Long-Term Review: One Month With The Breguet Type XX Chronographe 2067 In Steel

One perk of being a writer in this industry is the opportunity to wear some nice and sometimes exquisite watches. They don’t always have to be expensive watches to make an impact. For example, I remember trying the new Swatch What If Break Free collection a few months ago. Despite it being so far from Haute Horlogerie, I still feel it’s quite special, and that’s what counts. But when I can wear a watch from a brand I have a soft spot for, like Breguet, it’s extra special. This time, it’s the Type XX Chronographe 2067 in stainless steel, a much-discussed watch when it came out in 2023.

Breguet Type XX

Breguet’s Type XX was and still is a watch I admire. I’ve been eyeballing the previous generation so often — reference 3800, to be precise — as it’s one of the great flyback chronographs from the mid-1990s that I saw in the catalogs and watch magazines I collected. It was available in two main versions — the Aéronavale and the Transatlantique (reference 3820). The latter had a date window and a brushed bezel, while the Aéronavale was date-less and had a polished bezel. A Lemania-based flyback chronograph movement powers both. In later years, Breguet introduced Type XXI and XXII models with different sizes and dial executions. I was only interested in the Type XX ref. 3800, which was in production from 1995 until 2018 (and 2020 for reference 3820). It was quite a long stint for the same model!

In 2023, during a huge event in Paris, Breguet unveiled the new Type XX and Type 20 models. These watches, based on Breguet’s heritage pieces, have lovely elements from the past but are also equipped with modern components.

Comments on the modern Type XX Chronographe 2067

The criticism about the date aperture, “Swiss Made” printing, and cut-off numerals did not go unnoticed. This year, Breguet introduced a new version in rose gold, which I reviewed, and after wearing it for a while, I was mild regarding the date aperture and cut-off numerals. Not only did some of you notice this lack of criticism, but I was also a bit surprised by my mildness. Didn’t it bother me as much as when I first saw it in 2023? It was time for a “check yo-self” moment, and I requested the steel Breguet Type XX for a more in-depth review. I thought, “Let me wear it for a month and see what comments (both positive and negative) still stand.” And that’s precisely what I did.

Now, about a month later, it’s time to pen down my conclusions about this Breguet Type XX Chronographe 2067. As you can see in the pictures, I requested the Type XX on a strap rather than on the steel bracelet. That combination is not for me.

Only Watch 2021

Let me start by saying that my first impression of the Type XX in 2023 wasn’t overly positive. I still believe the best modern Type XX watch is the one Breguet made for the Only Watch 2021 auction. That watch is (almost) to die for, and it sold for CHF 250,000. I can imagine the heat Breguet would get from the buyer upon resurrecting that Only Watch 2021 version, but it would be the best modern version thus far. At least Breguet could have come up with something slightly closer to that one than what we got in 2023. But the company didn’t, and the Chronographe 2067 is the only Type XX available today.

One month of wearing the Breguet Type XX Chronographe 2067

I have been wearing the Breguet Type XX Chronographe 2067 almost every day for a month. I only decided to wear something else on a few occasions, but I often switched back to the Type XX later on those days. This watch measures 42mm in diameter, the same as my beloved Omega Speedmaster Professional. Usually, I’m fine with that number, and I’m not part of the “diameter police” that is against everything over 39mm. I prefer to try things before I shoot them down based on a spec sheet. The Type XX’s thickness of 14.1mm is not an issue for me.

That said, the Breguet Type XX feels big and looks much larger than 42mm. That can also be because the bezel diameter is 42mm, whereas the Moonwatch’s bezel is 39.7mm. The Type XX even wears large on my 18cm wrists, which can handle big watches, including my Seamaster PloProf and 44mm Panerai models. It was never a reason to take off the watch or think it didn’t fit my wrist (I always also check how a watch looks on me in the mirror for another perspective). However, the watch is constantly noticeable and prominent on my wrist, which is not something I always enjoy. I have concluded that the Type XX is unsuitable as an everyday watch for me (like my Ploprof, for example). Thankfully, as I own more than one watch, this would not be a problem.

Not every watch has to be a daily wearer

This Breguet Type XX Chronographe 2067 is a watch I need to feel like wearing. I need to be in the mood to wear a larger watch. But the same applies to (very) small watches I own, even down to 32.5mm. This Breguet 2067 is not a watch that suits all occasions or moods, whereas I think the 39.5mm diameter of the earlier reference 3800 would be more suitable for daily use. Now that I’m on the topic, though, the 3800 is slightly thicker at 14.6mm.

However, this is nitpicking. I have enjoyed wearing the current Breguet Type XX. I wouldn’t have worn it for so long if I didn’t like it. There’s no point in that. Although Breguet threw in some NATO straps to use with the watch, I didn’t wear them because I’m not a NATO strap guy. They do look good, though.

What I prefer about the Type XX Chronographe 2067 over the 38xx series is the shape of the lugs and the large, polished facets on them. They hark back to the lugs of early Type XX references and look quite elegant.

