The Breguet Type XX Aéronavale and Transatlantique

[Skip to navigation]

You are here: Home page ► Watches ► Breguet Type XX

Introduction

The Breguet Type XX is a luxurious automatic sports chronograph, named after and inspired by the design of the original post-World War II “Type 20” French military wristwatches. It was introduced in 1994, and has evolved into a line-up of various aviation-themed watches. This collection is still commercially available as of 2024.

Modern-day Breguet Type XX 3800 Aéronavale

From a collector's viewpoint, there is more to the Type XX than just a watch; it also is a modest piece of horological history. Indeed, not only it is a fine chronograph made by Breguet—a watch company that has been operated for more than 200 years—but it also gives the opportunity to follow the firm's history throughout the second half of the 20th century.

Originally made for pilots, the Breguet Type 20 models can also be seen as a connection between Abraham-Louis Breguet (1747–1823) the horologist, and Louis-Charles Breguet (1880–1955) the engineer and plane manufacturer, his great-great-grandson. After all, somewhere in the 1960s, there must have been pilots flying a Breguet airplane while wearing a Breguet chronograph…

This article will discuss the history of the watch, starting with the vintage Type 20 chronograph; it will then focus on the modern Breguet sports watch, from its design to its movement characteristics. And, since this watch is made to be worn, it will be concluded with a concise owner's review.

The original Type 20 military chronographs

The importance of war time watches

The name “Type 20” refers to a specification issued by the French Ministry of Defense (called “Ministry of War” back then), describing a pilot's wristwatch as part of the aviator's standard equipment. Right after World War II, and after having used up their watch stocks (essentially composed of German, British and American surplus timepieces), the French army wanted to provide their airmen with reliable, accurate time instruments.

The French Type 20 watches were directly inspired by the German pilot's chronographs produced by Tutima-Glashütte and Hanhart, which had been primarily used by the air-to-surface fighters of the Luftwaffe (German air force).

Incidentally, in 1945, the French army occupied the German Black Forest, and captured the Hanhart factory located in Schwenningen am Neckar. From 1948 to the end of the 1950s, Hanhart had to provide the French air force with Fliegerchronograph parts, and maybe other equipment (like pocket watches for FFA artillery troops) as war reparations.
Other brands, like Stowa, were forced to face similar obligations, but this do not fall within the scope of this article. Maybe it's also worth mentioning that a few years earlier, in 1940, the Germans occupied the French horological center of Besançon, to make or repair watches for the German troops.

The French firm Vixa, which became one of the official Type 20 military suppliers, was the recipient of those German parts, and assembled them in France (possibly with the help of the existing Kiplé company, but I cannot find evidence of that).
The Vixa, though it looked a lot like its Hanhart “cousin”, had some dissimilarities: its case was always made of steel, and its movement used some different parts, notably lacking a shock protection device.

As a side note, the famous German horological industry of Glashütte (including Tutima) fell into the Soviet occupation zone; machines and parts (and even some workers) were transferred to the First Moscow Watch Factory (1мчз им. Кирова, now Полёт) which quickly gave birth to the Kirova caliber 59 wristwatch. The First Moscow Watch Factory began production of the Победа watches in 1946 (I happen to own a recent Pobeda), and also manufactured the famous Штурманские (Shturmanskie) military wristwatch in the early 1950s.

The Flyback chronograph complication

Before the advent of electronic navigation, time measurement was crucial for pilots, as routes were determined by a series of directions and flight times. A chronograph, allowing precise measurement of time intervals, is the perfect tool for those tasks.

However, changing direction still involved three different operations on the chronograph: stopping, resetting, and re-starting. The faster the operation, the more precise the flight! In addition, the pilot should be able to concentrate on the flight itself, rather than on operating his watch. This demonstrates the need for a flyback function, which instantly restarts the chronograph with an accuracy within one fifth of a second.

Flyback chronograph simulation

Let us have a brief history of this invention:

• English clockmaker George Graham is often referred to as the father of the chronograph, and created a laboratory clock which could be started and stopped, as early as 1720.
• In 1776, the Swiss Jean-Moïse Pouzait comes up with the invention of a separate hand (called “seconde morte”) which can be stopped and started while the movement is running.
• Later in 1816, Louis Moinet created a surprisingly modern stopwatch with a central hand for the 60ths of a second, and subdials for seconds, minutes and hours.
• In 1821, Nicolas Mathieu Rieussec, French King Louis Philippe's clockmaker, created what had long been thought as the world's first chronograph, used to record horse races times. As its name implies (chronos + graphein), it used actual ink to write the elapsed time on the dial.
• The next major breakthrough comes with Adolphe Nicole, who claimed several patents in 1844, including one for a mechanism able to reset a hand. The heart-shaped cam, used to put the hand back to zero when pushed by a hammer, is still used nowadays.
• In 1915, Breitling creates the first independent chronograph push-piece. Before that, the three chronograph functions (start, stop and reset to zero) were operated through the crown. Gaston Breitling, founder Léon Breitling's son, also had the idea of separating the stop/start and the reset functions in 1923, enabling the hands to be reset or stopped separately. This allowed adding time intervals at will. This led to another development by Gaston's son Willy Breitling: the invention of the second chronograph push-piece (in 1934), resulting in the modern wrist chronograph layout.
• It did not take long until Longines-Francillon invented a form of flyback function, implemented in a chronograph with a single pusher, in 1936. While this breakthrough eliminated the need to reset and restart separately, the problem was that you could not stop the chronograph to read the time.

It needed the two inventions together to have the modern flyback function, as seen in the Type 20 watches. With just one push of a button (the lower one), you can stop-reset-restart the chronograph. To stop and read the duration, press the upper button.

The flyback function, being an important feature for military pilots, has been used by the armed forces of many countries. It is one of the key features found in the Type 20 requirements.

The Type 20 specifications

Most Type 20 watches share a lot of obvious similarities. They are black dialed chronographs, with luminous hands (most were using radioactive radium) and Arabic numbers. They house manual wind flyback movements, their diameter is in the 37 to 39 mm range, and they are equipped with a bi-directional rotating bezel.

There were also other types specified by the French Air Force, in terms of timekeeping equipment: for instance, the Type 11 (mono-pusher, non flyback) and Type 12 (flyback) were both aircraft dashboard chronographs. Only the official Type 20 and Type 21 refer to military wristwatches.

It is speculated that the requirements for a “Type 20” chronograph include:

• a black dial, with two registers at 3 and 9 o'clock able to count up to 30 minutes;
• a diameter of approximately 38 mm;
• the flyback function;
• a watch accurate to at least 8 seconds per day;
• a power reserve of at least 35 hours;
• the ability to operate satisfactorily at least 300 times.

Those specifications were possibly closely based on the design of the pre-existing German Hanhart chronographs.

Several watches were reviewed and homologated in the early 1950s. Please note that some production watches did not fully conform to these requirements, which were probably merely used as a basis for the study and approval of submitted watches, rather than as a hard rule, and were also probably written afterwards. Many aspects of the Type 20 production and maintenance did not actually follow the suggested processes. So do not be surprised to see peculiarities such as watches of larger diameters, different dial colors, absence of military markings, and even, in some cases, non-flyback movements… (Breguet has also produced 3 solid yellow gold models, though probably not for use by the military.)
And keep in mind that there are many faked-up Type 20 watches on the current market too!

