A fake Type XX chronograph is a replica of the Breguet Type XX, the French pilot watch first ordered by the French naval aviation (Aeronavale) in the 1950s. The copies share the case shape, the three-register dial, and the layout, but they use cheaper movements and softer steel. Spotting one comes down to the movement, the engravings, and the small dial details.
What defines a Type XX chronograph?
The original Type 20 (later written Type XX) came from a 1950s French military spec for a pilot chronograph with a black dial, a register for elapsed time, and a rotating bezel. Breguet built the civilian Type XX from the same design language and still sells the line today. Key traits include a 38 to 42 mm steel case, a black dial with two or three subdials, a date window on some references, and a flyback or standard chronograph movement.
How to spot a fake Type XX chronograph
Most fakes fail on details you can check in a shop or from clear photos. Run through this list before you buy.
Case and finish
- Look at the lugs. Real Breguet lugs curve with polished and brushed surfaces that meet on a crisp line. Cheap copies show rounded, blurry edges.
- Feel the weight. A steel Type XX with an automatic movement feels dense. A quartz fake feels light and hollow.
- Measure the thickness. Many replicas run 1 to 2 mm thicker because the case was built for a different movement.
Dial and subdials
- Print quality: real dials carry sharp, raised printing and applied markers. Fakes show flat paint and uneven spacing.
- Subdial placement: the 3, 6, and 9 positions must sit on the right axes. Copies shift them by half a millimeter or more.
- Font: the Breguet signature and the Type XX text use a specific typeface. Fake dials use a generic font with wider letters.
Hands and lume
Breguet fits polished hands with a set shape on the chronograph seconds and subdial hands. A fake has thicker hands or a flat seconds hand with no counterweight. Lume on older references has aged to a warm tone, while many fakes use bright white paint that looks new.
Crown and pushers
The crown should screw down with a smooth, tight feel. Pushers on a real chronograph have a short, firm travel. Loose pushers that rattle point to a low-grade movement inside.
Caseback and engravings
- Serial and reference numbers must match the paperwork and the movement.
- Engraving depth: laser etching on a fake looks shallow and gray. Real engravings cut into the metal.
- Caseback style: some fakes reuse a display back from a different reference.
Movement
This is the hardest part to fake. A genuine Type XX runs a Swiss automatic chronograph, and several references add a flyback function. No replica matches the 72,000 vph high-beat escapement used in a Breguet Type XXII.
Quartz or automatic: which movement sits in a Type XX replica?
Most first copy Type XX watches use a quartz chronograph module or a basic Chinese automatic such as a Seagull or a low-grade 7750 clone. Quartz copies keep the price low but the seconds hand ticks instead of sweeping. Automatic copies sweep, yet many lose the flyback function, so ask which movement sits inside before you buy.
What does a fake Type XX cost compared with the real watch?
A first copy Type XX chronograph sells for a few hundred US dollars in most cases. A genuine Breguet Type XX in steel costs five figures new, and vintage military Type 20 examples from Breguet, Dodane, Auricoste, or Vixa can reach higher sums at auction. That gap explains why the replicas exist and why the details matter.
Which Type XX references get copied the most?
Breguet Type XX 3800
The steel civilian model with a 39 mm case and a date at 3 o'clock is the most copied. Its simple dial layout is easier to reproduce than the more complex references.
Breguet Type XXI 3810
The 42 mm Type XXI adds a central minute counter and a 24-hour indicator. Fakes of this model get the subdial functions wrong.
Vintage Type 20 military
Old military Type 20 watches from the 1950s and 1960s are rare and costly. Most fakes in this group are aged modern watches with fake patina and wrong caseback markings.
Common questions about fake Type XX chronographs
Is a fake Type XX chronograph waterproof?
Do not trust it near water. Most copies have weak gaskets, and a case built for a different movement may not seal at the crown or caseback. Even a splash from hand washing can fog the dial.
Can a watchmaker service a replica Type XX?
Some shops will service a 7750-based copy. Many refuse quartz models from unknown makers because parts are hard to source. Ask first, since a service bill can approach the price you paid for the watch.
Does the chronograph work on a replica?
On quartz copies the chronograph works, but the reset can be sloppy. On automatic copies the start, stop, and reset work, yet the flyback function is often missing or broken. Test all three pushers before you pay.
Is the date window in the right place?
On the Type XX 3800 the date sits at 3 o'clock. Many fakes place it at 4:30 because they reuse a stock dial. That single detail gives away most copies in photos.
What to check before you buy a first copy Type XX
- Ask for a photo of the movement or its model number.
- Request close-ups of the dial text, the caseback, and the lugs.
- Confirm the case diameter and thickness in millimeters.
- Test the chronograph and the date change if you can hold the watch.
- Check the return policy. A seller who refuses returns is a warning sign.
None of these steps turn a replica into a genuine watch. They help you avoid paying a high price for a low-grade copy.
A short note on legality
Selling a counterfeit as a real Breguet is illegal in the US and most other countries. Buying a replica for personal use carries less legal risk, but the watch has no collectible resale value and no manufacturer service. Treat a first copy Type XX as a fashion item, not an investment.