An Iconic Military Tool Watch Just Got an Unexpected Makeover

This chronograph’s modern updates take surprising inspiration from vintage examples.

Published September 16, 2024

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Swiss watchmaker Breguet has one of the most impressive histories of any watch brand.

The 249-year-old company’s founder, Abraham-Louis Breguet, famously invented the tourbillon in 1801. The brand pioneered a number of watch parts that bear its name and are still in wide use today, such as Breguet hands and the Breguet overcoil. And the French-founded brand even claims credit for creating the first wristwatch for the Queen of Naples back in 1810.

Much of Breguet’s reputation today, fueled by its aforementioned illustrious history, comes from the elegant and complicated dress watches it’s been churning out for the better part of two-and-a-half centuries.

But the brand also lays claim to one of the greatest military watches ever made, the Type XX military pilot’s chronograph of the 1950s. Today, the brand gave its iconic chronograph an unexpectedly modern and luxurious makeover that also slyly nods to the model’s past.

Breguet Type XX Rose Gold

$37,900 at Breguet

A Fifties Flyer

The original Type 20 chronographs were produced by Breguet and a handful of brands for the French Air Force beginning in 1954. They were built to specifications laid out by the French Ministry of Defense that included a flyback function that allowed the running chronograph to be reset and restarted simultaneously, along with lumed Arabic indices and hands.

The watches were issued to French military aviators as part of their official equipment, and as such, most were the property of the French government. But due to the Type 20’s popularity and public demand for greater availability, Breguet launched a civilian version called the Type XX, which it has produced off and on in several generations over the past 70+ years, with the current fourth generation having been introduced just last year after a years-long hiatus.

One Fancy Tool

Two breguet watches — The stainless steel Type XX, reintroduced last year by Breguet, gets an unexpected sibling today with a new rose gold and ceramic version.

The new Type XX and Type 20 introduced by Breguet in 2023 were stylistically very similar to their mid-century counterparts, with stainless steel bezels to match their stainless steel cases.

Now, Breguet has added to the line with a new Type XX that changes up both the case and bezel to create arguably the most attractive and premium example of a Type 20-style watch ever made.

The new Type XX ref. 2067RK/Y9/9WU swaps out the stainless steel case of the other versions for one made of solid rose gold. It also uses a glossy ceramic insert for the bezel, marking not only the first time Breguet has used the material in a Type XX watch but also the first time the brand has used ceramic in any of its watches.

a breguet watch being assembled — The ceramic bezel on the new Type XX marks the first time Breguet has ever used the scratch-resistant material in its nearly 250-year history.

There are numerous changes to the dial, too. While the asymmetrical tri-compax layout and 4:30 date window are carried over from the steel Type XX, that model’s matte-back dial and painted indices have been upgraded by way of a blue sunburst dial and applied gold indices. The hands are also new and now appear as a syringe style.

All of these changes radically alter the look of the watch, giving it a far more modern and premium vibe. But believe it or not, Breguet actually grounded the most drastic of these changes — the gold case and ceramic bezel — in the history of the Type XX.

Back in 1955, Breguet released the ref. 1780, which was a solid gold version of the Type XX. Breguet made just three examples — two Type 20s and one sole Type XX — making it an exceedingly rare reference. The third generation of the Type XX, produced in the 1990s, also saw various precious metal versions in rose gold, yellow gold, white gold and platinum.

breguet watch — It’s not often you see a NATO strap with a solid gold buckle, but Breguet’s latest watch is all about doing the unexpected.

What’s more, the contrasting ceramic bezel is a nod to the contrasting black metal bezels that were a feature of some of the Type XX chronographs that Breguet produced in the 1970s that were available in numerous configurations, from timing bezels to tachymeters to dual-time trackers.

Pricing and Availability

I really like the look of this new Breguet chronograph. The midnight blue dial and polished ceramic bezel offer great contrast with the rose gold case, and the use of white rather than vintage-inspired lume really brings the whole package together to create a very modern-looking luxury watch.

While it may change up the design of the Type XX too much for purists, I think Breguet needs to take these types of risks to get people talking about the brand. Brand CEO Lionel a Marca has stated that this is just the first step in expanding the Type XX collection, with plans in the works for new versions of the tool watch in other sizes and materials.

blancpain watch — Blancpain’s Air Command in rose gold is the closest competition to the new Type XX I can think of.

Oddly enough, the watch’s closest competition — both in terms of looks and functionality — comes from sister brand Blancpain’s Air Command flyback chronograph in rose gold, which also features a sunburst blue dial and blue ceramic bezel. Both watches are spectacular, and buyers cross-shopping the two will probably go with whichever one speaks to them more. (The Breguet is busier and quirkier, the Blancpain more symmetrical and traditional-looking.)

If you are interested in the Breguet, it’s unsurprisingly going to cost you a good chunk of change. The SRP is $37,900, which includes two straps — a quick-release blue alligator leather strap and an additional striped NATO strap, both of which have rose gold pin buckles to match the case — and a special leather box fashioned to resemble an airplane wing.