Usage and service

In France, those watches were first used by the pilots and flight crew of the Armée de l'air (French Air Force), Marine nationale (French National Navy) and Centre d'essais en vol (French Flight Tests Center, often abbreviated as “CEV”). Back then, wristwatches were handed to the crew while still remaining the property of the army, just like any other piece of equipment (guns, airplanes, etc.).

Assuming you ever had to overhaul your vintage military timekeeper, it becomes clear that the upkeep of the mechanical watches represented a high maintenance cost for the government. In theory, the watches probably had to be overhauled every year (or every other year); their date of next scheduled maintenance can be found on the caseback, next to the letters FG (fin de garantie, which means “end of warranty” in French).

However, for the watches with “FG” marks, the dates stamped are usually between 1 and 6 years apart. So there is no evidence of a well-defined service schedule. The watches were probably overhauled when there was a breakdown or a malfunction, and possibly also when they had really been through too many days of active duty.
(Though they had a bad reputation for reliability, the Vixa chronographs do not seem to bear significantly more FG marks.)

Some of those watches were certified by the Cetehor, as advertised by three stars engraved on the case back. This may only apply to watches outside of the Armée de l'air (including, but not limited to, the civilian market). (At this point, I am not sure whether the Cetehor also repaired the Type 20 chronographs, or only controlled them.)

One theory says Dodane was in charge of the management of the stock of all the military Type 20 timepieces, and of the maintenance of all the military watches (except the Vixa models, serviced by the Péchoin workshop in Paris, usually evidenced by their P mark engraved on the case back).

Another theory says that the watches underwent their overhauls at the workshop of ARAA 624 in Ambérieu-en-Bugey (Ain) and/or the warehouse of EAA 602 in Romorantin-Lanthenay (Loir-et-Cher).

Main French localities in relation to the Type 20 production, sales and maintenance

Note that it is easy to know if a given watch has actually been used by the army: it has the relevant military engravings on the back side. Those markings may include the contract number and year, the part number, as well as the FG end-of-warranty dates in the case of the Armée de l'Air.
However, having no FG does not mean for sure that a given watch is a civilian one.

The manufacturers

Four different companies supplied the Type 20 chronographs to the armed forces: first Vixa and Breguet starting in the early 1950s, then J. Auricoste in the mid-1950s, then Dodane (who also sold watches under other names) starting in the early 1960s.

Note: this chapter is not meant to constitute a comprehensive listing of all Type 20 versions and variants. This would require a separate and lengthy article, based on much more documents than what I can have access to. You are still welcome to contact me with information and pictures, if you would like such a work to be started.

Vixa

Based on the Hanhart design and parts, Vixa produced between 4,000 and 5,000 pieces from the early 1950s until the early 1960s, which corresponds to the end of the Type 20 military orders.

Vixa Type 20 (Photo credit: Geoffrey Grindon)

3 versions of this chronograph have been made during this period, and had a diameter slightly larger than the competitors. The Vixa uses a rotating milled/reeded bezel, similar to those of Hanhart and Tutima for the Fliegerchronograph.

General design features

Diameter of 39 to 40 mm; screw-in caseback.

Material

Stainless steel.

Movement

Hanhart-based, signed Germany.

It is suggested that the name Vixa was coined by a soon-to-be president of Timex France. The watches were maybe also assembled by Timex France (or Kiplé?) in Besançon. (I tried to contact Timex for confirmation in October 2010, but did not get a reply.)

Breguet

Breguet has been producing a handful of prototypes (one of which was notably acquired by Louis Breguet Aviation in 1952), until the company was commissioned to produce 2,000 “Type 20” chronographs by government contract in 1954. On the visible face of the caseback is generally engraved BREGUET / TYPE 20 / 5101/54, where the last 2 numbers are the contract number and the year (in 2-digit form).

First generation Breguet Type 20 (Photo credit: Guiseppe Corcione)

At this time, and until 1976, Breguet was still headquartered in France. The Breguet company was founded in 1775 in Paris, and has been contributing a plethora of inventions to the world of horology. Their watches were usually directed towards the aristocracy, but were also noticed by a military clientèle; Breguet was appointed Watchmaker to the French Royal Navy in 1815, when extremely precise watches, known as chronomètres de marine, had to serve as a time reference during long travels. In those difficult times of the aftermath of World War II, Breguet could survive by producing timepieces for the French Army in larger batches.

However, Breguet's Type 20 production was subcontracted. The original Breguet Type 20, equipped with a Valjoux movement, was manufactured with a fine quality case made and assembled by Mathey-Tissot.

In conformance with the Type 20 specification, most Breguet Type 20 chronographs came with a 30-minute counter.

In 1958, the Aéronavale (short for Aéronautique Navale, the Aviation branch of the French Navy) asked Breguet to develop a specific version with a 15-minute chronograph display (instead of the 30-minute readout found in the more common Air Force model), which corresponds to the time necessary for the plane checkup before a flight. Those watches, delivered from 1960 to around 1962, have been produced to 500 pieces and bear specific case-back markings: Breguet Type 20, Marine Nationale, Aéronautique Navale and a number xxx/500. Moreover, the dial is signed, and the case holds an anti-magnetic shield.

The CEV also ordered watches with 15-minute readouts, and those watches have the relevant “CEV” markings on the case back. One order was made for 2-register chronographs, and one for 3-register chronographs. The 3-register CEV version, which sports an additional 12-hour register at 6 o'clock, was presumably made as a prototype to around 50 pieces.

On all those 15-minute chronographs, the minute display is larger and has 5 bolder luminous baton markers; this register style is specific to the Type 20 watches from Breguet (and… Mathey-Tissot, producing the same watches under its own name).

Designation

Breguet Type 20 (1st generation)

General design features

Diameter of 38.5 mm; 2 registers; dial unsigned; large crown (“pear”-shaped) to help operate with gloves; bezel with reeded sides and no numerals but a reference mark.

Material

Stainless steel.

Movement

Manual wind Valjoux 222 (2 registers, 30 minutes).

While the very first military Breguet Type 20 did not have any brand on the dial, civilian versions (with either 2 or 3 registers) did sport the Breguet logo.
Aeronautics companies, pilots, as well as civilians, could also source a Breguet Type 20 from the boutique in Place Vendôme, although these watches were possibly slightly different with regard to the crown, bezel and dial for instance (more evidence is needed here). The first watches sold in early 1953 (but possibly before), while the last one sold in 1989, not long before the third generation “Type XX” was reintroduced.

Civilian 3-register Breguet Type 20 (Photo credit: Guiseppe Corcione)

Rarer editions of this Breguet chronograph include:

• 6 pieces of a cream-dialed Type 20 in 1960, with two subdials (60 seconds and 15 minutes), equipped with a Valjoux 222 flyback movement. It remains to be known if this was for the civilian or military market.
• Breguet is also rumored to have produced 3 solid gold Type 20 chronographs.
• A brown-dialed Valjoux 225 powered Type 20, labeled “CEV 1” (or “CEV n^o1”), was owned by the director of CEV, Louis Bonte.

