Hands-On With The Rose Gold Breguet Type XX Chronographe 2067
We visited Geneva Watch Days a few weeks ago, and Breguet was one of the brands exhibiting that week. In its beautiful boutique on the famous Rue du Rhône, Breguet showed us not only the new Type XX with steel bracelets but also (under strict embargo) this new gold Type XX Chronographe 2067. And now have one at Fratello HQ for a hands-on review.
The fourth-generation Type XX in rose gold
A little over a year ago, at an event in Paris, Breguet introduced the new Type XX and Type 20 models. Combined with a visit to the National Air and Space Museum of France at the Bourget airport, we saw Breguet’s new direction for this iconic chronograph. It’s the fourth generation of the Breguet Type XX and Type 20, and the third release is the 18K rose gold Type XX Chronographe 2067.
For those who don’t know what the Type XX is all about, here is a summary of this pilot’s watch. Seventy years ago, the French Air Force needed a chronograph wristwatch for its pilots. A watch was an important piece of equipment for calculating remaining fuel and flight time, doing specific maneuvers, and so on. These intense mid-air operations required an accurate watch with a chronograph complication.
Military and civilian versions of the Breguet pilot’s watch
The French Air Force created a set of requirements for such a watch and called it “Type 20.” The specifications included a black dial with luminescent numerals, luminescent hands, a rotating bezel, and a flyback function. Furthermore, the watch needed to withstand the changes in acceleration of the planes and, of course, deal with pressure differences.
The watch brands with military contracts to produce these pilot’s watches were also allowed to make them for the consumer market. For Breguet, these watches got the “Type XX” designation, while the Air Force models kept the “20” in Arabic numerals.
The Breguet Type XX Chronographe 2067 on the wrist
Today, we are looking at this new Breguet Type XX Chronographe 2067 made of 18K rose gold. It’s a super-luxurious version of what once was a tool watch for French Air Force pilots.
This is not the first time Breguet has introduced a gold Type XX. The line’s previous generations also included gold editions. In fact, the gold Type XX ref. 1780 came out back in 1955. In total, Breguet only produced three Type 20/Type XX watches in gold back then, and ref. 1780 is currently in the Breguet Museum in Paris.
Breguet Type XX ref. 1780 from 1955 — Image: Breguet
A new watch inspired by the vintage Type XX ref. 1780
If you look closely at the image of the Type XX ref. 1780, you will notice the blue enamel-filled numerals on the bezel. We also see blue on this new Breguet Type XX Chronographe 2067. The 18K rose gold bezel has a blue ceramic inlay with gold numerals. This marks the first time Breguet has used a ceramic bezel insert, which means we may see future models employing different colors.
The sunburst dial and its three concentrically engraved registers are also blue, whereas the Breguet logo, hour markers, and hands are rose gold. I find rose gold and blue to be a very chic combination. The watch is delivered on a matching blue alligator leather strap and comes with an additional blue NATO strap with white edges. Each strap includes an 18K rose gold pin buckle.
I have been wearing the watch on the leather and the NATO strap, the latter of which is very comfortable on the wrist. Because it’s new, the leather strap is still somewhat stiff, but I am sure it will break in at some point. The NATO strap follows the shape of the wrist from the moment you put it on, and with its 18K gold hardware, it certainly works with this Type XX in precious metal.
The NATO strap is of very high quality, as you may expect of a Haute Horlogerie brand. I can’t recall trying a NATO strap with gold hardware before, but it looks good and adds a touch of luxury to a “purposefully” designed accessory.
No tools required
Breguet uses an interchangeable strap system to make it easy to swap straps without using tools. In this case, the pins will still be between the lugs. The NATO strap can be added and removed without any “tricks,” and the leather strap easily clicks onto the pins via the pushers beneath the lugs. With this system, there’s no chance of scratching the inside of the (gold) lugs with the pins.
At 42mm wide and 14.1mm thick, the Breguet Type XX is a large watch, but it is very comfortable on my 18.5cm wrist. The gold bezel is slightly wider than the case, so it does appear a bit larger than its official specifications indicate. As I wrote, though, it works for me on my wrist.
A high-beat movement
Inside the gold Type XX is Breguet’s caliber 728, a high-beat self-winding movement with a 36,000vph (or 5Hz) frequency. This caliber is identical to the one in the steel Type XX from 2023.
Years of development
The development of this movement started in 2019. This caliber has a column wheel, and it is antimagnetic thanks to several silicon parts (the hairspring, escape wheel, and pallet-lever horns).
Movement decoration
As you can see, the movement’s finishing is impeccable, and the decoration consists of a sunburst motif, snailing, chamfering, and perlage. The rotor, or oscillating weight, is made of gold and has been blackened. If you look closely, you will see that the rotor is shaped like an aircraft wing.
It’s not a recreation of the Type XX ref. 1780
In the mid-1990s, Breguet created re-editions of the Type XX in precious metals, and after introducing the revamped Type XX in steel last year, it was time for another heavyweight champion. Breguet did an incredible job creating an even more luxurious version of the iconic chronograph that once found its way to the French Air Force. This time, the brand selected design elements of the original 1955 ref. 1780 even more carefully than with those 1990s models. This watch is not a recreation, nor was it meant to be.
A new direction for Breguet?
Last year’s introduction was the start of a new generation of Type XX and Type 20 models, and we’ve been informed that we can expect different sizes and materials in the future. As a fan of Breguet, I can’t wait to see what the brand has up its sleeve. Gregory Kissling will take over as the brand’s new CEO as of October 1st. Knowing that he has worked for Omega since 2004 and previously at Cartier for its Collection Privée, I think we will be in for a treat.
Some final thoughts
This new rose gold Breguet Type XX Chronographe 2067 was a joy to have on the wrist, and I can imagine how it will find its way to the tanned wrists of the Côte d’Azur or Orange County. In all honesty, though, it also performed well in rainy The Hague in the Netherlands during our week of “ownership.”
This is a watch for those who appreciate Breguet’s craftmanship but, at the same time, are also capable of enjoying sheer luxury on the wrist. I hope that Breguet will add some more variations to this collection in the years to come, including smaller diameters and yellow gold (a material that Breguet stopped using a while ago).
The price of this gold Breguet Type XX Chronographe 2067 is CHF 35,000 (including VAT). You can find all the specifications below this article and more information soon via Breguet’s website.
Let us know what you think of this new Breguet Type XX in the comments below.
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