Type XX and Type XXI aviator’s flyback chronographs come from an era where watches were instruments, tools to be depended on and not objects of opulence. Despite that, they are some of the most beautiful chronographs to have ever been designed. Much in the way that the fractal angles of an F1 winglet form accidental beauty from sheer function, Type XX watches have a sort of profoundly beautiful simplicity. This Dodane was made to get some French aviator to target or back to base on time, nothing more.

In the 1950s, the French military released a technical specification for a needed chronograph known as the Type XX. Though Breguet are perhaps most famous for supplying the French military with Type XXs, many other suppliers took up the gauntlet. Some on the lesser known names present extreme value today, where the rarer iterations are already auction fodder. Dodane filled a contract for ~5000 Type XX and Type XXI chronographs. The best part about the Dodane effort, though, is that their early production dials often went very, very tropical. I have personally never seen an example with a dial this mocha, registers even lighter.

Additionally, the Dodane XXI has two other quirks. First, its bezel was a countdown rather than plain or count-up, this was an update to the specification to be used as an elapsed mission timer. Second, French issued Dodanes often bear ‘FG’ engravings on back, standing for ‘Fin de Garantie’, or ‘end of guarantee’. Each time the chronograph was serviced, a guarantee of performance was made by the military watchmaker’s servicing department until its next service date. This example bears engravings showing that it was serviced four times, way more than most which often bear one or two, and served from at least 1971 until 1978.

The case specification was made deliberately oversized for its era to aid legibility at 38mm. To that same effect, the tropical dial features Arabic numerals in a very warm golden tritium. Interestingly, the entire chronograph hand is also coated in tritium, where many other suppliers only lumed the end. Perhaps most importantly, though, there’s nothing that needn’t be there; a tool watch to its very core.

This example presents a case with moderate surface wear commensurate with age and service, but sharp edges that have likely not seen a polish. Its dial is an even and brightly warm tropical tone, with subdials considerably lighter still. Its bezel shows wear matching with the case, its rotation operating well. Caseback engravings are very deep. All original. The Valjoux 23 was serviced in early 2021, flyback operates well. It comes on a grey suede Kaufmann strap (pictured).

This watch is modeled on a relatively large 7.7 inch wrist.

• Brand: Dodane
• Model: Flyback Chronograph
• Reference: Type XXI
• Size: 38
• Year: c. 1970
• Case Material: Steel
• Movement: Manual Valjoux 23
• Scope: Watch Only