If you've been reading WatchTested for some time, you might know something about me: I have a longstanding love affair with Type XX and Type 20 watches. I've talked about this repeatedly over the years, as my journey as a collector began with the Breguet Type XX watch. So, when about a year ago we learned that Airain - one of the original suppliers of Type 20 watches to the French military - was going to restart its operations, you can imagine I was quite excited. And when we saw the first images of the watches they were going to release, that excitement grew even stronger. But today we have in our hands the prototype of the Airain Type 20 Re-Edition, specifically a limited version with a brown dial. It's time for a good old practical session.
TYPE 20 WATCHES AND THE AIRAIN COMPANY
It's no secret that pilots have been among the most demanding watch users in history. Since humans began flying, they have worn watches as part of their gear, as these timepieces became an essential tool for their mission. Knowing this, many special models have been created over the years, including the watch we are talking about today - the French flyback chronograph known as the Type 20.
In the 1950s, the French Ministry of Defense developed specifications to procure wristwatches with chronographs for the Air Force, the Aviation Center and Naval Aviation (Centre d’Essai en Vol, CEV), which were to be called Type 20. The Type 20 model (the military name for the watches, with civilian models known as Type XX) was introduced as a pilot's watch equipped with a flyback chronograph, the emblematic feature of these watches. The flyback function allows the chronograph to be reset with a simple press of the lower button. Along with Breguet, Mathey Tissot (which produced some Breguet watches, hence the similarity between these two watches), Chronofixe, Auricoste, Dodane, and Vixa, Airain was one of the contractors commissioned by the French Air Force to produce these watches.
Complete list of technical specifications of the original Type 20 watches (common to all brands)
- Case diameter approximately 38 mm in width and no more than 14 mm in height
- Screw-down case back
- Black dial, with two registers at '3' and '9 o'clock' positions, allowing for up to 30 minutes count
- Arabic numerals
- Luminous material on hands and numbers
- Flyback function (retour en vol)
- Bi-directional 12-hour rotating bezel or fluted bi-directional bezel for earliest models
- Accuracy within 8 seconds per day
- Power reserve of at least 35 hours
- Capability of chronograph function to operate reliably at least 300 times
The Montres Airain was initially conceived by the famous Dodane family in 1934 as a manufacturer of reliable, high-quality watches. However, the combination of the quartz crisis and the end of the contract with the French military led Airain to a halt in the 1970s.
But one man decided to revive the brand. Thanks to Dutch watch enthusiast and entrepreneur Tom van Wijlick, who had already relaunched the company Lebois & Co. by releasing two new watch models, Avantgarde and Venturist, Airain is making a comeback. Having a penchant for vintage watches and learning that another great brand from the past was up for sale, he immediately seized the opportunity. It is no surprise that these two names are connected again. Lebois & Co. watches were carefully crafted by the renowned Dodane watchmaking family, who also produced Airain watches. Van Wijlick managed to acquire the rights to the Airain trademark. He merged the two brands (Lebois and Airain) under the banner of his company Compagnie des Montres Lebois & Cie.
AIRAIN TYPE 20 RE-EDITION
You won't need to spend much time with these watches to understand what they're about… One quick glance, and you'll know you're looking at a Type 20 watch, from head to toe. What Van Wijlick did is quite simple, yet compelling and highly desirable, as there aren't many vintage watches based on the Type 20 concept on the market today. Particularly since the Breguet Type XX ref. 3800ST, a modernized version of the historical watch, was recently discontinued. And if some concessions to modernity were made in the new Airain Type 20 Re-Edition, they are minor, resulting in a watch - at least in my books - that fills a gap I have long awaited… a gap in the form of a truly historically relevant model.
Let's start with the case and general design. There is no exception to the rule mentioned earlier. The Airain Type 20 is an accurate re-edition, whose design overall matches the original Airain watches, but with Dodane conforming to the Type 21 specification. This means an angular case, with a flat bezel, sharp lugs, and an overall very utilitarian design. Made of stainless steel, the case has grown slightly and now measures 39.5 mm in diameter compared to 38 mm in the past. The height without the crystal is 10.85 mm, and the lug-to-lug size, while not particularly small, remains quite manageable at 47.7 mm.
Besides the design itself, the 2021 Airain Type 20 model retains all the elements of the past, such as the bi-directional bezel with a 12-hour countdown scale, classic pump chronograph pushers, an unsigned, oversized, and flat crown, lugs with holes, and a screw-down case back. Tom Van Wijlick even went so far as to offer a domed Hesalite crystal (with scratch-resistant treatment) instead of the classic, more modern, but much less charming sapphire crystal.