Mathey-Tissot also produced Type 20 chronographs under its own name for the civilian market. Unsurprisingly, those watches are similar to the Breguet models, except that the dial, movement and case-back are signed Mathey-Tissot.

Auricoste

Auricoste, who had been producing “Marine Chronometers” and dashboard instruments since 1854, produced no less than 2,000 “Type 20” between August 1954 and March 1955 (under contract number 5090) for various army corps.

Recipients of this watch were the flight crew and the CEV. The French Auricoste Type 20 chronographs were later operated by the Argentine Air Force and by the Royal Moroccan Air Force, whose pilots were training in France. The Argentinean pilots actually wore those watches during the Falklands War against the United Kingdom in 1982 (and also operated French-built fighter aircraft).

Auricoste Type 20 (Photo credit: Lester)

General design features

Diameter of 38 mm; bi-directional rotating bezel with internal arrow marker below the crystal, flat glass, snap-on caseback (although some rare screw-in caseback versions were later produced).

Material

Stainless steel (200 pieces for the CEV, engraved CEV/ST_BY), according to the CEV's own specifications; chromed copper (most common models, around 2,000 pieces); a few pieces made in aluminum. The casebacks are always made of stainless steel.

Movement

Lemania-based caliber 2040, signed Auricoste on the bridge.

The minute register features longer baton markers at 3, 6 and 9 minutes. Albeit not a requirement in the Type 20 specification, those are a generally seen as a typical feature of pilots chronographs, and represent respectively 5%, 10% and 15% of an hour. This is helpful for dead reckoning navigation, as ground speed is expressed in distance per hour. (However, you might agree that 15% of an hour does not represent an especially useful kind of information when it comes to such calculations.)
They could also come in handy for timing phone calls, back when they were charged in 3-minute intervals (called “conversation units”).

Dodane

Dodane, located in Besançon, has been a specialist in aeronautics timekeepers since World War I. The company has also been making Type 11 and Type 12 dashboard chronographs.

Dodane Type 20 (Photo credit: Fred)

Dodane was the biggest military chronograph producer with 5,000 pieces (counting both Type 20 and 21) assembled between 1954 and 1994. These were sold under the Dodane brand name, as well as others: Chronofixe, Chronofix Luxe, Chronographe Militaire (rumored), Dod and Iram (both of which may only have been stamped on the dial of confiscated Tutima-Glashütte chronographs, and where the original brand name is hidden behind by the stamped 3 stars of Cetehor), Airain and Airin.

Airain Type 20 (Photo credit: Lester)

General design features

Diameter of 37 mm; screw-in caseback.

Material

Stainless steel.

Movement

Valjoux 222, not signed.

The different chronograph movements

The movements found in those Type 20 watches are made, in alphabetical order, by:

Hanhart

The Hanhart caliber 42 (42-51), used in the 417 and 417ES wristwatches, is a close parent of the movement used by Vixa, which parts were given to France by the German company as war reparations after World War II. It was developed around 1948, and produced between 1957 and 1962.

In turn, the Hanhart is heavily inspired by the Landeron caliber 2 and caliber 3 from the 1920s, and uses many similar parts (sourced from common suppliers).

Note: this caliber family is sometimes called Hanhart 15, which may be incorrect and come from a confusion with the dimension of the caliber 42 (15½ lignes). I have also heard of the “Hanhart 4054” designation, but there seems to be no such number in the Hanhart nomenclature.

The movement in the Vixa is slightly different from the one in the Hanhart:

• it is signed Germany on the main plate, right below the bridge, unlike the original movement found in the Hanhart watches (which is usually not signed, but may sometimes read Made in Germany or Germany Hanhart);
• it is not equipped with a shock absorbing device, though Hanhart had been using an Incabloc shock protections since 1938;
• all Vixa-mounted movements use a simple wire spring lever, whereas the Hanhart-mounted calibers can use a solid steel spring.

Movement characteristics: Both Vixa and Hanhart movements measure 15½ lignes (34 mm), have 17 jewels, and beat at 18.000 BPH.

Lemania

The movement used by Auricoste in their Type 20 chronographs is known as the caliber 2040, which appears to be a Lemania 15TL.

As far as I know, only Auricoste used the 2040 denomination for this movement, which is not part of the official Lemania nomenclature. Interestingly, however, one can see LWO (Lemania Watch l'Orient) engraved right above 2040 on the main plate, under the balance wheel.

The Auricoste/Lemania 2040 (Lemania 15TL) is possibly the finest grade movement used in a military Type 20, and will be discussed more in-depth in a following paragraph regarding the Breguet caliber 582's family tree.

Movement characteristics: 17 jewels, 15 lignes, column wheel (9 teeth), 2 registers (30 chronograph minutes, running seconds).

Valjoux

The most common Type 20 movement is clearly the Valjoux 222, which is a modified Valjoux 22 (one of the very first wristwatch chronograph movements) with flyback complication. This is a very sturdy movement, but its spare parts are becoming hard to find. It was used by Breguet and Dodane in the military field.

Many Valjoux movements and variants have been used in this series of military watches. (The movement number is usually engraved on the main plate, under the balance wheel.)

• The Valjoux 222 is the Valjoux 22 with added flyback function.
  Movement characteristics: 2 registers (30 minutes, 60 continuous seconds), flyback, 14 lignes (31.6 mm), 17 jewels, 18,000 BPH, column wheel (9 teeth), Breguet overcoil hairspring, anti-shock, screwed balance ring. Apparently, at the request of Breguet, Valjoux made a version of this movement with a 15-minute register. This version was only used by Breguet.
  The Breguet version of the Valjoux 222 is quite different, as it does not have a Breguet overcoil, nor an anti-shock device. It may actually be a Valjoux 22 re-engineered by Breguet to add the Flyback function (which is rather odd). This would also explain the lack of hairspring protection on those Breguet-fitted movements.
• The Valjoux 225 is a Valjoux 222 with a third sub-dial: the hours register.
  Movement characteristics: 3 registers (30 minutes, 12 hours, 60 continuous seconds), flyback, 14 lignes, column wheel (9 teeth). More first-hand information would be appreciated.
• The Valjoux 231 is a rare movement only used by Dodane, in their Type 21. It has been produced to around 200 pieces. However, I see no obvious difference between the Valjoux 231 and 235. Maybe the flyback lever is different; maybe the beat rate differs; anyhow, more research is needed.
• The Valjoux 235 is a flyback version of Valjoux 23. It was used in the Dodane Type 21. 1,580 pieces were made, according to Ébauches SA archives.
  Movement characteristics: 2 registers (30 minutes, 60 continuous seconds), flyback, 13 lignes, 17 jewels, 21,600 or 18,000 BPH (probably 21,600, but there are different beat rates among the Valjoux 23 family), column wheel (9 teeth), annular balance (without screws).
• The Valjoux 720 may have been used by Dodane; however, there is no sufficient evidence of its existence.
• The Valjoux 725 is the flyback version from the Valjoux 72 family, and comes with a faster beat rate. It was produced in the first half of the 1970s, until the Quartz revolution. Its minute register is usually 30 minutes, but can be 15 minutes in the 2nd generation Breguet Type 20. 1,400 pieces were made according to Ébauches SA archives.
  Movement characteristics: 3 registers (12 hours, 30 minutes or sometimes 15 minutes, 60 continuous seconds), flyback, 13 lignes, 17 jewels, 21,600 BPH, column wheel (9 teeth), flat balance spring.

