When the reborn Armée de l'Air, the French Air Force, adopted a wrist chronograph for its pilots in the 1950s, no one could have imagined that 70 years later that watch would still be making waves. Instead, the Breguet Type XX has become an object of desire, while its evolutions are more contemporary than ever. The new Type XXI 3815, in a limited edition of 250 pieces in each of the two colours now available, retains all the charm of the original. is probably the sportiest model currently in the catalogue and the addition of colour makes it even bolder, without affecting its undeniably elegant character.
The 42 mm titanium case has the typical Type XX and XXI family case middle with vertical grooves. The bidirectional bezel is lacquered black with a green or orange pointer. Sapphire crystal, screw-down crown and water resistance to a pressure of 10 atmospheres complete the equipment. The introduction of colour for the hour-markers and hands is the real novelty that distinguishes these versions: a green reminiscent of the radioactive tritium used until the 1980s, and a fairly intense orange that, in any case, does not appear too conspicuous compared to the balance of the whole.
Inside beats the automatic calibre 584Q/A, with an antimagnetic silicon balance spring and flyback function. The company offers a dark brown calfskin strap for the orange version and beige for the green one. In both cases, the two stitches just below the lugs echo the colour of the hour markers and the clasp is folding.
It is a sporty and robust watch, but the Breguet allure remains the main element. The proportions, the font of the hour-markers and the unmistakable cannelé caseband give it the same grandeur models of the Tradition or Classique collections and make it suitable, despite the novelty of the colours, also for wearing with formal attire (but not too much, given the 15.2 mm thickness).
