Up Close and Personal with the 38mm Breguet Type XX Chronograph 2075

If you’re a returning reader of MONOCHROME or have been watching our video reviews on YouTube, you probably know that we tend to remain fairly neutral. Why? Because we believe you are wise enough to make your own judgement… But today, I’ll be a little biased, to say the least. After all, all the team members are watch enthusiasts. We love watches in general, but as you can imagine, each of us has our own preferences. Today, we’ll be taking a closer look at the new 38mm Breguet Type XX Chronograph 2075 for the 250th Anniversary. 

For me, the Breguet Type 20 or Type XX, and all other watches based on the Type 20 set of specifications, are amongst my all-time favourites. I have a very personal connection with this watch, not only because I’m French. Yes, there’s a bit of national pride here… I’m French after all, what do you expect? The real reason sits on my wrist as I write this article, and it’s my personal watch: a 1990s Type XX reference 3800, which is a family heirloom that I cherish. I’ve also spent a lot of time studying the history of the Type 20 and had long talks with Emmanuel Breguet, one of the descendants of Abraham-Louis Breguet, about this collection. So yes, sorry, but this review is going to be more enthusiastic than normal. Why, because the latest releases of Breguet in its pilot collection are simply stunning… But also promising for what to expect in the future.

I’m not going to review the entire history of the Type 20 here. So, here’s a short reminder: the Type 20 isn’t exclusive to Breguet. It was actually the code name for a set of specifications defined by the French Air Force. They wanted to equip their pilots with a black dial chronograph featuring a retour en vol (flyback) function and a rotating bezel. Several companies competed and won contracts, which meant that several brands would produce Type XX and Type 20 watches – Dodane, Auricoste, Mathey-Tissot, Airain, Vixa and, of course, Breguet. For the latter, the prototypes submitted by the company in 1952 were approved by the Service Technique Aéronautique in 1953. In 1954, the French Air Force placed an order for 1,100 military Type 20 watches, which were delivered between 1955 and 1959.

Let’s now look at the modern history of the Breguet Type XX. The classic 3800 was discontinued in the late 2010s, and the replacement came in 2023. High-tech, 42mm watches with a new in-house automatic movement. It was launched in two versions: a military-inspired Type 20 with a bi-compax dial and fluted bezel, and a civilian-inspired Type XX with a tri-compax dial and a graduated bezel. And yes, these were probably not exactly what hardcore enthusiasts like me were expecting. The date window on the dial felt unnecessary, the 42mm diameter was too large, and the movement almost too technical. Basically, what collectors were anticipating was a commercial version of the unique pieces made for Only Watch 2019 and 2021… Pure vintage reeditions, with a compact case and a hand-wound movement, as you can see below.

But we’re now in 2025, and two important things have to be considered. First, Breguet has a new CEO, Gregory Kissling, who has a deep understanding of watchmaking but also of what collectors would like to have on their wrists. Second, it’s the 250th anniversary of the brand. And, as part of a wide collection that will be released throughout the year, we have these two new Type XX models. And they look stunning, especially the black dial version!

First of all, yes, these are gold watches. Breguet gold watches, to be precise, with the brand’s proprietary alloy, which will be on all watches for the 250th anniversary. In this regard, they pay tribute to extremely rare prototypes made in 1955 with a gold case.

For this year’s celebrations, Breguet releases not one but two watches: one as a tribute to the past, the other as a more unconventional take on the concept, featuring a surprising dial. And what matters is that the original concept of the fourth-generation of Type XX, released in 2023, has been heavily reworked! Why? Because we’re looking at two drastically reduced, slimmed-down, streamlined watches with historical proportions and a hand-wound movement… Exactly what I wanted to see from day one.