The Type 21, and the Type 20 successors

The makers

The “Type 21” program was defined in April 1956. It was, as the name implies, the successor of the Type 20, consisting of a minor evolution of the specification. Those newer chronographs would have to be developed with a more modern movement, which would be more reliable, and less expensive to maintain. In addition, the accuracy and water resistance had to be improved.

It has been suggested that this program was rolled out in order to rationalize the repair costs of the military timekeepers. However, we can notice that many of the same movements were used for the Type 21 and the Type 20. Manufacturers had only 2 months to make offers, which sounds quite short; so this may be consistent with the idea that existing products would be suitable as Type 21. So, what really happened? One supposition could be that the Type 21 program was destined to eliminate the Vixa watches, whose movement was more fragile in essence. Also, considering that this specification was written as early as 56, there was obviously a very short experience feedback of the Type 20 watches…

All military Type 21 chronographs sport a bezel graduated backwards in hours (to be used as a countdown), whereas the Type 20's bezel could have either a reeded bezel with reference mark, or graduated in hours or minutes (backwards). The Type 20 and Type 21 share a lot of common features nonetheless, like manual wind flyback movements, two pushers, black dials with Arabic numbers, and a rotating bezel. Both also have similar dimensions, with a diameter comprised between 37 and 39 mm (without crown).

Dodane Type 21 (Photo credit: watchfred)

Since the demand has been small, Dodane was eventually the sole official supplier of Type 21 timekeepers to the armed forces. Those chronographs are powered by Valjoux movements.

The next generation of military watches

Curiously, the Type 21 wristwatches produced by Dodane for the CEV in 1969 had a stock Valjoux 235, therefore with 2 subdials and a 30-minute chronograph register, instead of the 15-minute register they had been ordering from Breguet a few years earlier.

In the 1970s, Breguet submitted a proposal to this call for tenders for the next generation military chronographs, but it seems that their products were deemed too expensive. Breguet was therefore not appointed as a Type 21 supplier.
The actual watch involved corresponds to the “second generation” Type 20 Breguet chronograph, with its polished case and black bezel. This chronograph also had a flyback manual wind movement, and was produced from the 1970s to the 1980s.
There is very few information about those pieces being used by the military, as there were probably less than half a dozen of such pieces put into service in the first half of the 1970s.

1970s Breguet Type 20, displayed at Musée Breguet

The 1970s Breguet Type 20 has a screw-in case-back, a diameter of 40.7 mm, a thickness of 13.8 mm, and comes with 2 or 3 registers on a matt black dial. It houses a Valjoux 725 movement (and maybe Valjoux 726 in some cases).

In the 1970s, Auricoste made a watch with chromed case and Bakelite rotating bezel, still with the Caliber 2040.

In 1973, the Paris-based Fernand Péchoin workshops supplied a set of prototypes using Valjoux movements, some labeled Type 21 (5 pieces) and some labeled Type 22 (50 pieces); but neither was officially accepted by the armed forces.

And then, the Quartz revolution came along…

Since that time, chronographs from many manufacturers have been tested, and small procurements have been made. The Type 20 watches were still used by the crew of the French Air Force through the 1980s, and were then replaced by commercially available quartz models, among which Yema quartz chronographs (albeit not the most popular model amongst pilots), Breitling Pluton wristwatches (in service in the Marine Nationale, and maybe others), Pulsar quartz (which was the last watch issued as standard military equipment), and, of course, the ubiquitous Casio G-Shocks.
(The CEV has been experimenting with Breitling Premier chronographs in the 1960s.)

The Type 20 chronographs are no longer officially used in the military domain; though some pilots from the Marine nationale and the Armée de l'air have been wearing their Breguet Type 20 for long after its discontinuation.
Interestingly, French military pilots are still trained to use their watch (along with compass and ICAO map) to follow flight paths, in order to be prepared to navigate by themselves in case of a global positioning system breakdown, or inertial measurement unit failure.

Dassault-Breguet Super Étendard operated by the Aéronavale

Militaria, nostalgia

Breguet was not the only watch manufacturer to revive this mechanical chronograph in the 1990s–2000s.

Dodane 1857 has designed a modern 41.5 mm chronograph named Type 21, based on the ETA 2892 movement with Dubois Dépraz 42021 module (3-subdial model) or 42022 module (2-subdial model) visible through an exhibition caseback.

The Vixa name has been used by different entrepreneurs. Some watches branded “Vixa Uhren Fabrik” have been produced (despite Vixa being a poor name in German); at some point, its rights were acquired by the perplexing Italian group Griggio. Anyway, the new Vixa has been producing a 42 mm watch called Type XX (or sometimes Type 20) with two registers and one lower red chronograph push-piece (à la Hanhart), optimistically priced at 5,200 EUR in 2010 (whereas other Vixas Type 20/21 go for around 1,000 to 1,300 EUR new). There also is a 42 mm chronograph called Type-20 with 3 registers and red hands (with the inscription Reliable air force edition, official master chronograph), presumably with ETA 2893-2 with a Dubois Dépraz chronograph module, without display back. It was probably discontinued as a 42 mm Type-21 légion étrangère, with two subdials, took its place (this time based on the ETA 2824 movement with Dubois Dépraz 2025 chronograph module, visible through the display back). Vixa also makes a watch with a case very closely inspired by the modern Breguet Type XX (with a Valjoux 7750 movement), which could qualify as “homage”, as part of a wide range of military style watches; I will not try to look further into this.

Since 2008, Auricoste is producing a two-subdial 42 mm “Type 20” with flyback, based on a Dubois Dépraz 42021 movement. The text on its dial is rather puzzling: Certifié retour en vol (French for “flyback certified”), which raises the question of which organization is responsible for certifying flyback movements…

Airain produces a watch which owes much to the Type 20.

Aside from the Type 20s, in 1997 Hanhart also re-issued its 1939 Primus Fliegerchronograph, named Pioneer Caliber II, with Valjoux 7760.

As a word of general caution, one should mention that the historical and horological legitimacy of some of those brands, recently resurrected after having gone bankrupt, is sometimes questionable. The Type 20 has gained a lot of attention over the past years, and many sellers know that there is money to be made.

The modern Breguet Type XX

Fast forward to the 1990s: Breguet introduces a new sports watch line-up with the modern “Type XX” automatic chronograph with flyback.
There have been several variations on this watch, which came in two main breeds: the Aéronavale since 1994, and the Transatlantique introduced in the late 1990s and discontinued in 2015.

Breguet Type XX in red gold (Photo credit: Henrik Schwiening)

Please note the distinction between “Type 20” (written with Arabic numerals), the post-World War II French military watch specification, and “Type XX” (with Roman numerals), the model name of this modern Breguet chronograph. They should both read Type twenty (or type vingt in French).

