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The French Fleet Air Arm, or Naval Aviation, generally referred to as the Aéronavale , is celebrating its hundredth anniversary in 2010. It wished to associate a prestigious partner and an historical supplier with this auspicious occasion, and naturally turned to Breguet. The latter, ever since its founder A. -L. Breguet was appointed Horologer to the French Royal Navy in 1815, has indeed always cultivated close ties with the Navy, consistently supplying it over the past two centuries high - precision timekeepers. Breguet is celebrating this anniversary this year through a patronage operation, as well as by launching a new Type XX chronograph in a 1,000-piece limited edition.

BREGUET CELEBRATES THE CENTENARY OF THE AERONAVALE

The Aéronavale at the French Navy Museum

Nicolas G. Hayek enthusiastically responded to the Navy's request and committed to providing long-term support. Through its patronage of the French National NavyMuseum, Breguet has enabled the latter to devote part of its permanent exhibition to an area dedicated to naval aviation, a first for the institution. Within this 90 square-metre area, visitors will be able to discover the importance of the airborne wing of the Navy through scale models of aircraft carriers, planes, precision instruments and various testimonies to its history, from the pioneers through to today's ultra-modern aircraft carriers. This "Aéronavale " room, created without the support of Montres Breguet on the site of the Navy Museum in the Palais de Chaillot, Paris, will be inaugurated in the presence of numerous foreign delegations on October 26 th 2010, during the Euronaval trade fair.

Breguet and the Aéronavale : birth of a legendary Type XX model 50 years ago

The cooperation between Breguet and the Aéronavale has left indelible memories in the minds of former pilots and collectors, and everyone recalls the Breguet Type XX chronograph, ordered by the Aéronavale in 1958 in a series of 500 numbered from 1 to 500, and delivered in 1960 – exactly half a century ago. Equipped with the "flyback" function, as indeed are all the Type XX watches, and identifiable by the characteristic legend "BREGUET MARINE NATIONALE AERONAUTIQUE NAVALE " engraved on the caseback, this Type XX model, which remained in service until the early 1980s, is currently one of the most sought-after historical timepieces.

Breguet never forgot this cooperation, and when the third-generation Type XX (3800) was launched in 1995, it was simply christened "Aéronavale " in memory of this prestigious past.

An anniversary limited-edition Aéronavale 3803ST

So as to honour the 100th anniversary of the Aéronavale on a specifically watchmaking level, Breguet has chosen to issue a special Type XX in a limited, numbered series of 1,000. The exceptional nature of this decision – such limited, numbered series are a rarity for Breguet – underscores the brand's deep-felt attachment to its shared history with the "skxborne sailors ". The model features some unusual characteristics for a Type XX, including a black-lacquered rotating bezel with raised numerals and slightly larger than that of the 3800; as well as an exclusive winding crown and special markings comprising the official emblem of the Naval Aviation centenary. Finally, this watch will be delivered with a special presentation box, as well as a limited-series certificate.

TYPE XX – AÉRONAVALE LIMITED SERIES OF 1,000

CHRONOGRAPH DESCRIPTION

REF. 3803ST/92/3W6

Case round, made of steel, with a fluted middle. Diameter 39 mm. Rounded lugs. Bidirectional rotating bezel. Water -resistant to 10 bar (100 metres). Solid caseback engraved with the official Naval Aviation centenary emblem.

Dial matt black. Luminous hands and numerals. Chapter ring with Arabic numerals.

Movement self-winding chronograph with flyback function. Numbered and signed BREGUET Cal. 581. 13 ¼ lignes. 25 jewels. 48-hour power reserve. Annular balance. Swiss straight -line lever escapement.

Strap hand-sewn calfskin leather.