The fake Type 21 flyback on the market copies one brand: Breguet. Breguet created the Type XX for the French naval air force in the 1950s, and its later Type XXI (spoken as Type 21) pairs a self-winding flyback chronograph with a 24-hour register. A listing with that name is a copy of a Breguet, because no watch brand is called Type 21.
fake type 21 flyback imitation
What Is a Type 21 Flyback Watch?
Type 20 started as a French military specification from 1954 for pilot chronographs, and several companies built watches to it. Breguet moved the design into civilian sales as the Type XX, then revived the line in the 1990s as the Type XXI. The XXI is the model most people mean when they write Type 21.
Understanding Fake Type 21 Flyback Luxury Watches
What does flyback mean on a Type XXI?
Flyback restarts the chronograph with one pusher press, without stopping it first. A standard chronograph needs three presses (stop, reset, start) between timing runs. On a real Type XXI, pressing the lower pusher sends the seconds hand back to zero and starts it again in the same motion.
Are there other Type 20 and Type 21 brands?
Dodane, Airain, Auricoste, and Vixa built military Type 20 chronographs, and a few independent makers offer modern Type 20 and Type 21 style flybacks. Those watches share the look (black dial, large luminous numerals, two registers) but not the case or the movement. Breguet is the one major brand with a Type XXI line.
Identifying Fake Type 21 Flyback Watches
Which Replica Models Carry the Type 21 Name?
Replica workshops focus on Breguet Type XX and Type XXI references, since that is the name buyers search. You will see listings tagged 3810 and 3817, plus Transatlantique versions. Style copies of Airain and Dodane flybacks exist too, but in small numbers.
What the replicas get right
- Case diameter and lug shape at arm's length.
- Dial color, printed numerals, and the subdial layout.
- Breguet style hands and a signed crown.
Where the copies fall short
- The flyback action: most copies use a standard chronograph movement that cannot fly back.
- The 24-hour hand, which turns once per day on the real watch.
- Case band flutes (the coin edge middle) with the wrong count or depth.
- Rotor engraving and movement finish behind the sapphire back.
How to Spot a Fake Type 21 Flyback
1. Run the flyback test
Start the chronograph, let it run about ten seconds, then press the lower pusher once. A true flyback snaps the hand to zero and keeps running. A standard chronograph stops and resets instead, so the hand sits at zero until you press the top pusher again.
2. Watch the 24-hour hand
Set the watch to a known time and check the small 24-hour register. It should match the hour hand and complete one turn per day, so a four hour change moves it one sixth of the dial. Copies built on a 12-hour gear train fail this check.
3. Inspect the case band
Breguet finishes the case middle with fine vertical flutes, and the pattern wraps the whole band. Replicas cut shallow grooves, skip the section behind the lugs, or space the flutes on a wider pitch. Run a fingernail along the band and compare the feel on both sides.
4. Read the dial text and hands
Print quality is a fast tell. Genuine Breguet dials use thin, crisp numerals and a signed Breguet script with even strokes. Copies show thick edges, uneven space between the subdials, or a date window that sits off center.
5. Look through the caseback
The Type XXI has a sapphire back, so the movement is visible. Real examples show Geneva stripes, blued screws, and a gold rotor with hand engraving. Replica movements carry printed or stamped decoration and a rotor with shallow lettering.
6. Check the weight and pusher feel
Steel Type XXI watches feel dense for their size, and the pushers have firm, short travel. Light cases, hollow pusher action, and loose bracelets point to a copy. Ask for the total weight if you buy online.
Movement Options Inside Replica Type XXI Watches
Most replicas use one of three movement families. The choice sets the price, the reliability, and whether the flyback works at all.
- Quartz: low cost, good timekeeping, no flyback, seconds hand that ticks once per second.
- Asian automatic chronograph (7750 layout): smooth sweep, working chronograph, no flyback function. This is the most common option.
- Top tier automatic with decoration: better finishing and a cloned rotor, still no true flyback in most builds.
A small number of builds use a genuine flyback chronograph movement, and those cost far more than a standard copy. Ask the seller to name the movement before you pay.
Price Tiers for Fake Type 21 Flyback Watches
Replica pricing follows movement type. Quartz copies sit at the bottom, 7750 style automatics in the middle, and decorated automatics with better cases and crystals at the top. A genuine steel Type XXI trades in the five figure range on the secondary market, so a listing priced near a few hundred dollars is a copy.
FAQ: Fake Type 21 Flyback Watches
Is a fake Type 21 flyback a true flyback?
Almost never. Standard chronograph movements dominate the replica market, and they reset rather than fly back. If a seller claims a working flyback, ask for a video of the pusher test.
Which brand gets copied for the Type 21 flyback?
Breguet. The Type XX and Type XXI are the only widely sold watches from a major brand that carry the Type 2x name, so replicas copy them. Independent Type 20 reissues get copied too, but you see them less.
Can a watchmaker tell a real Type XXI from a fake?
Yes, and fast. The flyback action, the 24-hour hand speed, the case flutes, and the movement finish each give it away. A trained eye needs seconds, not a full service.
Do replica Type XXI watches keep time?
Quartz copies keep good time. Automatic copies vary by movement grade, and a watchmaker can regulate most of them. Expect drift if the watch takes a knock.
Are replica Type 21 flyback watches waterproof?
Treat them as splash resistant at best. Gaskets and case finishing on copies vary, so keep one out of the pool and the sea even if the listing says 50 meters.
Quick Buyer Checklist
- Confirm the movement family before paying.
- Ask for a video of the flyback pusher test.
- Check the 24-hour hand against the hour hand.
- Look for even case flutes and a centered date.
- Compare rotor engraving with photos of a genuine Type XXI.
- Budget for a service if you plan to wear it often.