Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Breguet Type XX Ref. 3800 Set with Steel Bracelet, mid 1990s
- Maker / attribution
- Breguet (maker)
- Date
- mid 1990s
- Historical period
- Mechanical Renaissance (1990 – 2010)
- Country of origin
- Switzerland
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Materials / technique
- steel
- Dimensions
- Case 39 mm
- Stock no.
- W-3045
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Bulang & Sons (W-3045)
- Catalogue title (original)
- Breguet Type XX Ref. 3800 Box and Papers Set with Steel Bracelet (English)
View the source record (dealer listing) ↗ (opens another website in a new tab)Suggest a correction
Record summary
Catalogued by Bulang & Sons (dealer), Copenhagen (stock number W-3045), this is a wristwatch by Breguet, made in Switzerland, dated mid 1990s. The Atlas places it in the Mechanical Renaissance period (1990 – 2010) of its Wristwatches collection. Materials and techniques recorded by the source: steel. Recorded dimensions: Case 39 mm. The record is illustrated with 6 photographs.
Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.
Catalogue description
Dealer description — Bulang & Sons
Abraham-Louis Breguet, born in 1747 in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, revolutionized watchmaking during his illustrious career in Paris. Among his many groundbreaking inventions were the automatic watch, the gong spring for repeater watches, and the first shock-absorber device. His clientele included King Louis XVI, Queen Marie-Antoinette, and even Napoleon Bonaparte, cementing his legacy as one of history’s greatest horologists. The Breguet Type XX is a testament to this heritage, inspired by the original Type 20 military specifications issued by the French Air Force in the 1950s. Many brands contributed to the Type 20 lineage, but none have matched the enduring prestige of Breguet. This watch features a classic black dial with three subdials, pencil hands, and a glossy rotatable bezel, housed in a stainless steel “coin-edge” case. The heart of this timepiece is the automatic Caliber 582, derived from the Lémania Caliber 1350, and equipped with a flyback chronograph function. This full set includes the original funky inner and outer boxes, booklet, hangtag, an unfilled certificate of origin, the original Breguet leather strap with a folding clasp, an additional Breguet leather strap, and a stainless steel Breguet bracelet. The watch has been fully serviced and is ready for its next chapter. We adore the rugged tool-watch vibes of this chronograph, and this well-preserved set represents incredible value for a piece of horological history. Get in touch to make it yours! Specifications: - Breguet Type XX Chronograph - Reference ST380092SW6 - 39mm stainless steel “coin-edge” case with two chronograph pushers - Serial 31XX, dating to the mid-1990s - Black dial with tritium lume - Rotatable bezel and sapphire crystal - Automatic Caliber 582 (Lémania 1350 base with flyback module) - Original Breguet leather strap and folding clasp in steel - Additional Breguet leather strap and stainless steel Breguet bracelet - Full set: inner/outer boxes, booklet, hangtag, and unfilled certificate of origin - Fully serviced by our watchmaker
Historical context
Mechanical Renaissance (1990 – 2010)
Mechanical watches return as cultural objects; independent watchmaking flourishes.
Mechanical watches returned as cultural and luxury objects. Complications, tourbillons and new materials proliferated; independent watchmakers such as George Daniels, F.P. Journe and Philippe Dufour revived artisanal watchmaking; collecting vintage watches became a major field.
Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Quartz Revolution
Atlas type guide
Wristwatches
Bracelet watches were worn by women from the early nineteenth century — Breguet made one for Caroline Murat, Queen of Naples, in 1810–12 — but the wristwatch only became a man's instrument with military use and aviation in the early twentieth century. Between the World Wars it overtook the pocket watch; the 1920s and 1930s brought rectangular Art Deco cases, water-resistant cases and the first automatic winding systems.
After 1945 the wristwatch became a carrier of identity — dress watches, sports and dive watches, chronographs, calendars — produced by Swiss, American, Japanese, German, Soviet and Chinese industries. The quartz revolution after 1969 and the mechanical renaissance since the 1990s, including the rise of independent watchmakers, complete the story.
What to look for
- The reference number (between the lugs or inside the case back) and serial number, the starting point for dating.
- The calibre: its maker and number are often stamped under the dial or on the bridge.
- Originality of dial, hands and crown — refinished ('redial') dials are common.
- Case material marks: 18K/750, 14K/585, stainless steel, gold-filled, plated.
Dating clues
- Wire-lug cases: before c. 1925.
- Water-resistant screw-down cases: from 1926.
- Quartz movements: from 1969; sapphire crystals widespread after c. 1980.
General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.
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