Let’s start with the case, shared by both editions, which retains the classic look of 1950s civilian Type XX watches, with a bidirectional bezel with a 12-hour scale and short twisted lugs. The connection with the past goes stronger in proportion, as the two new models now measure only 38.3mm in diameter, the same as the old watches and the two unique pieces for Only Watch. The thickness, thanks to a hand-wound movement, has also been reduced to 13.2mm (vs. 14.1mm for the automatic 42mm models), despite a thick box-shaped sapphire crystal on top. That’s the same thickness as a Speedmaster Moonwatch, and it actually looks even thinner on the wrist! Compact, retro-styled, comfortable, short… Fantastic to wear. In short, the case we’ve been waiting for the fourth-generation Type XX.

The case is made of 18k Breguet gold – a combination of gold with silver, copper and palladium. It is satin-finished with polished accents, features a screwed caseback with sapphire crystal, a flat crown and is water-resistant to 50m. The only difference between the two editions, regarding the case, is the numerals on the bezel: black on the non-limited black edition and blue on the limited silver model.

Let’s talk about what differs most between the two editions. First of all, both eliminate the date window on the dial. The most talked-about version, and the one that I find the most appealing, is the black edition. Why? Because it’s the classic look of a Type XX… It’s predictable, but it looks exactly like it should. The base of the dial is made of anodised aluminium. It’s pure black, but with the gold case, it almost feels dark brown. For this edition, Breguet has chosen a two-register layout with the emblematic big eye counter at 3 o’clock. And it’s as classic as it can be. The hands, also in gold, are syringe-shaped, and the smaller minute hand is pear-shaped and luminous. The minute counter is a 15-minute one, featuring large luminous markers every 3 minutes. Yes, it’s a bit weird, but that’s part of the charm of the Type XX. And you’ll find classic luminous numerals all around, in beige. It’s super clean, and only the applied Breguet logo is there to remind you of the watch’s origin.

The second model is a bit more surprising, as it’s not based on any historical version. Limited to 250 pieces, the dial is crafted from solid silver with a brushed silver finish and an unprecedented layout for the pilot’s chronograph. We have applied baton markers, equal-size sub-counters and the dial is framed by a tachymeter scale. Also the hands are different. It has a 30-minute counter, the central seconds hand is blued to match the transfers on the dial, and there’s a retour en vol mention. This is certainly a very good-looking watch, and I’m sure some will love it. But I’m a bit of a snob, and I really prefer the original look of the black model.

Now, if you turn the watch over, you’ll see a new movement. Or to be precise, a reworked version of the automatic movement found in the larger models. Except that it’s now hand-wound and thinner. The black edition comes with Calibre 7279, and the silver model features Calibre 7278 (the difference being the 15-minute vs. 30-minute counter). It’s a fine modern movement, with a high-beat 5hz frequency, and a silicon hairspring and escape wheel. The chronograph is controlled by a column wheel and a vertical clutch, and the power reserve is rated at 60 hours.

For the occasion of the celebrations, the movements are gilded in Breguet gold, and the main plate has been hand-engraved with a Breguet aircraft in full flight. A tribute to the other side of the Breguet family. Both versions of the Breguet Type XX Chronograph 2075 are worn on a leather strap with a Breguet gold pin buckle. And yes, they come at a price. The black one is priced at EUR 42,800 and the silver one at EUR 44,600. That’s more than double the price of the 42mm steel models.

Thoughts

But let me end this article with a suggestion for Breguet… There’s absolutely no doubt that the black model is a winner. It looks fantastic and wears beautifully, it’s compact, quite thin, and it feels like the modern Type XX I’ve been waiting for years. And the silver edition is also very appealing. So, please Breguet, please Mr Kissling, make a non-precious metal version, with a less decorated movement inside, maybe even a closed caseback, at a more reasonable price. That will be a commercial success! And that will make me a very happy man, too.

Now, for a final note, Gregory Kissling said these two things on the record. First, he said that the collection will evolve in terms of diameters, finishes and materials. Second, when asked about a potential version in a more affordable material, his answer was “stay tuned!” All I can say is that I am very tuned indeed. For more details, please visit breguet.com.