Being a product of the 2020s, the overall quality is certainly much more appealing than that of vintage watches, with finely brushed lugs, sharper edges, a smooth bezel, and a pleasant sense of weight - old watches could feel quite light, if not too light. The case is also water-resistant to 50 meters, which is more than enough for a watch of this category. Overall, aside from the slightly larger case size, there aren't many differences between these Airain Type 20 Re-Edition and the vintage watches they are modeled after.
The same goes for the dial… While the classic and non-limited version of the Airain Type 20 is equipped with a matte black dial, Van Wijlick is launching a limited edition with a dark brown dial that mimics vintage tropical dials in honor of this model's launch. This is the model we had in our hands. Except for the dial and strap color, as well as the specific engraving on the case back, these watches are identical to the standard version.
Looking at the dial, what has changed compared to vintage watches? Nothing… Everything was accurately recreated and adapted to the new case and movement sizes, but discreetly. No matter what you look at, everything is simply identical to the original watches: luminous pencil hands, Arabic numerals filled with cream-colored Super-LumiNova (a light patina feel doesn’t hurt, plus it’s done in moderation here), railroad tracks on the sub-dials, a counterbalanced second hand, a pointer 30-minute hand, or an exact second track on the periphery with the same numeral font. Even the stone counter and the mention of “Incabloc” have been retained, as has the historical Airain logo.
Of course, due to the modern movement inside, the placement and size of the sub-dials have changed slightly, but the entire watch is well proportioned, so this remains fairly unobtrusive. The dial itself has a matte, slightly grained texture, and the sub-dials, as in the original watches, have a matte finish. There is a fair amount of glare on the dial, but this was expected with the use of domed Hesalite.
Under the screw-down case back lies a rather interesting movement. Although the original column-wheel flyback Valjoux movement had to be replaced, the Airain Type 20 Re-Edition nevertheless remains faithful to two elements of the original movement. First, a fairly simple base architecture that ensures reliability. Second, some enhancements related to the column wheel and, of course, the flyback function - these watches wouldn't be Type 20 without the retour en vol feature.
The Caliber AM1 was developed in collaboration with the La Joux-Perret manufacture based on the Valjoux 7750 architecture but with substantial changes. Now the movement is manually wound, which not only matches the original watches but also helps maintain a thin case. The cam has been replaced by a smoother and more precise column wheel, and the flyback function has been added. This movement operates at a frequency of 4 Hz and has a comfortable power reserve of 60 hours.
The Airain Type 20 Re-Edition Brown Dial Limited Edition is worn on an elastic, vintage-style brown suede strap that complements the retro style of the watch. It closes with a steel buckle.
CONCLUSIONS
It will be hard for me to be objective when reviewing these watches, knowing how biased I feel towards anything Type 20. But it also allows me to be quite critical and demanding. If I had one (small) remark, it would be about the case size. I would like to see a 38 mm case, like the original watches. I also understand the requirements for a modern movement, and overall, even if it is larger, the watch remains compact enough to be 1. comfortable 2. vintage.
Otherwise, this watch, in my view, is a success. While there is nothing unprecedented in the design, it is extremely faithful and brings back all the appeal of the vintage Type 20 watches in a modern and well-finished case. Aside from the obvious fidelity, which met my wishes for such a watch, what I also like about the Airain Type 20 Re-Edition is that it remains true to the original tool watch vocation of the Type 20. The Breguet Type XX was a beautiful interpretation of the concept, but it was also far from the original military requirements. The Airain Type 20 Re-Edition is closer in this regard, and even its price is more in line with the spirit of the original.
AVAILABILITY AND PRICE
The Airain Type 20 Re-Edition Brown Dial is released in a limited edition of 134 pieces priced at €2,600. Standard models with a black dial are priced at €2,540. These are pre-order prices.
The brand has already successfully completed the first phase of the pre-order campaign, but the second phase will open next Friday (August 20, 2021) on the brand's website at www.airain.com.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS — AIRAIN TYPE 20 RE-EDITION
Case: 39.5 mm diameter x 10.85 mm height — 47.7 mm lug-to-lug — stainless steel case, matte and polished — domed Hesalite crystal — screw-down stainless steel case back — bi-directional bezel with 12-hour countdown scale — water resistance 50 m
Dial: brown matte dial, snail-shaped sub-graduations — painted Arabic numerals with Super-LumiNova — rhodium-plated hands with Super-LumiNova
Also available in matte black for the standard version
Movement: Caliber AM1, developed by La Joux-Perret — manually wound chronograph with column wheel, flyback function — 24 jewels — 28,800 vibrations/hour — power reserve 60 h — hours, minutes, small seconds, chronograph with 30-minute counter
Strap: 20 mm suede leather strap with a steel pin buckle
Availability: Second pre-order campaign starts on Friday, August 20
Brown dial version (ref. 421.458) limited to 134 pieces
Price: €2,540 (black dial)
€2,600 (brown limited series)