Vol du phénix – a lost to time brand originating from France has taken flight once more, bearing on its back a re-issue of the Type 20 Chronograph. Originally created in the 1950s as an official piece of kit for French military pilots, this modern production remains faithful to the original and is ready to serve on all of your everyday missions.
About
History has been kind to some chronographs and less so to others. If you are lucky enough to get your namesake from being associated with the dawn of organized racing, or perhaps be on the wrist of a legendary guitarist, then congratulations, you hit the jackpot! Unfortunately, the original Type 20 (and by extension the Type 21) does not benefit from such an extreme level of fame. Although it was made for and worn by soldiers with serious grit, it is fair to say that until recently the Type 20 only meant something to serious collectors sucked down the proverbial rabbit hole.
Luckily for us, the movement to create new micro brands and revive historical ones continues to be in a full-blown renaissance, and I am happy to report that one of the original manufacturers of the Type 20, Airain, is operational and producing watches again. Airain was originally founded in 1934 by the Dodane family alongside a slew of sibling companies such as Lebois & Co and, well, Dodane (surprise). The former was revived with the approval of the current generation Dodane family in 2014, and now both Lebois and Airain operate under holding company CDMLEC and the leadership of CEO Tom van Wijlick.
Here is a quick historical crash course about the Type 20 – you should know that this configuration is not specific to Airain. Airain was one of several manufacturers, including Breguet and Dodane, contracted by the French Ministry of Defense in the 1950s to create a military-issued watch according to their specifications. Breguet and Dodane’s watches were provided to the French Air Force. However, Airain’s version was ultimately supplied to the helicopter pilots of the French Army’s Aviation Légère de l’Armée de Terre, or Army Light Aviation, which even today remains dedicated to the trifecta of scouting, artillery reconnaissance, and ground support.
The original laundry list for the Type 20 is as follows: a 38mm case diameter, max. 14mm of thickness, luminous indices and hands, a hand-wound flyback movement with a minimum accuracy of +/- 8 seconds per day, 35 hours of power reserve (increased to 60 hours with the modern iteration), a bi-directional 12-hour bezel, and finally, the ability to operate the chronograph 300 consecutive times without failure. Note the flyback component of this equation, which is unique in allowing the user to reset the chronograph without first stopping it. If you happen to be a pilot, or perhaps just want to precisely know when to flip whatever you have frying in the pan for lunch, the Type 20 is your huckleberry.
Today’s successor makes a few key (but still faithful) changes to these parameters starting with case dimensions. Measuring in at a diameter of 39.5mm and 10.85mm of thickness, the Re-Edition exchanges thickness well within guidelines for a slightly larger diameter. Call it a commercially reasonable compromise; whether the new engine in the Caliber AM1 needed the extra space or not, 39.5mm is still very approachable for most wrist sizes. It wears quite comfortably on my own 6.5-inch wrist, although I will admit that the underside lug corners can feel sharp if approached from the wrong angle.
We should circle back on the movement, which replaces the original Valjoux 222 – the new Caliber AM1 is of Swiss La-Joux Perret S.A. (“LJP”) provenance. Acquired by Japanese conglomerate Citizen in 2012, LJP’s historical body of work has mostly been focused on assembling ETA ebauches. To my untrained eye, the AM1 appears to share similar architecture with the venerable Valjoux 7750. However, what sets the AM1 apart from other 7750 derivatives is that this particular engine is a column wheel setup instead of cam-actuated (i.e., levers). Column wheels use a castle-shaped turret that rotates with each pusher click, in turn dropping mechanical fingers between the turret’s teeth (each tied to a different chronograph function). The practical implications are less parts, less play, smoother startup action and a predictably higher manufacturing cost.
Indeed, the pushers on the Type 20 Re-Edition are very crisp to use and I see minimal jump on the chronograph hand. I truly think the movement is the real highlight and value proposition of this watch. I am struggling to find a comparable chronograph in the approximate $3,000 or under segment that has both a column wheel and flyback function. Flybacks are typically reserved for infinitesimally higher price points that companies like IWC and A. Lange & Söhne cater to; while the additional utility of a flyback in the current era might be suspect, the fact that Airain can offer this combination for such low dollars is impressive.
