Back to our Space and aviation theme for today. :)
Breguet has released a new watch in the Type XX/ Type XXI collection in the Breguet Type XXII reference 3880ST/H2/3XV. This is interesting as this watch has the same reference as the Type XXII released by Breguet in 2010. More interesting is, if you look at the Breguet website, the model released in 2010 is no longer on the site. Emmmm.....
The 2010 reference 3880ST/H2/3XV (I have seen it referenced as 3880ST/H2/3VX).
The new reference 3880ST/H2/3XV.
There are four differences that I can see. First is the removal of the 'power reserve' like display at the 12 o'clock position (indicator for the first 30 seconds or the the second 30 seconds of a given minute). Second is the minute track and the third is the inclusion of the '10 Hz' in red below the Breguet signature. We will address the fourth difference later.
The rest remains the same. The chronograph has the fly-back function, a prerequisite of watches in the Type XX and XXI collection. The running second is displayed via a sub-dial at the 9 o'clock position and it also rotates once every 30 second.
A second time zone is displayed via a sub-dial at the 6 o'clock position. The display is a 12 hour display. The sub-dial at the 3 o'clock position shows if it is day or night at the second time zone. There is a date complication (6 o'clock position) and it is linked to the main time display and not the second time zone.
The new watch. Don't you just lover the 'B' shadow the watch makes.
The question on my mind is, with the removal of the indicator at the 12 o'clock position, how would one tell if the chronograph seconds hand is in the first 30 second sweep or the second 30 second sweep. Here is an extract from the Breguet Type XXII manual.
'Reading the time measured by the chronograph:
1. Reading the minutes: Minutes are indicated by the hand of the minute counter M60 on the 'Base 60' inside scale B60.
2. Reading the seconds: Seconds are indicated by the seconds hand S30 on the 'BASE 30' outside scale B30 (05/35, 10/40/15/45, 20/50....). Since the S30 hand completes one revolution in 30 seconds, first check the minutes hand M60 on the B60 scale to see if the seconds being counted are between 0-30 (M60 hand on the red section) or between 30-60 (M60 hand on the white section). Using this information, read the seconds hand S30 on the B30 scale (each large red marker represents one second and each small white marker represents 1/10th second)'
Look at the example below to get a better picture.
Example A: 53 min 28 sec 3/10
Example B: 3 min 33 sec 8/10
I think this set-up is much better as compared to the watch released in 2010. However if you have bad eyes like me, the first iteration of the Type XXII might be a better bet. Just don't make the mistake of thinking the display is a power reserve display.
Now we look at the fourth difference. The case back now has a partial display back. The cut-out allows you to view and admire the mechanical chronograph movement with a silicon escapement and balance spring whose frequency has been raised to 10 Hertz (72,000 A/h).
Photographs: Breguet
The watch basic specifications have not changed:
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds, date, chronograph (with fly-back) and dual time.
Case: stainless steel, 44 mm diameter, 17.30 mm thick
Movement: Breguet manufacture calibre 589F, 28 jewels, 13 1/4 ligne
The watch is expect to retail (I was told no change in price) for USD 18,200 with leather strap and USD 19,600 on bracelet (reference 3880ST/H2/SX0).
For more information:
