Larry Seiden
397
Mini-Review: Breguet Type XXI Flyback Chronograph (modem burner!)
Mini-Review: Breguet Type XXI Flyback Chronograph
Breguet is well-known and well-respected for their nearly twin pilot chronographs ? The A?ronavale and Transatlantique Type XX. And now, surprisingly enough they have new 43mm flyback chrono with sweep center seconds and a center pinion-mounted elapsed minute counter.
Like the dressier side of the house, the quality of this sports chrono wears like a custom suit.
The Finer Points:
? Finely cut bi-directional bezel
? 5-level dial
? Faceted hour markers and arabics
? 
? Lemania pedigree celebrates recent marriage into the House of Hayak
? Screw-down with man sized knurls
? 24-hr day night indicator with unusual graphic treatment
? 7 hands on the dial? all different
? Understated and airy bracelet
? Engraved solid back hides gorgeous rhodinated plates and bridges (and I?m guessing??filler ring)
? Fluted case sides
? Domed sapphire crystal seamless against thin bezel
? Finely crafted large bracelet with solid end links
? Combination of green luminova on dial and blue on hands
? Engine turned 24-hour counter with progressively shrinking horizontal cuts to orient you to day/night, assuming you are locked in your office cubicle with no access to a window.
? When the seconds hand and elapsed time hand are reset to zero the diamonds on their short side perfectly line up
Not-so Fine Points:
? Dial?s unique color is difficult to capture by hack internet photographers
? Dial color intensity is missing. It is described as rhodium-plated black, however, in the pictures it looks brown and in most light like a charcoal gray. Both are cool, though
? Single deployant with limited adjustment for those short of wrist
?Retour en vol ?c?mon back? ? well, sorta. Actually translates as ?return in flight.?
Let?s say this watch has captured my attention. A large, sporty watch, with more panache than a Panerai and a lot of style and touches that watch lovers will enjoy.
I need to talk about the dial ? I count five layers to the main dial and if you count the date window, you could argue there?s six. It features polished and faceted markers precisely cut into outer minute ring, 9 and 3 are lumed. Can you ask for more than almost full arabics, plus markers and 3 different sized subdials? Two subdials have rhodium rings and no two subdials dials are cut to the same depth. Top that off with the beautiful Breguet logo featuring a script B that would get you and ?the outstanding student award? in penmanship.
The movement?
Well my research tells me the movement is cal 584Q (possibly a 582Q which is 13 3/4 lignes, beats at 28,800 b/h
A beautiful and large wood and leather box
Also available on strap: (Sean Li took this great photo)
If you?d like to read more about the history of Breguet?s Type XX (or 20) pilot?s watches, click here to read Stephen Sugiyama?s excellent essay:
Click Here!
Larry
September, 2005