The different models

To put it in a nutshell, the Transatlantique has a date window (at 6 o'clock), while the Aéronavale has no calendar. However, it took me some time to figure out all the differences between the Aéronavale and the Transatlantique models. Those will be explained in this paragraph (and even more in-depth afterwards).

The stainless steel men's Type XX actually comes in several flavors, in chronological order of appearance:

• 3800 Aéronavale with no date, polished bezel, multi-layered matt black dial and polished bracelet;
• 3820 Transatlantique with date at 6 o'clock, circular brushed bezel, glossy black dial and brushed/polished bracelet;
• the special issue 3807 Aéronavale with no date, exhibition caseback, polished bezel, glossy dark Cobalt blue dial and polished bracelet, made in 1998 to 2,000 pieces;
• 3860 Transatlantique Réveil, with alarm, date at 6 o'clock, circular brushed bezel, glossy black dial and brushed/polished bracelet;
• the special issue 3803 Aéronavale with black lacquered bezel and matt black dial, made in 2010 to 1,000 pieces, in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the French naval aviation.

To this, let us add the men's non-steel models:

• 3800BA solid yellow gold Aéronavale, a rare model with black or dark blue dial.
• 3800BR solid rose gold Aéronavale, a rare model with dark blue dial.
• 3800PT platinum Aéronavale with black dial, as a limited edition of 100 pieces (made in 1994).
• 3820TI titanium Transatlantique with a black carbon fiber dial. (Carbon fiber and titanium are high-tech materials widely used in the aviation industry.)
• 3820BA/BB/BR solid gold Transatlantique (proposed in yellow gold, white gold and rose gold) with deep blue, black or white dial.
• 3820PT platinum Transatlantique with blue dial.
• 3827PT platinum Transatlantique édition limitée with a salmon dial and display back (limited edition of 90 pieces).

Besides the men's watches, there is also a more compact Type XX ladies model, which reference numbers are 4820 (4820ST where ST stands for “steel”) with full stainless steel bezel, and 4821 with the diamond bezel. Its design is quite similar to the 3820 Transatlantique, but with a different subdial layout (the seconds subdial is at 6 o'clock, and the elapsed hours at 9). This chronograph comes with either black, silver/cream or blue dial. A mother-of-pearl dial and a diamond bezel are possible options. Its diameter is 32.5 mm (without crown), and its thickness is 11.8 mm. Thanks to a water resistance of 100 m, it is a very functional automatic ladies' timepiece.

Additionally, a faithful reissue of the original Breguet Type 20 was made for the Only Watch charity auction in 2019, using a 2-register Valjoux 235 movement. It has the reference number 2055ST/Z5/398, and is a unique piece.

Please note that the reference number 3810 stands for the Breguet Type XXI, a larger 42 mm chronograph introduced in 2004, which incidentally also was the 50th anniversary of the Type 20. It uses the 584Q movement with central chronograph minute's hand (like the Lemania 1340 and the Lemania 5100) and has a 24-hour indicator. The words Retour en vol, prominently written on its dial, mean “Flyback” in French. Despite what its name suggests, the Breguet Type XXI has no special relation to the French Type 21 military specification.
The Type XXII (reference 3880) was introduced in 2010, denoting the expansion of Breguet's lineup of sports watches.

In 2024, after the discontinuation of all the previous models (XX/XXI/XXII), Breguet launched the Type 20 (sic) 2057 and Type XX 2067, respectively with 2 and 3 registers. Both new chronographs are more closely related to the 1950s models in terms of design, but with 42 mm cases.

The Breguet Type XX Réveil

In 1998, Breguet produced a limited version of the Type XX fitted with an alarm movement and presumably called “Type XX Transatlantique Réveil” (which means alarm clock in French). This model has no chronograph, but two crowns and a date window at 6 o'clock. The bottom crown is used to adjust the inner alarm disc. It has the same case design as the Transatlantique, with a brushed bezel and glossy dial. It is also known as the reference 3860, and made in either steel or gold.

Type XX Réveil (Photo credit: Henrik Schwiening)

According to a Breguet correspondence, this limited series of 500 pieces used the same movement as the Classique Ref. 3600 from 1992–1993, namely the Breguet 579 (based on the Lemania 2980 / Lemania SL 980), although its alarm indicator only shows the hours while that of the Classique has the minutes and the hours. This caliber has automatic winding for both the time and the alarm.

Synopsis of different models

Tentatively, here is a list of all the different models of Type XX and their variants.

