Breitling has long been recognized as an early pioneer in the development of innovative wristwatch chronographs. Their tool watches, such as the iconic 765 AVI, have supplied armed forces worldwide, as well as timepieces catered to racing, diving, and leisure activities.

In 1965, Breitling launched the reference 7650 Co-Pilot, featuring a large 42mm diameter case and a rotating bi-directional black aluminum bezel with 12-hour markers. This distinctive design inspired the subsequent launch of the reference 7656 Top Time.

During the fragile market conditions of the 1970s, with the rise of affordable Japanese quartz watches, Breitling decided to introduce a short-production manual chronograph reference, the 7656. The 7656 shared a similar case design to the Co-Pilot 7650, but sported a reverse panda tri-compax layout with an internal tachymeter scale. Powering this chronograph was the Valjoux calibre 7736, one of the best chronograph movements available at the time.

The fascinating fact about this Breitling 7656 Top Time is that it was never featured in a company catalog or advertisement. Its production span was extremely limited, from 1975 to 1978, making it an exceptionally rare piece within the Breitling chronograph family.