Marcus Hanke[PuristSPro Moderator]
11515
Finally, I have my perfect chronograph
Sep 12, 2021,13:46 PM
In all the years using chronographs, I put together a list of the features I would like to have, but never had combined in one watch:
+ center minute counter
+ twelve hours counter
+ date
+ Flyback
+ bidirectionally revolving bezel
The closest I came to this many years ago when coveting the original Zenith Rainbow Flyback (yes, the colourful one), which, however, was too expensive for me back then.
When Breguet released the Type XXI, I immediately saw that perfect combination, and after handling the titanium version in Basel in 2011, I thought I definitely wanted that watch. But you know what? Yes, the price issue.
Now, then years later, I finally was ready for the purchase. Funnily, though, the formerly favoured titanium version did not really topuch my heart anymore, since in my eyes, it looks too "professional". And I already have such "professional" pilot chronographs, be it from Zenith, Sinn, Heuer, etc. Also the more recent versions of the Type XXI, with the oversized numerals did not seem right to me. The original version, however, was a perfect complement to my collection, since it offers the desired functionality, but at the same time is clearly a luxury product: the fluted case sides, the sparkling facets of the highly polished hour markers, the finely styled classic numerals of the date (even if this makes them less legible than a simple sans-serif typeface), and, above all, a dial that is sometimes described as black, sometimes as brown, but is rather similar to the dark smoked glass doors that once were popular on HiFi system racks.
The only thing I am not fond of is the original alligator strap, which is stiff, and completely covers the beautiful fluting between the lugs. Yet with a 22mm lug distance, there is ample supply of straps available, and for the summer I found a nice olive textile strap from my Zenith P15.
Marcus