Observation of the different models of Type XX

Reference, model name	Case material	Caliber	Dial / Breguet logo	Hour numerals / Hour markers	Hands finish / Bezel finish	Crown	Swiss Made indication	Peculiarities
3800ST Aéronavale	Stainless steel	582 (no date)	Matt black /	Non serifed, lumed / Lumed	Painted (white) / Polished	Yellow gold capped	SWISS	The minutes' chronograph subdial has Arabic numerals at 5, 15 and 25 minutes.
3800ST Aéronavale	Stainless steel	582 (no date)	Matt black /	Serifed, lumed / Lumed	Painted, white / Polished	Yellow gold capped	SWISS	Early Aéronavale, with yellow gold capped crown. Water resistant to 200 m.
3800ST Aéronavale	Stainless steel	582 (no date)	Matt black /	Serifed, lumed / Lumed	Painted, white / Polished	Same metal as case	SWISS	Now marked as water resistant to 100m.
3800ST Aéronavale	Stainless steel	582 (no date)	Black, matt /	Serifed, lumed / Painted, lumed	Painted, white / Polished	Same metal as case	SWISS or T-SWISS-T	Later generation Aéronavale, with newer logo.
3800BA Aéronavale	Solid 18k yellow gold	582 (no date)	Black /	Non serifed, lumed / Painted, lumed	Painted, white / Polished	Same metal as case	SWISS	Limited to 150 pieces. The minutes' chronograph subdial has Arabic numerals at 5, 15 and 25 minutes. Bezel is uni-directional.
3800BA Aéronavale	Solid 18k yellow gold	582 (no date)	Dark blue /	Serifed, lumed / Painted, lumed	Painted, white / Polished	Same metal as case	T-SWISS-T	This version replaced the first 3800BA with uni-directional bezel.
3800BR Aéronavale	Solid 18k rose gold	582 (no date)	Dark blue /	Serifed, lumed / Painted, lumed	Painted, white / Polished	Same metal as case	T-SWISS-T	The solid gold Aéronavale was produced for a limited time, until the gold models were all shipped with the date movement.
3800PT Aéronavale	Solid 950/1000 Platinum	582 (no date)	Matt black /	Non serifed, lumed / Lumed	Painted, white / Polished	Same metal as case	SWISS	The minutes' chronograph subdial has Arabic numerals at 5, 15 and 25 minutes. Bezel is uni-directional.
3803ST Aéronavale	Stainless steel	582 (no date)	Black /	Serifed, lumed / Painted (lume)	Painted, white / Black, embossed (numerals every 5 minutes)	Antique style (conical)	SWISS	Limited to 1,000
3807ST Aéronavale	Stainless steel	582 (no date)	Cobalt blue /	Serifed, painted, gray / Painted, lumed	Polished / Polished	Same metal as case	T-SWISS-T	Exhibition case-back. Numerals and logo are gray.
3820ST Transatlantique	Stainless steel	582 Q (with date)	Black, glossy /	Lumed, non serifed / Applied, polished	Polished / Brushed (circular)	Same metal as case	SWISS or T-SWISS-T	Maybe a dial with serifed numerals and lumed markers (SWISS)
3820TI Transatlantique	Titanium	582 Q (with date)	Carbon fiber /	Lumed, non serifed / Applied, polished	Polished / Brushed (circular)	Same metal as case	SWISS or T-SWISS-T
3820BB Transatlantique	Solid 18k white gold	582 Q (with date)	Light gray, light brown or dark blue /	Serifed, painted (gray for gray dial), or Lumed, sans serif (for blue dial), or Applied, serifed (for blue dial) / Painted, lumed	Polished / Polished	Same metal as case	SWISS or T-SWISS-T	Lume is applied on 1/10th of seconds markings on the constant second dial (for gray and brown dials)
3820BA Transatlantique	Solid 18k yellow gold	582 Q (with date)	Black, silver or brown /	Non serifed, lumed / Applied (black dial); Serifed, painted / Painted, lumed (brown dial); Serifed, applied / Painted, lumed (silver dial)	Polished / Polished	Same metal as case	T-SWISS-T or SWISS
3820BR Transatlantique	Solid 18k rose gold	582 Q (with date)	Black or white /	Non serifed / Applied, or Serifed / Painted lumed	Polished / Polished	Same metal as case	SWISS or T-SWISS-T	On the black dial (sans serif), all dial markings are gold colored, and there is a ridge around the date window.
3820PT Transatlantique	Solid 950/1000 platinum	582 Q (with date)	Blue /	Non serifed / Applied, or Serifed / Painted lumed	Polished / Polished	Same metal as case	SWISS or T-SWISS-T	2 dial versions, one with a ridge around the date window (sans serif)
3827PT Transatlantique	Solid 950/1000 platinum	582 Q (with date)	Salmon, radial pattern /	Serifed, applied / Painted, lumed	Polished / Polished	Same metal as case	SWISS MADE	Exhibition case-back. Supplemental applied hour markers at 3 and 9 o'clock. 90 pieces produced.
3860SS Transatlantique Réveil	Stainless steel	579 (date, alarm)	Black /	Lumed, non serifed / Applied, polished	Polished / Brushed, circular	Both in same metal as case	SWISS MADE
3860BA Transatlantique Réveil	Solid 18k yellow gold	579 (date, alarm)	Black /	Lumed, non serifed / Applied, polished	Polished / Polished	Both in same metal as case	SWISS MADE
4820ST Transatlantique Ladies	Stainless steel	550 (with date)	Black or MOP /	Sans-serif, painted, lumed / Applied	Polished / Polished	Same metal as case	SWISS
4821ST Transatlantique Ladies	Stainless steel	550 (with date)	MOP, cream or blue /	Sans-serif, painted, lumed / Applied	Polished / Diamond-encrusted. A stone of a different color (blue sapphire or red ruby) marks the 12 o'clock.	Same metal as case	SWISS	A partial Pavé dial was also maybe available

Design overview of the Type XX

The aesthetic parentage of the Breguet Type XX with the vintage Type 20 is apparent. The rotating bezel, the dial layout and its larger minute's register all relate to the original models, while adding to the unique character of this watch.

Breguet Type XX

In spite of those “retro” features, we can note an attempt to blend the original Type 20 style with more traditional Breguet codes, like vertical caseband fluting and rounded lugs profile. (Breguet is indeed proud of its identifying marks, and even has a page about their unmistakable signs on their web site.)

In all honesty, the original vintage Type 20 watches were probably not made with the same quality as the “traditional” Breguet watches following the legacy started by founder Abraham-Louis Breguet. Nevertheless, it is important to remember that the military business kept the company running in very difficult times (when even steel was hard to source). However, the integration of these traditional Breguet codes in the modern Type XX would mean that this chronograph is to be more in line now with the rest of the line-up. So, while the Type XX is definitely no longer a military watch, it occupies Breguet's entry level position as a well-made, nearly high-end sports watch.

The dimensions of the watch are: 39.0 mm (diameter) by 14.4 mm (thickness).

Before 1995/1996, the Aéronavale models also used a slightly different writing for the Breguet logo, with no horizontal stroke intersecting the stem of the cursive handwriting letter “t”, on the dial and on the rotor logo (which might look a bit like “BregueL” or “Bregueh” from a distance). Interestingly, the (signed) vintage Type 20 chronograph dials may have either the historical logo (without the crossed “t”) or the newer style.

Vintage and newer Breguet logo, with the additional cross stroke on the T

An anti-reflective layer is applied on the inside of the sapphire crystal. However, since it is domed, and does not use an AR coating on its outside, then it is very prone to reflection. The watch has a surprisingly good legibility nevertheless, thanks to its oversized hands and non-contrasting subdials. Fortunately, those large hands do not cross the boundaries of good taste, staying functional and retaining a classic design. The tips of the minute and second hands are slightly bent, in order to fit under the domed crystal.

A recognizable feature of the Type XX chronographs is the larger minutes' totalizer, with the vintage-looking “feuille de sauge” hand. This register can count up to 30 minutes. Naturally, it can be used in conjunction with the hours' totalizer which can count up to 12 hours. Please note that, on most models, the minutes' totalizer is laid out in 2-minute subdivisions, in order to look like a 15 minutes register (to remind of the vintage Breguet Type 20 commissioned by the Aéronavale). The minutes totalizer is therefore not exactly easy to read, since you will have to remember that every mark represents 2 minutes, or that the 5 main indices account for 6, 12, 18, 24 and 30 minutes.

Close-up of the minute totalizer

The font of the Arabic numbers on the dial is typical of the vintage pilot's chronographs. They look quite similar to those found on other models, like the Sinn 103 or the Breitling Chronomat Blackbird. Breguet tastefully used about the same font for all the Arabic numerals on the dial and on the bezel (except for the date window). Usually, the numerals are serifed on the Aéronavale models, and non serifed for the Transatlantique models. The dials of the modern Type XX are lumed with either Tritium (marked simply SWISS, then T-SWISS-T, for the first 3800 Aéronavale models) or LumiNova (marked SWISS, for the 3820 Transatlantique and later 3800 Aéronavale dials). The transition from T-SWISS-T to SWISS dials happened somewhere near 1998.

Interestingly, the first series of Type XX Aéronavale was water resistant to 200 meters (20 ATU engraved on the case-back). Those models had a yellow gold insert on the screw-down crown. The next models were marked as being 100 meters water resistant (for instance: ÉTANCHE 100 m). Please note that the gold capped crowns are getting harder to find, as they generally get replaced by stainless steel crowns during maintenance services.

At the beginning and for a very short period of time, Breguet might also have used a style of central second hand which is different from the usual “lollipop” style. This hand is painted white (a common trait of the Aéronavale; remember the Transatlantique came out years later) but has a triangular, pointy hand.

Below is a picture gallery roughly illustrating how the no-date Type XX 3800ST Aéronavale evolved during its life:

Also, over the years, the Type XX has shipped with several different presentation boxes.