Dial-wise, the Type 20 Re-Edition comes in three color variants, a standard black version, a new green edition, and lastly the limited edition’s velvety chocolate color that you see sprinkled throughout this post. No doubt, the brown coloration is channeling pure tropical dial energy and I am here for it. We are also talking about a very functional field configuration even under cover of darkness; the hour markers are obvious, but it is the smaller numerals sprinkled along the minute track that make reading this dial such a simple affair. The cream lume could be considered “fauxtina,” but I believe that this actually matches the coloration of the original Type 20; even if it didn’t, cream is the correct accent for both versions.
Airain’s sub-dial game is strong here. Note that the overall finish of this bi-compax mocha dial is matte, whereas the small seconds and elapsed minute subdials have a glossy concentric texture. This isn’t quite an earth-shattering innovation, but between the finish on the subdials and the domed hesalite crystal, there is significant multi-dimensional light distortion at play – rotating the watch to see how it reacts to sun-bathing is a real treat. Overall, the Re-Edition gets high marks from me in the dial department: it is upfront about being casual, pleasant and easygoing.
One minor complaint while I still have the microphone – the steel 12-hour friction bezel remains true to the original Type 20 and the aesthetics are on point, but it doesn’t share the same level of functionality as the dial. The numerals are difficult to pin down, and could benefit from a thicker engraving or being filled with lacquer. Similarly, the friction bezel doesn’t have any tactile clicking or audible queues to signal an adjustment has been made. Call me clumsy (probably an accurate assessment), but over the past few days I found myself more often than not rotating the bezel back to 12 o’clock after discovering I had accidentally passed “Go” yet again. For someone relying on the bezel to track a second time zone, I can see light frustration bubbling on the horizon after they realize the bezel has been moved out of alignment.
Alright, enough talk about history and specifications. Situationally, where does this watch fit in? Perhaps more importantly, what is its personality? The style of the chronograph, although storied, hasn’t been adopted en masse and lacks the gravitic pull of the more famous designs I alluded to earlier. Sure, you could use it as a pilot, but how many of us own a single-prop plane and fly as a hobby? In a previous life, this watch was meant to surveil from the skies over France and her colonial possessions. The Re-Edition certainly channels the vintage energy of its predecessor, but focuses it in a more light and laidback fashion.
Let us pick apart the implications of these design choices. The chocolate and cream color palette is the exact opposite of formal black. The domed hesalite crystal rolls its eye at the harshness of the sapphire alternative, commonly found on contemporary watches. Steel is an excellent bezel material, and despite having been mostly supplanted by ceramic in the world of today, is the far better charmer when making first impressions. Despite the fact that most of these components were required to keep this watch as close to the original as possible, they also give the Type 20 Re-Edition a truly relaxed, unhurried and downbeat character.
Here and now, the Type 20 feels tailor made for the weekend. Rewind a bit – it is Sunday morning. You roll out of bed, groggy-eyed, and lazily state your intention to be marginally more productive than yesterday. The coffee pot gets fired up as you throw on some jeans, kick back in the captain’s chair and crack open that book you have been overdue on finishing for two months. What watch gets strapped to your wrist? Undoubtedly you seek out the warmth of the Type 20, looking California-cool on cognac leather, as it tells you “Relax, we should flirt with the day – no rush.” Sounds like a plan to me, Airain.
The Specs:
- Case Material: Stainless Steel
- Crystal: Domed Hesalite
- Features: Flyback Chronograph, 12-Hour Bezel
- Movement: Caliber AM1 (La-Joux Perret S.A., manual-wind, column wheel)
- Power Reserve: 60 Hours
- Screwdown Crown: No
- Bezel Movement: Bi-directional
- Caseback: Screwed in, non-display
- Water Resistance: 50 Meters
- Case Diameter: 39.5mm
- Lug-to-Lug: 47.7mm
- Lug Width: 20mm
- Thickness: 10.85mm
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