Breguet’s Type XX Makes A Comeback With Third-Generation Models

Almost a decade since Breguet stopped production of the second-generation Type XX, in 1995, the Type XX timepieces found their place in the brand’s collections once again, bringing forth the dual heritage of watchmaking and aviation once again.

The period between the second-generation (read more about the second-generation models here) and third-generation models saw many developments for the House of Breguet. The brand acquired the ‘Nouvelle Lemania’ movement manufacture at L’Orient in the Vallée de Joux and expanded its international network into North America and Asia, mainly Japan, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Fine watchmaking was becoming ever more popular with chronograph timepieces taking centre stage. Seeing this growth, it was an opportunity that Breguet was simply not going to miss.

Breguet was not simply going to just create any chronograph timepiece. The brand adopted the ‘retour en vol’ function into the calibre self-winding chronograph 582, and from this developed an in-house product which was the first self-winding chronograph timepiece with a fly-back option. This timepiece had a modern design, evident through the self-winding movement and also the deployant clasp. The final touch to this piece was the case inheriting Breguet’s famous fluted design, which on a steel sports watch was never seen before.

The TYPE XX, Reference 3800

The third-generation Type XX began officially in 1995, with the production of the steel 3800 model. Upon its launch, it was also released with two limited edition models: 75 pieces in platinum with a black dial and 150 in yellow gold with a black dial. The first of the third-generation 3800’s didn’t come with a date display. It was also dubbed the ‘Aéronavale’ to highlight the historic pedigree behind the timepiece.

Quantity produced:
• 3800ST steel on leather (standard)
• 3800ST steel on steel (standard)
• 3800BA yellow gold, black 92 dial, on leather (limited)
• 3800BR rose gold, blue Y2 dial, on leather
• 3800BR rose gold, blue Y2 dial, on rose gold
• 3800PT platinum, black 92 dial, on leather (limited)
• 3807ST steel, blue J2 dial, on steel (limited)
• 3803ST steel, black 92 dial, on leather (limited)

The TYPE XX, Reference 3820

In late 1997, almost three years after the release of the reference 3800, the reference 3820 was released, now with a date window at the 6 o’clock position. The reference 3820 was given the name ‘Transatlantique’, a homage to the exploits of the Breguet aircraft of the 1930s, in particular the very first Paris-New York flight in September 1930. The flight was made by Costes and Bellonte in a special Breguet aircraft named ‘Point d’Interrogation’.

Out of the first batch of 2000 timepieces of the Reference 3820 that was produced, the steel variants came with the addition of a gold disc on top of the winding crown, and had an engraving on the back ‘water resistant 20 ATU’. This engraving was later changed to the classic ‘étanche 100m’.

Quantity: (few models listed below from large quantity)
• 3820ST steel on leather (standard)
• 3820ST steel on steel (standard)
• 3820TI titanium, carbon fibre K2 dial on titanium
• 3820BA yellow gold, chocolate A2 dial,
on leather
• 3820BA yellow gold, chocolate A2 dial, on yellow gold
• 3820BA yellow gold, black lacquer D2 dial,
on leather
• 3820BA yellow gold, black lacquer D2 dial,
on yellow gold
• 3820BA yellow gold, ivory J2 dial, on leather
• 3820BA yellow gold, ivory J2 dial, on yellow gold
• 3820BA yellow gold, blue-black N2 dial,
on leather
• 3820BA yellow gold, blue-black N2 dial, on yellow gold

The TYPE XX ‘RÉVEIL’, Reference 3860

The next model in the 3800 family was certainly a unique one, as the Type XX welcomes a new watch not as a chronograph, but rather as an alarm watch. The reference 3860 shared a similar design to the Type XX 3800 and 3820, such as the case, rotating bezel, black dial, and luminescent hands.

The reference 3860 model is, however, easily recognisable by the two winding crowns. The timepiece also comes with a large second hand and a date display at 6 o’clock, along with the Breguet signature in the lower portion of the dial. Breguet also offered the timepiece in four different variants: steel on a leather strap, steel on a steel bracelet, yellow gold on a leather strap or yellow gold on a yellow gold bracelet.

Quantity:
• 3860ST steel on leather
• 3860ST steel on steel
• 3860BA yellow gold on leather
• 3860BA yellow gold on yellow gold

The Ladies’ TYPE XX, References 4820 And 4821

The House of Breguet was officially acquired by the Swatch group in 1999, and naturally with this came some changes for the brand. Under the personal leadership of Nicolas G. Hayek, Breguet’s production and distribution networks went through a major expansion.

For the first time, the increasingly successful Type XX family now was introduced to a ladies’ Type XX model, keeping in tradition with Breguet offering its female clientele luxury timepieces. The first ladies’ Type XX to come out was in spring of 2000, when the 4820ST was released in a black dial with a steel bracelet. In spring 2001, Breguet released a more elegant version, the reference 4821 ST, which came with a mother-of-pearl dial and a bezel set with diamonds.

Quantity:
• 4820ST steel, black D2 dial, on steel
• 4821ST steel, mother-of-pearl dial and diamondset
bezel, on steel

The TYPE XXI, Reference 3810

With Breguet now being acquired by Swatch Group, the brand expanded its product line up by keeping up to date with trends. One of the latest trends during this time was timepieces with larger diameters. Breguet jumped on this trend with the Type XX family, however, still kept faithful to the spirit of aviation.

The brand created a new chronograph timepiece complete with a date function and ‘retour en vol’ (fly-back function). The name given for this latest creation was Type XXI or reference 3810, sitting nicely in between references 3800 and 3820.

The stand-out features of Type XXI were the 42mm diameter, the bronze-coloured dial, and the Breguet Signature underlined by the fine inscription ‘retour en vol’ in a beautiful cursive script. The subdials included a 12-hour counter at 6 o’clock, a small seconds counter at 9 o’clock, and a day/night indicator at 3 o’clock. In addition to the central chronograph seconds hand, Breguet also gave reference 3810 a 60-minute counter in the form of a second central hand, tipped with a small triangle.

Quantity:
• 3810ST steel on leather
• 3810ST steel on steel
• 3810BR rose gold on leather
• 3810TI titanium on leather
• 3810TI titanium on titanium

The TYPE XXII, Reference 3880

The last main reference of the third-generation Type XX models was the Type XXII or reference 3880. Like the other models in the 3800 family, reference 3880 came with some very special features. Breguet Manufacture was researching a developing a high-frequency escapement, which finally came to fruition with the creation of a 10 Hertz escapement. In 2010, the 10-hertz movement was officially released with the Type XXII model.

Breguet’s Type XXII was initially released with a steel case on a leather strap or steel bracelet, however, three years later, Breguet expanded the reference 3880 lineup with a stunning rose gold version. Upon the model’s release, the display of the reference 3880 model was thought of as being confusing for the wearer because of the small second hand. Normally the full rotation of the small second’s hand would mark the minute, however, on reference 3880, a full rotation of the small second’s hand only made 30 seconds. This meant that to get a full minute, the small second’s hand needs to make two rotations. Unsure as to the reasoning behind this by Breguet, but it sure made it interesting for the wearer.

Quantity:
• 3880ST steel on leather
• 3880ST steel on steel
• 3880BR rose gold on leather
• 3880BR rose gold on rose gold