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Type XX Transatlantique Type XX Transatlantique Type XX Transatlantique Type XX Transatlantique Type XX Transatlantique Type XX Transatlantique Type XX Transatlantique Type XX Transatlantique Type XX Transatlantique
lot 09

Breguet

Type XX Transatlantique

Estimate CHF 5 000 / CHF 7 000
Starting bid CHF 5 000
Hammer price CHF 12 000
Total bids 30
Buyer’s premium will not be charged

Specification

CaseWhite gold case 750/1000 with rotating bezel
StrapDark blue Alligator leather strap with original white gold folding clasp
DialDark blue dial with Arabic numerals, 60 seconds-, 30 minutes- and 12 hours counter, small second at 9 o'clock, date at 6 o'clock
MovementRhodium-plated automatic movement with chronograph function
Cal.582
Ref.3820
Movement No.17033
Case No.43009
D=39.5 mm

Condition report

Case:Good, signs of wear, caseback slightly polished
Strap:Very good, small signs of wear
Dial:Very good, mint condition
Movement:Very good, working properly
Amplitude (Dial on top/Lift angle 52):Approx 290 degrees
Accuracy (Dial on top):Approx + 5 sec/day

Details

A rare, distinctive and attractive white gold chronograph wristwatch of the famous Swiss watch brand Breguet, founded in 1775. Estimated production period: circa 2000–2012. Case in 18k white gold, diameter 39mm, 14.4mm thick, matt blue dial with white printed luminous Arabic numerals, peripheral minute track, sunken sub-dials, luminous hands, screw down solid-gold caseback with engraved name of the watch, reference and case numbers. Self-winding 582Q caliber, power reserve up to 48 hours. Functions – indication of time in hours and minutes, small seconds hand at 9 o’clock, chronograph with central seconds counter, 12-hour counter at 6 o’clock, reasonably large 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock (so-called big-eye), date in an aperture at 6 o’clock. Dark blue Breguet leather strap, Breguet 18k white gold double folding clasp.

Lot essay

The Type XX Aéronavale Ref. 3800 self-winding flyback chronograph in stainless steel, the first model of the future Type XX collection of luxury vintage-styled watches, was introduced by Breguet in 1995 as a civilian re-issue of the original military Type 20 chronograph wristwatch produced by the brand for the French naval air force pilots since 1954. Both the historic Type 20 prototypes and the modern Type XX chronographs have a rare flyback function that allows the chronograph to be instantly restarted with a single push of the reset button.

In 1998, Breguet showed a modification of the Type XX Ref. 3820PT Transatlantique with an added date aperture at 6 o’clock. In 1999, the Type XX Transatlantique Ref. 3820TI/K2/TW9 in titanium appeared, while the Breguet Type XX Transatlantique was offered in a variety of materials, ranging from various shades of 18k gold to stainless steel.

The self-winding 582Q chronograph caliber used in Ref. 3820 was based on the movement-blank Nouvelle Lémania 1350, with an extra flyback function. The Caliber 1350 was an evolution of the vintage Lémania 1340 caliber, which was jointly developed by Lémania and Omega in 1972, and can be found in some vintage automatic Omega chronographs. Since around 2000, Nouvelle Lémania, along with Breguet, has been owned by the Swatch Group, being a production division of Breguet ever since. Therefore, the 582Q caliber should now be considered as an in-house production.

The Breguet Type XX Transatlantique ‘Blue Dial’ Ref. 3820BB/P2/9W6 would appear to be an attractive purchase for the collector and connoisseur of fine watchmaking due to its impressive vintage historical branded design, and rare, distinctive and respectable white-gold blue-dial execution.

The present example is crafted from 18k white gold and features a dark blue sunken dial with white luminous markings. This execution is quite rare – note that only the Type XX Transatlantique models in 18k white gold and platinum 950 were equipped with blue dials.

Since the launch of the new Type XXI design in 2004, in the collection now renamed Type XX–XXI–XXII, Breguet has focused on the development of new versions of the design, while the original Type XX was gradually withdrawn from the collection. However, the wide variety of Type XX executions released over a period of about 20 years makes this model a rewarding collector’s item that promises intriguing discoveries. Our research has shown many attractive varieties that await thoughtful and enthusiastic study. In particular, we should consider the two types of dial markings with Arabic numerals in serif or sans serif fonts, and the two types of bezels with different styles of the number ‘3’ in ‘30’. There are also at least two types of casebacks with different types of the letter ‘R’ in ‘Transatlantique’ and ‘Ref.’ In addition, the transition from the use of tritium phosphor to superluminova should be taken into account, as a result of which the designations ‘T-SWISS-T’ or ‘SWISS’ can be found in the dial markings.

The present example features the second type of ‘3’ in ‘30’ on the bezel, where the top volute of the ‘3’ is noticeably smaller than the bottom volute, along with the sans serif Arabic numeral markers, the rounded ‘R’ in ‘Transatlantique’ and ‘Ref.’, and the no-tritium dial version.

Reasons to bid

The Breguet Type XX Transatlantique ‘Blue Dial’ Ref. 3820BB/P2/9W6 would appear to be an attractive purchase for the collector and connoisseur of fine watchmaking due to its impressive vintage historical branded design, and rare, distinctive and respectable white-gold blue-dial execution. The present lot certainly appears to be a fine collectible, featuring the varieties mentioned above. We are sure the Type XX Transatlantique represents one of the most spectacular, albeit definitely underestimated, pages in the history of modern chronographs, and Breguet watchmaking art. Moreover, this is definitely a watch with a strong and distinctive character, and therefore it would also be an attractive daily wearer.