Spotlight: Breguet Type XX 2067 and Type 20 2057

The first time I saw a Breguet pilot watch was at Baselworld in 2018, my first year and coincidentally the last year that the Swatch Group brands were present, before the show itself ultimately became no more. I stood there looking at them for quite a while – the aesthetic of a pilot watch has always appealed to me, and as I was starting to learn more about watches Breguet was a brand that appealed thanks to the early story of the brand and its illustrious founder, Abraham-Louis Breguet.

Soon after, I visited the Breguet boutique on New Bond Street in London to get a closer, hands-on look at some of the Type XX / XXI / XXII watches in store. At this point in my own journey, a clear caseback was an important feature for me (and who can blame me when you look at the finishing of the movement below?!), which limited my options somewhat. I understood why in keeping with the original designs that this was the case, nonetheless I wanted to be able to see the movement.

Luckily for me, one of the watches had a sapphire caseback. The 3817 reference was a watch that I deliberated over for a very long time, probably the best part of a year or so. Ultimately, I decided against it as I concluded that the oversize painted numerals weren’t for me. And even more luckily for me, a year or two later it transpired a new friend of mine had one, so I was still able to enjoy it fairly frequently!

Whilst I hadn’t found the right one for me yet, I was sure that Breguet would deliver at some stage, and it would just be a waiting game.

As my penchant for a sapphire caseback somewhat cooled, I started looking more seriously at the 3810 references in either steel or titanium, both of which are brilliant watches. And then, for OnlyWatch 2019, Breguet contributed an utterly spectacular piece unique version of the Type 20 (the military version of the watch is referred to as “Type 20” whereas the civilian version is referred to as “Type XX”).

To my eye this was what I had been waiting for – the design of this watch immediately leapfrogged the 3810 references in my estimations. I went along to the OnlyWatch tour at Christie’s in London that year and was even able to try it on. I loved it. For the auction itself, this piece was estimated at CHF 35,000 – 50,000, however it’s hammer price was an incredible CHF 210,000.

Clearly, I was not alone in my love for this watch!

For the following OnlyWatch in 2021, Breguet this time contributed a piece unique Type XX with the most notable and visible differences being the crown (no longer the pear-shaped crown of the previous watch), the bezel (which was now adorned with hour markers as opposed to a coin-edge bezel), and the inclusion of a ‘big-eye’ subdial at 3 o’clock. It was equally as beautiful. Again its estimate was to fetch between CHF 35,000 – 50,000 but this time it hammered for even more, at CHF 250,000.

So, when towards the end of 2022 I learned there was a forthcoming release from Breguet in 2023 which was, as I was told at the time, “a pilot watch very much akin to the OnlyWatch releases of 2019 and 2021, including a sapphire caseback”, I was, as you might imagine, quite excited.

Having eagerly anticipated the launch for about 8 months, cue the release of the Breguet Type XX 2067 and Type 20 2057…

Breguet Type XX 2067 and Type 20 2057

I will openly admit, the first time I saw these watches on the launch day, I was disappointed. I guess in part because both releases weren’t what I’d been expecting based on what I had been told was coming, and based on what I had waited 8 months for, but mainly because I know that Breguet have it in their repertoire to do what I – and clearly many other people – are waiting for!

The reaction from the watch world was both emotive and loud, with some enthusiasts ardently opposing the inclusion of a date window at the 4:30 position, as well as the decision to seemingly underline the offending aperture with “Swiss Made”. Others didn’t seem to mind it so much.

Comments sections a-plenty were a hive of activity and debate, mostly focusing on the date window but some also on the retail price of £16,400.

To my eye, the inclusion of a date window at 4:30 is always a strange one. I appreciate that in this position it is easier to not obfuscate any numerals or indices, and it is a little more out of the way, but I think it is a challenge to make it work aesthetically. Both references include a ‘big-eye’ subdial at 3 o’clock which itself cuts into both the 2 and the 4, plus the 4:30 date window which cuts into the top of the 5, and in turn is then underlined with “Swiss Made”… it just looked just plain out of balance. And even more so on the Type XX 2067, which has the additional subdial at 6 o’clock with the 6 numeral omitted as well.

So, given the emotive response, how exactly do these watches differ from the much-loved originals?

Well, the first generation of Breguet Type 20 watches from the 1950s compared with the new Type 20 2057 had the same 2 subdial layout, a similar coin-edge bezel, pear-shaped crown, “syringe” hands and style of chronograph pusher. However, the original was unsigned (not marked with Breguet on the dial), 38.5mm in size (compared to the 42mm diameter and 14.1mm thickness of the new references), contained a manually wound Valjoux movement (compared to Breguet’s new automatic calibre 7281), the 2 subdials were of equal size (as opposed to the ‘big-eye’ subdial included at 3 o’clock on the reference 2057), and no date complication.

