Video: Our First Impressions of The New Breguet Type XX Ref. 2057 & 2067

In the 19th century, Breguet became synonymous with time-measurement instruments to aid maritime navigation. But during the following century the company began positioning itself as a specialist in timekeeping tools to support the burgeoning aviation industry.

As early as the 1930s, Breguet was developing horological devices destined for aircraft instrument panels, critical for measuring flight time and intermediate flight times, or monitoring fuel consumption. This line would go on to include the widely used Type 11, Type 11/1 and Type 12 on-board chronographs.
 

It was in the 1950s that Breguet began making aviation-specific wristwatches in earnest when the company learned that the French Air Force wanted to equip its pilots with a chronograph wristwatch – dubbed the Type XX by the French Air Ministry – that met a range of specifications: a flyback function, a black dial with luminescent hands and numerals, a robust movement resistant to rapid changes in pressure and acceleration, and a rotating bezel.
 

Breguet responded by submitting Type XX prototypes in 1952 and, two years later, the French Air Force placed an order for 1,100 units of Breguet’s military-grade Type XX.

It featured an unsigned black dial with 30-minute counter, non-engraved bidirectional bezel, and the references Type 20 (which would be replaced by Type XX on subsequent generations) and 5101/54 engraved on the caseback. The company went on to deliver these between 1955 and 1959.
 

During our recent video and photo shoot, we were lucky enough to examine an original Ref. 5101/54, bearing the sub-reference 7211, in the metal.
 

Its steel case, however, is 42mm in diameter instead of the original 38mm, and now offers 10-bar water resistance. Meanwhile, the hands, numerals and bezel triangle feature a mint-green shade of lume, and the 30-minute counter is now larger than the small seconds at 9 o'clock. What’s more, a date window has been added between 4 and 5 o’clock.
 

We also now have a sapphire crystal display back through which you can glimpse the movement. Naturally, this is no longer the manual winding Valjoux 22 which equipped the Type XX back in the day, but the new automatic Calibre 7281 that Breguet has spent four years developing.
 

Not only does this movement boast an ultra-efficient, single-press zero-resetting mechanism for the chronograph function, but it also offers very solid chronometry over its 60-hour power reserve thanks to its 5 Hz balance frequency and high-energy-density mainspring, as well as its anti-magnetic hairspring, escape wheel and pallet-lever horns which are all made of silicon.
 

The Ref. 2067 has the same black dial and case dimensions as the Ref. 2057, but understandably differs in other respects given that it faithfully takes its cues from an entirely different reference model.
 

For a start, it has a 15-minute counter at 3 o’clock and 12-hour counter at 6 o’clock and, as such, is powered by the differently configured Calibre 728. What’s more, its numerals, hands and bezel triangle are treated with a smart sand-colored lume, and the bezel is emblazoned with a 12-hour graduated scale.
 

The Ref. 2067 is a fine addition to the Type XX line, though it was the Ref. 2057 that I kept going back to during our hands-on photo and video shoot.

Whichever model you choose, both are delivered with a set of two quick-change straps – one in calfskin leather, the other a NATO fabric strap – in a rather cool wing-shaped presentation case.