English
Breguet continues the celebrations for its 250th anniversary – marking the founding of the brand by Abraham-Louis Breguet in 1775 – with the introduction of the new Type XX Chronographe 2075, available in two versions, both distinguished by their smaller diameter and hand-wound movement.
Unveiled in New York, this chronograph draws inspiration from a 1955 model. The launch follows previous commemorative releases in Paris, with the Classique Souscription 2025, and in Shanghai, with the Tradition Seconde Rétrograde 7035.
As well as honouring the founder of the brand, these new chronographs with flyback function pay tribute to Louis Breguet (1880–1955), his great-great-grandson and one of the early aviation pioneers, as well as to the aviator duo Dieudonné Costes (1892–1974) and Maurice Bellonte (1896–1984), the first people to fly from Paris to New York.
Some of the aircraft produced by Louis Breguet
Following the solo flight from New York to Paris by the American Charles Lindbergh (1902–1974) in 1927, there was much speculation about the possibility of flying the other way – from Paris to New York. When asked by the press about the likelihood of success of such a mission, Louis Breguet and the two aviators simply answered with a question mark.
For this reason, their specially adapted Breguet 19 TR Super Bidon – a name chosen because of its large fuel tank – was decorated with a large question mark on either side of its red fuselage.
However, despite their own and others’ doubts about the feasibility of such a journey, they succeeded in flying non-stop between the two metropolises in just over 37 hours, from the 1st to the 2nd of September 1930.
The two new timepieces are crafted in Breguet gold, an exclusive alloy with blond highlights, and feature either an aluminium dial anodised in black, or a solid silver dial.
They draw their inspiration from a civilian Type XX model in gold, presented in 1955 and bearing the individual serial number 1780.
According to the archives, this timepiece originally sported a satin-finished silver dial, which was later replaced by a black dial.
The Type XX, individually numbered 1780, from 1955
Today, Breguet is offering two reinterpretations: one with a black dial in aluminium, and the other – limited to 250 pieces – with a solid silver dial.
As a tribute to Louis Breguet, who pioneered the use of Duralumin (an alloy containing 95% aluminium) sheet metal for his aircraft, Breguet has crafted the dial of the Type XX 2075 from this aluminium alloy – a first for the brand. A discreet “Al” between 7 and 8 o’clock marks the material.
To recreate the black tone of the 1955 model, the dial undergoes advanced deep black anodisation, a corrosion-resistant treatment used in aerospace. The result: improved legibility and durability.
The other version of this new Type XX is also faithful to the historic no. 1780 timepiece – this time as it was originally produced, with a silver dial.
Crafted from solid silver with a vertical brushed finish, the dial has an understated, refined look. A discreet “Ag925” between 7 and 8 o’clock marks the material, while a tachymeter scale adds a functional touch.
Both dials feature the finely applied Breguet name in Breguet gold. On the silver version, the Arabic numerals and hour markers are also applied in Breguet gold.
With a diameter of 38.3 mm – matching the original 1955 model – and a thickness of 13.2 mm, the case is made entirely of Breguet gold. This exclusive alloy, combining gold with silver, copper and palladium, was first introduced with the Classique Souscription 2025.
The slim bi-directional rotating bezel features numerals in black on the black-dial version and in blue on the silver-dial version. The crown is engraved with the signature B of Breguet.
The calibres housed in these two models are variations of the high-performance 5 Hz (36,000 vibrations per hour) calibre 728 introduced by Breguet in 2023. They incorporate the flyback function, allowing the watch to be reset to zero and a new count instantly started by a single press of the pusher located at 4 o’clock.
These two new models feature, for the first time, manually wound versions of the Breguet calibre 728, which are gilded in Breguet gold.
The calibre 7279, for the black-dial version, has a 15-minute counter at 3 o’clock, while the calibre 7278, for the silver-dial version, has a 30-minute counter also at 3 o’clock. Both models have a small seconds display at 9 o’clock.
The transparent case back reveals an engraving entirely hand-crafted in the company’s workshops. It depicts the Breguet 19 aircraft in full flight, accompanied by the precise route taken in 1930. The frosted finishing of the European and North American landmasses contrasts with the smooth Atlantic Ocean.
Both new models feature an interchangeable leather strap – gradient black for the black-dial version and gradient blue for the silver-dial version. They are presented in a special edition red leather case inspired by Breguet’s Moroccan leather cases of the period.
The Breguet Type XX Chronographe with black dial, ref. 2075BH/99/398, has a recommended retail price of CHF 36,500 / €43,400, while the Type XX Chronographe with silver dial, ref. 2075BH/G9/398 – a limited edition of 250 individually numbered pieces – is priced at CHF 38,000 / €45,200. breguet.com
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