A slightly later version commissioned by the French Aéronavale (the aviation branch of the French Navy) included a 15 minute counter on a ‘big-eye’ sudial at 3 o’clock, and was signed ‘Breguet’ on the dial.

The civilian versions from the same era had the same 3 subdial layout with a ‘big-eye’ subdial at 3 o’clock, a similar bezel adorned with hour markers, a similar straighter/flatter crown and style of chronograph pusher. However, the syringe hands of the original have been replaced with a more pointed sword shaped hand (albeit they have retained the rounded hand on the ‘big-eye’ subdial), and the new Type XX reference 2067 is again larger, with Breguet’s new automatic calibre 728, and the date complication added.

A quick look across some of the modern Breguet Type XX watches from the 1990s and onwards, and we can see that that whilst date windows have been included previously (such as the 3817 shown earlier), the date window is situated at the ‘less offensive’ 6 o’clock as opposed to 4:30.

There are some other differences on the cases too, notably the side of the case of both the new Type 20 2067 and Type XX 2057 models doesn’t have the same fluting finish on the caseband that the other modern Type XX watches have, and the lugs have also changed their design to become a little less elegant. Whilst it’s a shame to see these features disappear, these at least to me are comparative footnotes.

Regards the price, at £16,400 there were many people commenting that it was too steep. It certainly represents a jump from the most recent 3810 and 3817 references (which retailed at around the £13,000 ballpark prior to being discontinued), however how does it compare to other available options in the market?

The closest thing I can think of is Blancpain’s Air Command, another flyback chronograph pilot watch that retails currently for £17,700, but is slightly thinner and in titanium as opposed to steel, which would put the Breguet probably in the right ballpark.

Chopard’s Alpine Eagle XL is a flyback chronograph also in stainless steel but on a bracelet, and that retails currently for £18,700. There is a Big Pilot from Zenith, with an El Primero flyback chronograph, available in steel on rubber strap which retails currently for £10,100. Panerai also offers a Luminor Regatta Chronograph Flyback, a limited edition in titanium case and on a leather strap, which retails currently for £15,700.

All things considered, yes £16,400 is a lot of money, and yes it is a step up from what has been available from Breguet previously, however within the grand scheme of the watch market, it doesn’t appear to be unreasonable compared to the rest of the market. Especially when you then factor in that calibres 728 and 7281 are a newly developed movement. For me, I would much prefer one complication fewer and a slightly smaller price tag accordingly.

But what are these watches like in person and on the wrist to wear?

Well, for one thing I didn’t find the date windows as offensive in person as I thought I would do. Do I like the date window? Well, no, but they certainly aren’t as much of an eyesore as I had imagined they would prove.

Furthermore, I was surprised to find that in person I actually really liked the green colour used on the Type 20 2057 reference (below), which was far and away my favourite of the pair (perhaps somewhat unsurprising given it is the closest of the two to the OnlyWatch examples).

I think the less busy 2 subdial display, coin-edge bezel and syringe hands afforded a much greater aesthetic balance than the 3 subdials of the Type XX 2067 with sword shaped hours and minutes hands and contrasting rounded shape hand on the ‘big-eye’ subdial.

On the wrist, they are pretty big – both are 42mm in size and 14.1mm thick. I found them to wear quite comfortably although they of course aren’t without a significant wrist presence. I preferred the NATO strap of the Type 20 2057 over the leather which I found to be more comfortable, perhaps as it is more flexible than its leather strap counterpart.

A common complaint amongst enthusiasts on the release was the size, and I can understand why, but playing devil’s advocate, pilots’ watches are generally supposed to be a little oversized so I don’t mind it so much. Personally, I don’t think I would have an issue with the size over time, but given the choice I would probably prefer something around 40mm or so.

In Summary

After waiting 8 months for a launch of a watch that ticked my boxes, when the eventual release day came, I suppose I was always destined to be somewhat disappointed as my pre-conceived expectations weren’t going to be met. Unless of course it was better (in my eye) than I had expected, however this was not to be the case.

Having tried the watches on, and seen them a handful of times in person, do I think the release-day vitriol was fair? Perhaps not, however if the inclusion of a date complication is what Breguet’s market research said that clients want, then objectively you can understand why they included it. However, I can’t help but feel that a slightly smaller version without a date, more closely aligned with the OnlyWatch releases of 2019 and 2021 would be more lauded.

The good news is that these references mark the start of something much bigger for the Type 20/XX watches from Breguet, and I for one am glad for this. And after all, when Mark Kauzlarich of Hodinkee asked Breguet CEO Lionel a Marca what the smallest case size this new movement would fit into is, his answer? “Forty”. So whilst my wait for the perfect Breguet pilot watch continues, it appears we’re certainly getting closer and I am more than happy to wait.

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