Breguet Type XX 'Sterile' Dial Flyback Chronograph, mid 1950s

Dealer description — Analog/Shift

Amongst collectors of military watches, the Type 20 is certainly one of the most sought after. A pilot’s chronograph, the Type 20 was designed according to a standard that the French Aéronautique Militaire issued in the 1950s. Aesthetically, the watch — with its stark black dial, bold Arabic numerals, and stainless steel case — resembled other military chronographs of the era. But the Type 20 had to have a flyback function — or, in French, retour en vol — that enabled the pilot to stop, reset and start the chronograph again by depressing the bottom pusher just once. Several manufactures produced watches to the Type 20 specification including Vixa, Auricoste, Airain, Dodane, and by the brand who's version is commonly agreed upon to be the most desirable - Breguet. This particular Breguet Type XX dates to the mid 1950s and has six different FG (Fin de Garantie) engravings etched onto the caseback with each contract servicing — indicating service until approximately 1979. It features a 38mm stainless steel case with beveled, holey lugs with an acrylic crystal, a bi-directional rotating coin-edge indicator bezel, an oversized 'onion' crown, and barrel pushers. Inside, it has a fantastic matte black dial with 'Arabic' indices, printed white subsidiary registers, a white painted 'sword' handset, and a Valjoux Cal. 222 manual winding flyback chronograph movement. Watches such as these with genuine military provenance don’t surface terribly often... ... and when you strap it on your wrist you’ll quickly see why collectors are always on the hunt for exceptional examples such as this one. We are massive fans and are delighted to offer this one here.