THE ESSENTIALS
MAKE: BREGUET
MODEL: TYPE XX
YEAR: 1977
CASE DIAMETER: 40.5mm
CASE MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
BRACELET MATERIAL: LEATHER
MOVEMENT: MANUAL WIND
The Breguet family completely revolutionised not only watchmaking but aviation too. Most will know Breguet for their numerous horological inventions—the tourbillon, Breguet hands, numerals, the overcoil, and more. In addition to creating some of the most beautiful dress watches in history, Breguet’s contributions to aviation are equally remarkable.
Louis-Charles Breguet, the great-great-grandson of Abraham-Louis, teamed up with his brother Jacques to invent the Gyroplane, a predecessor to the modern helicopter. Shortly after, they founded Breguet Aviation, which leads us neatly to the aeronautical horology that followed.
Alongside manufacturing aircraft, Breguet produced gauges and clocks for his WWI planes. After his two sons declined to enter the family business, he sold the watchmaking division to Henry Brown, a watchmaker and factory manager at Breguet. From 1927 onward, Henry and his son George took over the development and manufacturing of Breguet clocks, later expanding back into watches.
By the early 20th century, Breguet was already producing custom instruments for aviation—chronometers, split-second chronographs, thermostats and spherometers among them. In the early 1950s, the French Ministry of Defense commissioned a purpose-built pilot’s watch for its Air Force and Naval Aviation. Thus the Type 20/Type XX was born—not a model number, but a technical specification. These purpose-built two- and three-register aviation chronographs have since become some of the most iconic and collectible designs in horology.
In 1971, Breguet introduced a new generation of Type XX watches with larger 40.5 mm cases, wider lugs, and a thicker bezel. Over the next 16 years, only 770 examples were produced, again in both two- and three-counter formats.
The present example is undoubtedly the finest we’ve been fortunate enough to handle. Mr Emmanuel Breguet (the last descendant of Abraham-Louis) kindly confirmed that this watch was delivered as a gift on 30 September 1977. The recipient clearly treasured it: the case is in incredible condition with only faint marks; the dial is outstanding; and the tritium lume on the markers and hands is fully intact, aged to an even creamy hue, and glows brightly under UV. All original hands and pushers are present.
This is easily one of the best watches we've had this year. Absolute killer.