Case-backs

There have been many different case-backs for the 3800ST Aéronavale. I am unsure of their chronological order. The very first version of the case back, found in the earlier serial number watches (as well as a Breguet prototype), might be this one:

That of a different series Aéronavale says:

The water resistance indications seem to be the cause of most alterations of the case-back. Here is another variation:

This one only has a small difference in writing (the removed hyphen):

And yet another version (possibly rarer):

BREGUET TYPE XX
AUTOMATIQUE
N^oXXXXX
WATER RESISTANT
10 atm.
REF. 3800
AERONAVALE

This one, fully translated to French, is probably the most modern version of the case back:

The case-back of a 3820ST Transatlantique is much less heterogeneous. It says:

The case-back of the 3860ST Transatlantique Réveil is as such:

The serial numbers of the Réveil models start at 60000.

Rotatable bezels

The Type XX comes with a handy rotating bezel with 60 clicks. The tens of minutes are engraved, clockwise, and there is a luminescent triangle at 0 minutes.
However, the first models of Aéronavale had a uni-directional bezel (turning anti-clockwise), whereas the later models all have a bi-directional bezel.

Inner side of the Type XX's bi-directional bezel

As said above, when it comes to the bezel, the main visible difference is between the Aéronavale (polished bezel) and stainless steel or titanium Transatlantique (brushed bezel). All white gold, yellow gold, rose gold and platinum models have a polished bezel, as well as matching bracelet center links.

However, there is another subtle difference, which applied to both the Aéronavale and Transatlantique, in the shape of the number 3 on the bezels. At least two main font type exist: with a longer center stroke, and with a shorter center stroke.

Investigation is still under way as the chronology of the bezel variations has not been established yet.

Bands for the Type XX

The Type XX can be worn on a strap or on a bracelet. The strap can be secured by a signed tang-type buckle, or signed deployant buckle (which used to be a “butterfly” double-fold clasp for the first models, replaced by a single-fold clasp, which is similar to that of the bracelet). The interhorn width is an unusual 21 mm, and the buckle width is 16 mm. The steel bracelet for the Type XX is beautifully made; it has solid links, and comes either fully polished (Aéronavale), polished with brushed center links (stainless steel Transatlantique), or fully matt (titanium Transatlantique). It sports a hidden clasp where the letters BREGUET are engraved. It does not have a security lock. However, it has fortunately not popped yet while on my wrist in any occasion.

The Type XX bracelet in stainless steel (note: a complete bracelet contains more links)

The bracelet adjustment is done by adding or removing screwed links. The first Type XX bracelets have one type of links, which can be used on either side of the bracelet. However, later bracelets (when mounted properly) show no apparent screw on the exposed side of the bracelet—i.e. the side facing the hand, not the forearm—thanks to the use of two dissymmetrical (mirrored) types of links. It seems like Breguet has gone the extra mile to offer this nice touch of symmetry when looking at the bracelet sidewise.

Movement of the Breguet Type XX

The Type XX uses an automatic integrated chronograph movement. In line with its Type 20 predecessor (as seen in the previous chapter), one of the main attributes of the Type XX is its flyback feature.

We have seen that there have been two movements used in the men's Type XX:

• the Caliber 582 (a.k.a. Lemania 1378) used inside the Aéronavale, with no date;
• the Caliber 582 Q (a.k.a. Lemania 1372) used inside the Transatlantique, with date and quick-set complication.

Both movements look very similar, aside from the obvious date wheel located on the dial side of the movement, and have the same number of jewels. Interestingly, all Type XX Transatlantique rotors are engraved CAL. 582, and not 582Q. (Aéronavale rotors are also generally engraved Breguet CAL. 582, but sometimes just Breguet.)
The 582 and 582Q movements share the following characteristics:

• Self-winding
• Integrated chronograph with flyback complication
• Straight-line lever escapement
• 25 jewels (sometimes 26)
• 28,800 BPH (and therefore, ¼th of a second chronograph)
• Monometallic balance wheel; self-compensating flat balance spring
• 48 hours of power reserve
• 13¾ line
• Adjusted in 5 positions

These movements are exclusive to Breguet, were developed specifically for this timepiece, and can therefore be technically considered in-house (since, for some reason, some people seem to care a lot about that). The rotor operates the automatic winding in both directions.

The date wheel uses a directly driven mechanism, which operation, according to Breguet, starts between one-and-a-half and one hour before midnight and is completed at midnight in a bracket ranging between –5 and +5 minutes.

Animated/interactive image of the Breguet caliber 582 (in most browsers).
If you see the fourth wheel spinning, try playing with the bottom pusher (chronograph start) or top pusher (reset).

The chronograph's minute totalizer, located at 3 o'clock, counts up to 30 minutes (even though it looks like a 15-minute register, as we will see in a following paragraph). The minute hand is continuous (i.e. not jumping like the Valjoux 7750 found in the Breitling Chronomat). The movement does not hack: the running seconds' hand does not stop when the crown is pulled out.
You may also notice that, if the chronograph is engaged, the chronograph minutes' and hours' hands move when setting the time.

This is one of the few movements which have a better power reserve while the chronograph is running.

The rarer ladies' Type XX uses a different type of movement. The Breguet Caliber 550 is a compact column-wheel, non-flyback automatic movement with date, also used by other Breguet models. It is based on the caliber Lemania 1050, and measures 10½ lignes, has 38 jewels, and a power reserve of 45 hours. Note that its registers are laid out differently from the Men's Type XX.

The decorative finish of the 582 and 582Q movements has remained the same through the years, although the watch was initially not supposed to come with an exhibition caseback. The movement's plates and bridges are rhodium-plated, and the main plate is decorated with perlage. A Côtes de Genêve pattern is performed to the rotor and the bridges. The rotor is sometimes individually numbered, and bears the Breguet logo written in gold color. The chronograph levers' edges are chamfered (beveled and polished), and their surface is finished with straight graining. The overall decoration is nothing too spectacular, but this is not an unpleasant movement to look at, either.

25 jewels vs. 26 jewels

The first models of Type XX ref. 3800 used a 26-jewel version of the caliber 582. It is hardly noticeable, since only not many models have this particularity, and it is only visible when opening the watch case (thanks to the indication TWENTY-SIX (26) JEWELS on the barrel bridge).

According to Breguet, this early movement version is fitted with a jewel in the center of the barrel bridge instead of a zirconium stone. It was manufactured for only about one year.

Cam/lever vs. column wheel

Unlike the higher-end movements used in Breguet's Classique line-up, the Caliber 582/582Q uses a cam-lever switching set-up to operate the chronograph functions. It is probably fair to say that the 582(Q) movement is the highest grade cam switched movement of its time. High-end chronograph movements (like the El Primero, Patek Philippe, etc.) usually rely on a column wheel set-up to coordinate the chronograph functions (start/stop/reset, and more if there are complications—flyback is one).

Indeed, the column wheel actuation mechanism has the advantage of decoupling the force applied to the pushers from the rest of the movement, while the castle wheel's pillars accept or reject the function levers. This can result in a slightly better feel; if properly executed, it can also have tighter tolerances.

