Breguet and Aviation
Drawing on the innovative spirit of his ancestor, Louis Charles Breguet (1880-1955) became one of the pioneers of French aviation, by not only designing many innovative aircrafts – he developed the gyroplane, the forerunner of the helicopter – but also a number of biplanes, seaplanes, fighter jets, and civilian transport aircraft, thus becoming a major figure in the world of aviation. With a keen interest in taking to the air, Breguet soon became interested in watches for aviation. From 1918 onwards, the House of Breguet provided several timepieces for the American Air Force, and in 1922 for Breguet Aviation. As early as 1935, the watchmaking company designed its first wrist-worn chronographs. Some twenty years later, Breguet wrote the most important chapter in the history of aviation watchmaking. Responding to an order from the French Armed Forces, Breguet launched the production of a legendary watch, the Type XX chronograph, which would be used by the French Air Force and Naval Aviation until the early 1980s.
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