The Breguet Aeronavale Transatlantique is a watch looking back at Breguet’s history, while projecting forward. Model reference 3820BA.
HOW DO WE DATE THIS WATCH?
We have found the same model available, albeit with a gold bracelet, in the 1999 Wristwatch Annual. It does list the availability of one on a leather strap, but doesn’t specify the price – on the bracelet it is $25,500. The standard Type XX, which doesn’t have the date is shown in gold and leather at $17,000 back in 1999.
CONDITION
Abraham-Louis Breguet is the father of modern watchmaking, and he founded Breguet 250 years ago in 1775. The list of things he invented or improved considerably is vast. The automatic winding movement – Breguet. The chronograph? Breguet. Shock protection? Breguet? All three of those inventions feature on this watch – he also invented the tourbillon but that isn’t a feature in this piece!
This is from the third series of Type XX Breguet Chronographs. The first were launched in 1953, and by 1971 only about 4,000 had been made – most issued to the French Air Force or the air force division of the French Navy (Aéronautique Navale – from where our watch gets it’s name). Breguet at this point were a very small company, hence the small numbers of watches produced and you rarely find watches before the company relaunch in 1995. 1995 to 2004 were the third generation, and they returned to using Lemania based movements (Breguet also owned Lemania at this time). Post 2004 watches are more available, as this is when the Swatch group bought Breguet and commercialised the brand more.
The vast majority of the Type XX’s and Aeronavale watches were in either steel or titanium. One source says that out of 20,000 third generation watches produced, 150 were in either red or yellow gold and 90 in platinum. That is still more common than the first generation watches – only three Breguet type 20 chronographs were made with a gold case in the 1950’s, and none after until 1997 and this model. Not three models – three watches in total.
Our watch has the blue Breguet leather strap, and the 18k gold folding clasp, and it looks barely used. The strap is on the last hole in the pictures, so if you have a bigger wrist than 190mm you might need to get a new strap. There are just light signs of wear anywhere on the watch, and the bi directional bezel turns crisply in either direction. The signed crown screws down tightly, and the chronograph start and stops positively – including the instant flyback feature (resetting and starting the chronograph again by clicking the bottom pusher in).
This watch will be supplied with a Breguet service box and our Certificate of Authenticity.
This watch has been checked against the Watch Register and has not been reported as lost, stolen or implicated in fraud, and a copy of that certificate will also be included.
Please see the HD video for more detail. All photos and videos are part of the description and are of the actual watch unless mentioned. We do not photoshop any pictures, and the images are copyright of birthyearwatches.com and should not be used without permission.
SIZE
Width with crown 43.4 mm
Width without crown 39.0 mm
Between lugs 21 mm
Lug to lug length 45.3 mm
Case Thickness 14.4 mm
All sizes are approximate. The watch is photographed on a wrist of 190mm/7.5 inches.
Included with this watch is a 3 month guarantee and free delivery to UK addresses. If you live outside the UK we can still deliver to most countries. Please see our Worldwide Shipping information, or Contact Us. Payment can be made by most credit or debit cards, bank transfer or PayPal.
From 1st September 2021 we will be planting a tree for every watch we sell, working with the International Tree Foundation (Est 1922) to make this business positive on carbon. By buying anything pre owned you are effectively reusing what already exists, but this takes it further and makes us feel good.
