Breguet has finally completed the Type XX 2067, the pinnacle of flyback chronographs.

The new Breguet Type XX, announced in June 2023, has an appearance that returns to the design of the original. However, what has changed is more inside than the design. The high-beat movement, beating at 36,000 vibrations per hour, is equipped with a chronograph mechanism specialized for flyback. In 2023, when various companies will be releasing new chronographs, Breguet has presented a new era of flyback.

To achieve the flyback, Breguet developed a linear reset hammer.

　The Breguet Type 20, ordered by the French Air Force in 1954 and supplied between 1955 and 1959, and its civilian version, the Type XX, were chronographs specializing in the flyback mechanism. The same goes for the third generation, which was revived in 1995. Since then, Breguet has continued to refine the unique characteristics of the Type XX = flyback, and has finally achieved this with the new model released in 2023.

　The flyback mechanism, which allows the chronograph to be reset without stopping it, was essential for aviation chronographs in the 1940s and 1950s. This mechanism was particularly useful for the French Air Force, whose precise aircraft navigation systems enabled it. The new Type XX, released in 2023, further emphasizes the flyback mechanism. To achieve this, Breguet spent four years developing a new chronograph movement.

　The third-generation Type XX, released in 1995, featured a Lemania chronograph movement with a flyback mechanism. This movement matured into a masterpiece, but the flyback conversion was not easy. Originally, Lemania chronograph movements operated the reset hammer not by pressing the reset button, but by charging a spring with the residual force from pressing the start button, which then released the spring's force. This was a major overhaul, as Breguet went to the trouble of redesigning the movement so that the reset button directly operated the reset hammer. Thus, Breguet achieved the classic flyback mechanism. The new chronograph movements, Cal. 728 and 7281, adopted a mechanism in which the reset button directly operated the reset hammer from the start. Additionally, the shape of the reset hammer was further optimized for flyback operation. The seconds chronograph, the 12-hour counter (728), and the 30-minute (7281) and 15-minute (728) counters all had nearly linear reset hammers, allowing them to be instantly reset.

　An example of a movement with this type of reset mechanism is the famous Frederic Piguet 1185. The reset hammer moves in a straight line, so in theory it is less likely to wobble when resetting, but the movement itself is thin, so it was not suitable for a flyback conversion. In contrast, the hammer of the new Cal. 728 series has a similar shape, but is made stronger. Of course, its movement is linear, just like the 1185.

　The position of the column wheel clearly shows that Breguet placed great importance on the reset hammer. Chronographs with vertical clutches usually have the column wheel and clutch positioned as close together as possible. In contrast, in the Cal. 728 series, the two were deliberately positioned farther apart to allow for the reset hammer to pass through. The reason for choosing a different location from the standard is that Breguet prioritized a reset hammer in a straight line.

　In addition, a regulating spring firmly prevents the reset hammer from sliding out, so that the flyback function will only work if the reset button is pressed hard. At the same time, a pin is driven into the base plate to regulate the movement of the push button, so that the reset button will not be pressed too hard and damage the heart cam.

　The details of the reset hammer are also unique. The reset hammer for the 15-minute (or 30-minute) counter, which needs to be reset most precisely, has a spring at the tip. However, it seems that it was made lighter for the Type XX. Contrary to the recent trend of springing the tips of all hammers, Breguet made the reset hammer lighter to allow for frequent use of the flyback mechanism.

　These details make it clear: Breguet wanted the new Type XX to be even more dedicated to flyback than ever before. So, more than just appearances, the fourth-generation Type XX essentially returns to the ideals of the original. The new Type XX finally reveals what it should be like. It's the culmination of flyback chronographs to date.