On the other hand, the cam/lever set-up (used in many newer chronographs calibers, like the Lemania 1873 of the Breitling Cosmonaute A12023) is more modern, makes use of a lower number of parts, can be more easily produced (by metal punching) and does not require a perfect finish to operate.
Being less sophisticated and less expensive, the latter is therefore usually not found in a Breguet; it is also a departure from the movement of the original Breguet Type 20.

Breguet 582 family tree

In my previous article about the lineage of the Lemania caliber 1873 (see the Breitling Callisto Chrono), we quickly went back in time to the Omega caliber 321. The scope of the current chapter is broader, as it tries to provide more detail by presenting the most notable evolutions of each movement generation.

This chapter illustrates how the Breguet caliber 582 comes from an impressive lineage of fine mechanical movements.

Owner's review of the Breguet Type XX Aéronavale ref. 3807

No matter how you look at it, this is a dream watch. The single fact of wearing a Breguet is magic! The watch is stunning, classy, and yet subtle enough to only catch the eye of the connoisseur.

My Breguet Type XX Aéronavale reference 3807

For someone living in France, wearing this watch may also bear a special significance: Breguet used to be French; the vintage Type 20 has done military service in France—and its face is blue (which is the natioanl racing color of France—like red is to Italy). But I digress…

The Breguet Type XX is probably a direct competitor to the world's most iconic sports chronographs, among which are, for me, the Omega Speedmaster Professional, the Rolex Daytona Cosmograph, and the Breitling Navitimer. The first thought is that Breguet is a higher-end watch brand, and certainly the most exclusive of the lot. In terms of functionalities, Breguet is a step above the pack with its flyback chronograph and, more importantly, a rotating bezel (which, without dismissing the use of a slide rule bezel, is more useful in most daily situations).
I also like the non–screw-in pushers, which are easier and quicker to operate, and make more sense for a pilot's (or driver's) watch.

Yes, the Type XX finds its roots a pilot's watch, and this is certainly apparent in its style. But is this modern Type XX still a credible pilot's watch? Probably not really: it has a steep price tag, polished surfaces (which means severe glare from the sun light), a display back too nice to be true; those are many reasons why the chances of seeing a “professional” (commercial airline or military) use of this watch in aeronautics are weak.
This Breguet is more like a piece of jewelry, an attention getter; this shiny blue face, the polished bracelet in which you can see your delighted face, will make you feel more at home while window shopping in Place Vendôme than inside a cockpit. But you may also note that Breguet does not advertise it as a pilot's watch, which is a nice touch of honesty, especially in today's superficial marketplace!

The absence of a date on the dial is not a problem for me anyway (since I often switch watches daily, and am just too lazy to adjust the eventual complications, so the date stays un-set; I am also therefore less stressed to damage the quickset date mechanism). In addition, I like the cleaner no-date look, and never understood why lots of brands use different fonts for the date wheels. It is also truer to the original Type 20 which we have described in the first paragraph.

I should also spill some ink about the minute register. Thanks to its 5 large baton markers, it certainly catches the eye, and is analogous to some of the Breguet Type 20 wristwatches commissioned in the 1960s. However, as the minute register now records 30 minutes (and not 15, as the vintage model did), this does not result in a perfectly functional readout. While, of course, this does not make the chronograph useless, I would have preferred a true 15-minute movement!

The dimensions, with a classic 39.5 mm in diameter, are very similar to those of my Breitling Chronomat. Though it is compact by today's standards (44 mm seems more popular as of 2010), it does not feel like a small watch, at least on my 6.5 inches (16.5 cm) wrist.

Wrist shot of the special edition Breguet Type XX 3807 on aftermarket strap

With all due respect, the Type XX probably does not have all the cachet of an Abraham-Louis Breguet creation, and the finish of their movement is more simple (however way above the original Type 20, which has never been the most exciting Breguet creation); but it is the casual Breguet, great for daily wear and an active lifestyle. If you want to wear a Breguet day-in, day-out, then this watch will make you proud and cheerful. Even better: you will not have to sacrifice the functionality of a flyback chronograph, or a rotating bezel!

What are the main assets of this watch? And does it have any drawbacks? Here is a list of some of the positive and negative aspects of the Type XX.

Type XX 3807 Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
Finish: attention to detail is magnificent on the watch and the bracelet. Build is flawless as well.	Bracelet adjustment: adding or removing links needs a steady hand, a good screwdriver, and a handful of minutes. As seasons come and go, and you adjust your bracelet for hot or cold weather (which I do, but some people seem to not need that), you might regret the absence of a micro-adjustment feature.
Flyback: this is a neat refinement and clear improvement over the classic chronograph function. After using it for a while, you just wish all chronographs had the flyback feature. (Once you go Flyback, you don't go back!)	Not a “tool” watch: (while I am not implying that this watch is fragile) the highly polished surfaces are a good reminder that wearing it while fixing things around the house is probably a bad idea. Unlike my Breitling Superocean Professional. it does not look or feel like a tank. (But that is the nature of the beast, after all!)
Legibility: excellent, and actually better than many larger watches (on par with the Breitling B-1, which is my personal reference).	Crystal reflections: the non-AR coated crystal catches a lot of reflections. It is hard to take good pictures of the dial.
Size/dimensions: 39.5 mm is elegant, versatile and functional. It might be a “sweet spot” for my wrist.	Lume: it is underwhelming—maybe because it's a several years old tritium luminous compound.
Bezel: usable rotating bezel, with decent responsiveness. A function definitely as handy as a chronograph.	Minute register: the 30-minute counter dressed as a 15-minute counter does not make for an optimal readout.
Display back: I just cannot resist a nice view of this movement…

Thank you for reading this article about my Type XX and its history. As with any new watch I get, it teaches me much about horology. This hobby is like a never-ending quest… I can already feel the journey is not over.

Early Breguet Type XX 3800BA in yellow gold (Photo credit: Henrik Schwiening)

References

This article was written thanks to many sources, the most interesting or authoritative of which are:

• The Type 20: French Military Chronographs (alternate link), Stephen Sugiyama, 1999
• Chronographes militaires français : Type 20 & 21, Erick D., 2009
• French in flight, Robert Keulen, 2005
• Les montres militaires, ZEN, 2005
• Aeronavale vs Transatlantique, PuristS forum, 2005
• Militäruhren: Uhren der französischen Streitkräfte, Stephan Ciejka and Konrad Knirim, 1996
• War-Timers II - Fliegerchronographen der Deutschen Luftwaffe: Hanhart, Kal 41 / 42, Bat-Flight, 2010
• Chronographes Type 20 et Type 21 : un peu d’histoire, Martin Péneau, 2010
• Hanhart - die Manufaktur aus dem Thurgau, unknown author
• bidfun-db Archiv: Uhrwerke: Lemania 1340, Dr. Roland Ranfft

Also based on oral and written discussions and articles from (in alphabetical order) Peter Barrett, Emmanuel Breguet, Guiseppe Corcione, John Davis (a.k.a. ei8htohms), Michael (a.k.a. Burak from TimeZone-UK), Michel F. (Reims), Jean-Luc Gremaud, Gene Pilato, Henrik Schwiening, George Tipter, and numerous others.

[Top of page]