It is a reference pilot's watch that the Breguet museum acquired for €47,232 during the latest watch sale, at Artcurial, in Monaco, on January 16th.
These pieces that we would dream of seeing reissued identically today, of course equipped with a contemporary movement.
This Type XX n° 7536 was delivered by Breguet watches to the Air Ministry on November 16, 1955, according to the brand's records.
This military steel flyback chronograph will soon join the collection of the brand's museum.
Because if there is a house doubly linked to the world of aviation, it is Breguet.
On the back of this 38 mm diameter piece, we find the period military marking of this endowment watch,
A 1955 Breguet Type XX sold at Artcurial in Monaco.
Artcurial
How is this Breguet Type XX historic?
In itself, it is quite simply one of the references of the military watch endowment, directly born from a call for tenders launched by the Ministry of War.
For the pilots, it is necessary to be able, to respond to this public order, to provide a reliable, precise, readable chronograph in number, and which can be reset and then restarted in order to carry out its calculations in flight.
This so-called "flyback" function is one of the key elements of this historic Type XX, approved by the French Air Force, equipped with a notched bezel and an oversized winding crown, also notched, to be used with gloves in flight.
In 1995, Breguet will offer a reissue close to the original to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the model, combining a 39 mm-diameter steel case with a black dial adorned with three auxiliary counters (30-minute, 12-hour and small second counters).
An anniversary edition with flyback chronograph function and notched winding crown fitted with a mechanical Breguet 582 caliber with automatic winding.
Something to dream about while hoping for the upcoming release, who knows, of a new Breguet Type XX...
