A fake Type XX chronograph is a replica of the French military pilot chronograph style: two or three subdials, a 12-hour bezel, a 38 to 40 mm steel case, and a black dial with luminous Arabic numerals. Prices run from about $80 for a quartz copy to $600 and up for a 1:1 automatic with a cloned movement. Three things decide the quality: the movement, the dial printing, and how the pushers feel when you press them.
What is the Type XX chronograph layout?
Type 20 (written Type XX in Roman numerals) started as a French air force specification from the 1950s for a pilot's wrist chronograph. The spec called for a black dial, big luminous numerals, a rotating bezel for timing, and a flyback chronograph movement.
Breguet is the brand tied to the name today, and its modern Type XX watches keep the same shape language. That familiar look is why fakes are common: a flat dial, two registers, baton or syringe hands, and a bezel with a triangle marker at 12.
- Case size: 38 to 40.5 mm, steel
- Dial: matte black, Arabic numerals, lume plots
- Subdials: two (30-minute counter and small seconds) or three registers
- Bezel: bidirectional rotating, 12-hour scale
- Movement: flyback chronograph, hand-wound or automatic
How do you tell a good fake Type XX chronograph from a cheap one?
Cheap builds show their hand in the details. Check the dial first, then the case, then the movement, in that order.
Dial and subdials
Good replicas print sharp numerals with no bleeding at the edges. Subdial rings sit centered, and the hands line up with the markers at 12, 3, 6, and 9.
Low-tier copies use flat printed dials with crooked subdials, wobbly hands, and lume that glows for a few minutes at most. Glance at each subdial needle: if it rests past zero when the chrono is stopped, the assembly is poor.
Case, bezel, and crystal
The bezel on a decent fake Type XX chronograph turns with even clicks and no vertical play. On cheap ones it spins loose, sits high above the case, or carries a printed scale that wears off.
Crystal choice matters. Sapphire with a light anti-reflective coat looks close to the real thing. Mineral glass shows more glare and picks up scratches within a month of daily wear.
Pushers, crown, and chronograph feel
Press the top pusher. It should give a firm, short travel and snap back. A mushy or gritty pusher points to a low-grade modular chrono movement.
Reset should return every hand to zero with no jump. If the chrono second hand lands half a second off or the minute counter sticks, walk away from that watch.
What movements power a fake Type XX chronograph?
Four movement families show up in replicas, and each one sets a price ceiling and a service story.
- Quartz chronograph: light and cheap, with a seconds hand that ticks once per second. No service needed, no character.
- Seagull ST19 hand-wound: a column-wheel design based on a Swiss pattern. Smooth pushers, 40 hours of power, common in mid-tier fakes.
- Asian 7750 automatic: a workhorse with a modular chrono. Heavy rotor, decent accuracy, and parts that are easy to source.
- Clone flyback and column-wheel automatics: the top tier. Pushers feel close to the original, and the flyback function works.
An automatic with a working flyback marks a serious build. Quartz versions cost less and keep better time, but the pusher feel gives them away on the wrist.
How much does a fake Type XX chronograph cost?
Prices group into three bands. Treat the numbers as ranges, not quotes, since sellers move them with demand.
- $80 to $160: quartz, mineral glass, printed dial, stamped caseback.
- $180 to $380: hand-wound or automatic, sapphire option, cleaner dial printing, solid links.
- $400 to $700: 1:1 builds with clone movements, correct fonts, AR-coated sapphire, and a case profile that matches the original.
Past $700 the returns flatten. At that point you pay for packaging, shipping speed, and seller reputation rather than better parts.
What should you check before you buy?
Ask for photos with the chronograph running and then reset, not just a still of the dial. Video of the pushers is the single best test.
- Movement name and a photo of the open caseback
- Dial close-ups at 12 and 6 for alignment
- Bezel action on video
- Case thickness in millimeters
- Return policy and a payment method that protects you
Know the legal side too. Counterfeit watches that carry a protected brand name can be seized by customs, and that risk sits with the buyer. Some collectors stick to unbranded homage versions for exactly that reason, since the Type XX layout itself is not protected.
Frequently asked questions about fake Type XX chronographs
Is a fake Type XX chronograph waterproof?
Most are rated for splashes at best. Gaskets on budget replicas are thin, and caseback seals fail after a battery swap or a service. Keep them out of the pool.
Do replica Type XX chronographs keep good time?
Quartz copies stay within a second a day. Automatic versions land near minus 10 to plus 20 seconds a day, and that drift grows as the movement wears.
Can a watchmaker service a fake Type XX chronograph?
Many can, and the Seagull ST19 and Asian 7750 have parts supply. A full service can cost more than the watch, so a movement swap is often the smarter call.
How can you tell a fake from the genuine article?
Study the dial printing, the font of the numerals, the case weight, and the finishing inside the lugs. Genuine Type XX watches show crisp engravings, even brushing, and pushers that reset with no lag.