The date window

My biggest concern upfront was not the size. Rather, it was the date aperture and the cut-off numerals due to the big-eye dial layout. The feedback on those was simply painful to see at times. I agree that the watch would have looked better without the date aperture, and I will always stand by that. It would also have saved the “5” numeral, now inelegantly cut off. While wearing this watch, it did not bother me for one second. I only thought it would’ve been nicer without a date when I took the watch off to study it closely. On the wrist, though, it was simply no issue to me. I’m too focused on watching the alpha hands when I check the time and only notice the date when I actively look for it.

Breguet Type XX ref. 2988 (ca. 1967) — Image: Phillips

I love that the Breguet Type XX Chronographe 2067 has several design elements reminiscent of vintage models, like the reference 2998 from the 1960s. There are the facets at the end of the lugs, the faux patina (yes, I like this), and the bidirectional bezel with engraved numerals using old typography with an open 6 and 9. In the end, the vintage looks are also what I loved so much about the Type XX for the Only Watch 2021 auction. Then, of course, as a chronograph guy, I like to play with the flyback function. This high-beat (5Hz) chronograph movement has a column wheel and consists of 350 parts. As written in the intro article in 2023, Breguet eliminated the jerk that chronographs tend to have upon activation. The chronograph will immediately start with no initial jump from the central seconds hand.

My thoughts on the Breguet Type XX Chronographe 2067

As I said, I have been wearing this watch nearly every day since I received it. And often, (watch) people ask me for my opinion on it — particularly the date window. As I explained, the date and “Swiss Made” printing didn’t bother me when wearing the watch. But I understand their concern as it also bothered me upon initial release and when looking at pictures of this watch on my 32” screen at work. There, it’s in your face, but on the wrist, it’s not. “The date is not the problem,” I reply. There are a couple of things I feel more strongly about.

I’ll start with the strap’s quick-release system. The strap has a pusher on the underside that releases it from the spring bar. This is a convenient and easy-to-use system. There is no need for tools if you use Breguet’s strap and bracelet options as the spring bar always stays in place. You only need to remove the spring bar when attaching a third-party strap. So far, so good.

However, when putting this watch in a pouch while traveling, I noticed one part of the strap came off. What happened? I quickly learned that when folding the strap under the case to put the watch in the pouch, the case back touches the quick-release button, detaching the strap from the spring bar. It happened a few times, but at least I know what caused it. A mechanism with a lever you must pull with your fingernail to detach the strap from the spring bar would be better. A third-party strap solves this issue, of course.

Bring da noise

Anyway, another thing that caused some frowning is the noise the Breguet Type XX makes. I am not talking about the soothing sound of 36,000vph frequency but about the rotor’s noise. Some movements are slightly noisier than others, but I didn’t expect the Breguet Type XX’s caliber 728 to be so “present.” Even when touching the watch, you feel some vibration. It is not unique, as it also occurs with other watches with self-winding movements. However, I did not expect the Breguet Type XX to be so noisy.

This might be due to the bearing system inside the watch. It’s also possible that only the Type XX I have here suffers from it. Either way, it’s worth mentioning here. For comparison, I also find the current Omega Seamaster 300M a bit too noisy, but the Breguet Type XX I have here made slightly more noise. I mainly wear hand-wound watches, but I realized that most automatic ones make some rotor noise, and when you tap the crystal, you feel some vibration. On the other hand, my Rolex watches (caliber 31xx) are silent, and so is my gold Omega Globemaster with caliber 8900.

But boy, does it look good!

Aside from the two points of criticism above, the Breguet Type XX is a watch that does look good. I don’t often wear a loaner for so long, not only because the loan period is usually less than a month but also because those watches are not my choice. After a few days of wearing a loaner, I return to watches from my collection. Notable exceptions were the white (Canopus) gold Speedmaster, the rose (Sedna) gold Globemaster, the TAG Heuer Glassbox “Golden Panda,” and, much longer ago, the Breguet Classique 5157. And now this Breguet Type XX is the only non-gold watch on that list.

Would I spend €20,800 on the Breguet Type XX Chronographe 2067? The answer is two-fold. This is a lot of money for me, so I must choose wisely if I spend so much on a watch, regardless of the brand or model. This means I also think about the watches I already have in my collection, how this one fits in, and what I am looking for. So, in this case, I would rather spend €20K on the Breguet Classique 5157, which has been on my list for a long time.

To answer the question with a different mindset, one in which I don’t have financial restraints and am looking for (yet) another chronograph, the Breguet Type XX 2067 would be on my list. If possible, I’d likely get the rose gold version, but this steel model is attractive, as the pictures show.

A quick fix for my interest in the Breguet Type XX would be getting a pre-owned reference 3800, but I prefer the case, dial, and bezel of the new Type XX Chronographe 2067. So I will revert to what I wrote above and hope Breguet will introduce more variations of the modern Type XX that are closer to the Only Watch 2021 edition with its 38.3mm case. Add the new movement and a black dial instead of a brown one, and it would break the internet.