Breguet Type XX Aéronavale Limited Edition - Ref. 3807

BREGUET TYPE XX AERONAVALE LIMITED EDITION
Steel | Electric blue dial

Origin

One of the oldest players on the watchmaking pitch, Breguet was established in 1755 in Paris. Few watchmakers can contest the horological history that founder Abraham-Louis Breguet has written. His mastery skills have left lasting marks in the world of haute horology and his craft continues to inspire today.

It was Breguet after all who has invented the tourbillon, self-winding pocket watches and who paved the way for the modern chronograph. Moreover, and most remarkably, the Parisian brand created the world’s first wristwatch, a bespoke order for the Queen of Naples back in 1810, years before the Italian Republic was created (this other epoch, embraced by Breguet, is honoured by the egg-shaped Reine de Naples series today). Royal clients stretched to the cradle’s court as well, with Marie Antoinette and Napoleon Bonaparte as early customers.

Today, heritage infused artisanry and complex engineering meet, often paying homage to Abraham-Louis Breguet inheritance. Yet, his legacy stretches beyond Breguet, with hints to the brand’s past extending towards other brands such as Daniel Roth, the gifted watchmaker who joined the Parisian brand in the seventies for over a decade and borrowed inspiration from it ever since.

The Breguet Type XX Aéronavale collection finds its roots in the pilot’s watch Breguet created for the French Naval Aviation (Breguet Type 20) as its name reveals and is coined the ultimate sports watch by insiders, nicknamed Flieger.

The Watch

This Breguet Type XX Aéronavale (limited to 2000 pieces) in steel is the quintessence of sportive chic. The Breguet 3807 reference enriched the market in 1994, making the 1998 model here at hand one of the rare early pieces. The automatic chronograph with flyback in steel case with bi-directional bezel features a pilot’s watch dial in an electric, cobalt blue tone (made for the Japanese market), that changes in intensity depending on how the light reflects on it. 

The tri-compax chronograph, measuring an elegant 39,5 mm, features a running second at 9 o’clock, a 30-minutes counter at 3 and a 12-hour counter at 6 o’clock, without date window, adding harmony to the dial. Attention to detail and legibility speak through the polished case and refined yet stirring dial, with contrasting Arabic numerals characteristic of vintage pilot’s chronographs.

Readability is further enhanced by its oversized hands – such as the vintage-styled Feuille de Sauge hand on the 30-minutes register – and non-contrasting sub-dials.

At 6 o’clock the Type XX-dial is signed T-SWISS-T, referring to the vintage tritium indexes above the numerals – a rare and radioactive isotope of hydrogen, being used in the past as the energy source in radioluminescent lights for wrist watches, before it was replaced by luminova and later on super luminova.

The exhibition case back is engraved with the brand’s name, the name of the model and the reference number and gives a delightful glimpse on the watch mechanics and its fine finishing.

The Movement

The Breguet Type XX Aéronavale 3807 is powered by the automatic 582 movement based on the Lemania 1350 caliber (which in its turn is an evolution of the Lemania 1340 that can be found in vintage Omega chronographs amongst others). It has been specially crafted for the Breguet Type XX models, featuring an integrated chronograph with flyback complication, allowing precise measurement of time intervals in an efficient way, instantly restarting the chronograph with an accuracy within one fifth of a second. 

The self-winding movement is exquisitely finished with 25 jewels, Côtes de Genève finishing on the rhodium-plated bridges and the rotor, that bears the Breguet logo written in gold. It features a 48-hour power reserve, a 28,800 A/h oscillating, monometallic balance wheel with self-compensating flat balance spring, adjusted in 5 positions and straight-line lever escapement.

Condition

This limited edition Breguet Type XX Aéronavale timepiece is in as-new condition and has perfect mechanical functioning. It comes with a Breguet service pouch and service papers from 2019. Both the leather strap and the original polished steel bracelet are included.

If you desire to take a closer look at this precious timepiece, don't hesitate to contact us and make an appointment. 

Reference	3807
Movement	Automatic
Caliber	Calibre 582
Dial	Blue  electric, cobalt blue
Size (Case)	39,5 mm
Material (Case)	Steel
Bracelet	Leather and original steel bracelet
Glass	Sapphire
Condition	Very good
Year	1998
Papers	Service papers
Box	-
Warranty	2 years