If the name of Breguet acquired its reputation in the field of watchmaking, it is also well known in the world of aviation with Charles Louis Breguet (1880-1955), great-great-grand-son of Abraham-Louis Breguet. In addition to developing the gyroplane, the forerunner of the helicopter, Louis Charles Breguet also produced the biplane bomber Breguet XIV plane in 1916, during World War II. Between 1917 and 1926, around 8,000 of these aircrafts were acquired by an estimated fifteen countries. Other models followed, such as the Breguet 19, and later the Breguet Deux-Ponts (Double Deck).
In parallel with the aeronautical activities of Louis Charles Breguet, the Breguet watch company developed chronograph mechanisms fitted on cockpit instrument panels and began producing pilot’s watches. In 1935, it developed its first wrist chronographs and about two decades later, Breguet launched production of the Type XX model commissioned by the French armed forces. This chronograph would go to equip the national air force and the naval air arm until the early 1980s.
Today, Breguet is enriching this historical collection with a new model, the Type XXI 3817 chronograph. Its vintage look reflects the history and origins of the Type XX line, while its technical characteristics place it firmly in the 21st century.
The Type XXI 3817 chronograph comes in a 42 mm steel case, waterresistant to 100m thanks to its screw-locked crown, and with delicately fluted caseband and bidirectional rotating bezel. The grey-slate dial, signed Breguet, includes a hours chapter with luminescent Arabic numerals, a day/night indicator at 3 o’clock, a 12-hour totalizer and date at 6 o’clock, small seconds at 9 o’clock, a central minute totalizer, and luminescent hands and dots.
The self-winding chronograph movement Calibre 584Q/2 is endowed with the flyback function characterising Type XX chronographs since 1954. It has been readjusted and endowed with additional technical advantages made possible by the incorporation of silicon components. Thus, it includes an inverted in-line Swiss lever escapement with silicon pallets and a silicon balance-spring. Its balance frequency is 4Hz and it offers a 48-hour power reserve. Every last detail of the movement can be admired through a sapphire crystal caseback, a first in the history of the Type XX collection.
The watch is fitted with a brown calfskin leather strap.
