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Lot Essay
According to the Archives of Montres Breguet, the present Type 20 Military Wristwatch was delivered to the Ministère de l'Air on 1 June 1956. It is part of a series made with unsigned dials.
The present Type 20 is a lesser known variant, featuring an appealing and rather unusual black lacquer dial as opposed to the matte version. It renders the watch a different look and, in harmony with its overall good condition, make it a wonderful collectors' piece but also perfect for daily wear.
Breguet's Type 20 is the most renowned and most desirable amongst the family of French military chronographs. As of 1954, the French government commissioned Breguet with the supply of the Type 20 to the Air Force, the Naval Aviation Forces and the CEV. The standard model for the French Air Force was fitted with an unsigned dial.
Chronograph wristwatches supplied to the French armed forces during the 1950s and 1960s were originally designated "Type 20". One of the requirements of the French Defence Ministry was the "retour en vol" or "flyback" function, allowing to instantly stop, reset and restart the chronograph function with a single press of the lower button. The other basic mechanical specifications for the Type 20 included accuracy within 8 seconds per day, a power reserve of at least 35 hours and the aptitude to handle the start-stop-reset operation 300 times without any problems.
These chronographs were mainly destined for pilots and flying personnel of the French Air Force, French Navy and the CEV, Centre D'Essai en Vol, the French flight test centre, and overhauled every year. After each servicing, the backs of the cases were marked with the letters "FG" for "Fin de Garantie" or "end of guarantee" followed by the date for the next maintenance. Number 5101/54 refers to the order number and year of the contract.
For an illustration and short description of a Type 20 chronograph with unsigned dial see British Military Timepieces by Konrad Knirim, p. 765.
The present Type 20 is a lesser known variant, featuring an appealing and rather unusual black lacquer dial as opposed to the matte version. It renders the watch a different look and, in harmony with its overall good condition, make it a wonderful collectors' piece but also perfect for daily wear.
Breguet's Type 20 is the most renowned and most desirable amongst the family of French military chronographs. As of 1954, the French government commissioned Breguet with the supply of the Type 20 to the Air Force, the Naval Aviation Forces and the CEV. The standard model for the French Air Force was fitted with an unsigned dial.
Chronograph wristwatches supplied to the French armed forces during the 1950s and 1960s were originally designated "Type 20". One of the requirements of the French Defence Ministry was the "retour en vol" or "flyback" function, allowing to instantly stop, reset and restart the chronograph function with a single press of the lower button. The other basic mechanical specifications for the Type 20 included accuracy within 8 seconds per day, a power reserve of at least 35 hours and the aptitude to handle the start-stop-reset operation 300 times without any problems.
These chronographs were mainly destined for pilots and flying personnel of the French Air Force, French Navy and the CEV, Centre D'Essai en Vol, the French flight test centre, and overhauled every year. After each servicing, the backs of the cases were marked with the letters "FG" for "Fin de Garantie" or "end of guarantee" followed by the date for the next maintenance. Number 5101/54 refers to the order number and year of the contract.
For an illustration and short description of a Type 20 chronograph with unsigned dial see British Military Timepieces by Konrad Knirim, p. 765.