewel counts, etc. But, again, the basic framework is there – as we can see in the side-by-side image below…

Now, when looking at examples such as the B31 and TH31, it’s important to keep in mind the sort of modular aspect to watch movement design. There can exist a base framework, but with the use of different components or other aesthetic design choices, it creates a somewhat different movement on paper. This is Sellita AMT’s magic, and also where their value comes in: by partnering with them, a brand can offer a seemingly unique movement that only that brand can order – hence, exclusive. And when all of the individual choices are made (finish, rotor, etc.), the brand has also technically “designed and developed” the movement “in-house.”

But the TH31 has 30 jewels and the B31 only has 26!
Yes, and the SW200-1 has 26 jewels VS the ETA 2824’s 25 jewels. You can add and subtract jewels in various places, it doesn’t even necessarily impact the overall quality of the movement or its performance.

But the TH31 has 80 hours power reserve and the B31 only has 78!
Wouldn’t it be funny if the B31 actually achieves 80 hours of power reserve? Who would know the difference between 78 and 80? Better to under-promise and over-deliver anyway! But most importantly, putting out a different number means it takes more time to spot the similarities.

But I can see the crown wheel in the TH31 and not in the B31!
Come on, let’s use common sense. They just didn’t cut a hole for a view of the crown wheel in the B31. They are in the same place whether you can see it or not.

Well, that suck. What now?
It doesn’t suck, it’s just the nature of the watch industry. The B31 is still a movement exclusive to Breitling and still a very capable movement in a nice looking watch.

Maybe, this is just another watch industry phase that the community will have to navigate. The first being when brands like Breitling and TAG were all using ETA movements. Then, as collectors realized they were all using the same movements, brands had to race to create something they could call their own (with a higher price). Then when people found out in-house wasn’t all it was marketed to be, brands had to find other ways to circumvent community knowledge. Having bespoke movement, customizable, with a guarantee not to be used by other brands, produced by a partner that allows just enough input to use the phrase “in-house”, is a perfect middle ground for the big brands that are desperately competing for market share.

Breitling B31 VS B20:

Both the B31 and B20 are automatic 3-handers with a date (we’ve seen some blogs refer to it as “time-only, which is incorrect – time-only would mean only the time and no date (update, even Breitling calls it their new “time-only” watch in the description of their YouTube video – where is the face palm emoji).

Beyond the basic functionality, the chart below outlines some differences and similarities between the two:

	B31	B20
Introduced	2025	2017
Manufacturer	Sellita AMT	Kenissi
Jewels	26	26
Beat Rate	28,800 bph	28,800 bph
Power Reserve	78 hours	70 hours
Rotor Style	Ball-bearing with 3 screws	Ball-bearing with 1 screw
Balance Support	Balance cock with 1 screw	Balance bridge with 2 screws
Hairspring	Unconfirmed (likely Nivarox, will update when confirmed)	Nivarox (non-magnetic alloy)
Date	3:00	6:00

Recommended Service Intervals:

Breitling recommends what they calls a maintenance service every 2 years. This includes checking for functionality, testing the timekeeping, changing all of the gaskets, testing for water resistance, cleaning the case and bracelet, and changing the battery in the instance of quartz watches.

Every 4 to 6 years, the brand recommends a complete service. including the following:

“A complete service is recommended every 4 to 6 years and includes: disassembly, cleaning, exchange of standard movement parts (including certain hands), assembly, lubrication, adjustment and setting of movement function parameters; changing all seals, checking water resistance; battery replacement for quartz watches; polishing of the case and bracelet.” –Source

Note: polishing is included with the complete service, and can be ordered separately with the maintenance service.

Price & Warranty:

Brand new (aka purchased directly from Breitling or a Breitling Authorized Dealer) B31 powered watches retail for $5,600 USD ~ $5,900 USD depending on the strap/bracelet configuration.

Being that the B31 is a manufacture movement, brand new watches with this calibre include Breitling’s 5 year warranty, extendable up to 8 years (adding 3 extra years costs an additional $375 USD at the time of this post). Read warranty details here.

Video – Breitling introduces the new Top Time B31 :

Examples of watches with this movement:

The B31 is found in the 2025 Breitling Top Time line of 38mm watches.

Additional Resources:

• Official Breitling user manual (pdf)