Among Breguet’s offerings at Baselworld 2013 — and perhaps overlooked in the wake of such haute horlogerie pieces as the Classic Chronométrie and Classique La Musicale, was a new version of its luxuriously styled Type XXII pilots’ watch with a handsome brown dial and 18k rose gold case.
The Breguet Type XXII 3880, which was previously available only in a stainless steel case, contains a Breguet manufacture chronograph movement, with a silicon escapement and flat balance spring that contributes to the watch’s signature technical achievement, its super-fast frequency of 72,000 vibrations per hour, or 10 Hertz. The result is a movement with exceptional regulating power: the chronograph seconds hand makes a complete rotation in 30 seconds rather than the traditional 60 seconds, making the chronograph’s start function and readout twice as precise.
According to Breguet, the key to the precision is the use of silicon, which makes the mobile components more lightweight and free of the lubrication problems encountered by other high-frequency balances. The minutes graduations on the dial’s flange are in the form of alternating red and white dashes, and the numbered seconds graduations also use a red and white combo; this enables the user to discern whether the chronograph counter is in the first (red sectors) or second (white sectors) stage of its 30-second revolution. Like its predecessor in a steel case, the new rose-gold Type XXII features a flyback function, which allows the chronograph to be returned to zero and instantly restarted in one operation.
The dial includes a second time-zone indicator at 6 o’clock, and an aperture for the date along with an aperture for the date. The two-position crown can reset the second-time-zone indicator by moving the central hour hand without affecting the minute hand. With the crown in that position, the date will continue to reflect the time displayed on the main dial. A 24-hour night-and-day indicator at 3 o’clock indicates whether it is daytime or nighttime in the second time zone. The subdial at 9 o’clock displays the dynamic tableau of the running seconds making their swift, 30-second rotations. The Type XXII 3880 comes fitted with an integrated brown leather strap that complements the dial and harmonizes well with the rose gold of the case. The price is $35,500. (Click on the photo to enlarge the image.)
Technical characteristics:
Movement: Breguet Caliber 589F, automatic chronograph, numbered and signed; 13 3/4 lignes; 27 jewels; 40-hour power reserve; high frequency silicon escapement (10Hz); Breguet balance wheel with regulating screws; silicon balance-spring; adjusted in six positions
Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds, flyback chronograph, second time zone indication, date
Case and strap: 18k rose gold case with fluted caseband; diameter = 44 mm; round-ended lugs; two-way rotating bezel with 60-minute scale; screw-locked crown; water-resistant to 100 meters; on brown leather strap
Dial and hands: brown dial with luminous hands and hour-markers; chapter ring with Arabic numerals; center-mounted red chronograph seconds hand; half-minute totalizer in center; 24-hour indicator at 3 o’clock; second time zone indicator at 6 o’clock with luminous Arabic numerals; small second subdial at 9 o’clock; date in aperture at 6 o’clock
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Most of the watches operate at 4Hz i.e. 28,800 vph, whereas this Breguet operates at 10Hz i.e. 72,000 vph, I think this watch is truly outstanding!
Keep it up Breguet!