What a Type XX 3820 imitator is
A Type XX 3820 imitator is a third-party copy of the Breguet Type XX reference 3820, a hand-wound steel chronograph. Breguet built the Type XX line for the French armed forces and sold a civilian version on the same pattern. Originals date from about 1958 through the 1970s. No factory makes ref. 3820 under license today. Every imitator is an unlicensed copy, and the gap between copy and original is wide.
The original in numbers
- Case: steel, about 38 mm across, three-piece construction.
- Crystal: acrylic, domed.
- Dial: black, luminous Arabic numerals, three registers at 3, 6, and 9 o'clock.
- Bezel: rotating, with a 12-hour scale on most examples.
- Movement: Valjoux 72, hand-wound, three registers, 18,000 vibrations per hour.
Buyers confuse ref. 3820 with the 1995 reissue, reference 3800. The two are different watches with different movements and different case shapes.
What imitators get right
Silhouette at arm's length. Black dial, pale printed numerals, three sub-dials, a domed crystal, and a steel case read as the right watch from across a table.
What imitators get wrong
- Case size. Many copies run 39 mm to 42 mm, not 38 mm.
- Movement. Most copies use a Seagull ST19 or a quartz module. The ST19 beats at 21,600 vibrations per hour. The Valjoux 72 beats at 18,000. Pusher feel and sub-dial spacing differ.
- Crystal. Mineral glass or sapphire replaces acrylic.
- Dial printing. Lettering, lume color, and numeral shape drift from the original.
- Caseback. Originals carry a reference and serial number. Copies often carry a generic stamp.
How to check one
- Measure the case width without the crown.
- Have a watchmaker open the back and identify the movement.
- Time the beat rate. 18,000 vibrations per hour is five beats per second.
- Confirm the sub-dial layout at 3, 6, and 9 o'clock.
Prices
Original ref. 3820 pieces sell at Christie's and Sotheby's. Prices change at each auction and depend on condition and provenance. Listings for copies fall between about $120 and $700. The movement sets most of that range.
What is not known
No production count for ref. 3820 has been published. Breguet does not release one. Any exact figure you see is a guess.