The Breguet Type XX 3820BR is the rose gold Transatlantique flyback chronograph, a 39.5 mm automatic watch built on the Lemania 1350 base caliber. A fake Type XX 3820BR is a copy of that reference, and the copies sold today run from quartz imitations to modified chronographs that pass at arm's length. Four things decide the quality of any copy: case size, dial finish, movement type, and caseback engraving.
What defines the Breguet Type XX 3820BR?
The 3820 is the Transatlantique version of the Type XX, and it adds a date display to the two-register cockpit layout of the earlier no-date 3800. It uses a 39.5 mm case with a fluted, coin-edge band, a black dial with luminous Arabic numerals, and straight luminous baton hands rather than the classic Breguet pomme hands. In the BR code, the case is 18k rose gold, which is why the finish and color matter so much on a copy.
Why the 3820BR is harder to copy than a steel Type XX
Rose gold hides nothing. Plating color drifts toward copper or yellow, and the coating wears thin at the lugs, crown, and caseback edges within months of daily wear. Solid gold copies exist, but the weight and hallmarks are the first things a knowledgeable buyer checks. Steel Type XX copies can survive a casual glance, while a bad gold copy usually fails in the hand.
Specs to verify on any copy
- Case diameter near 39.5 mm with roughly 14 mm thickness, not a 42 mm generic chrono case.
- Fluted case band with even, deep ridges that catch light along the full length.
- Black dial with crisp luminous Arabic numerals, correct printing weight, and clean subdial spacing.
- Two registers plus a date, matching the Transatlantique layout.
- Solid caseback with the reference 3820BR, gold hallmarks, and engraved Type XX script.
- Signed crown with a clear Breguet B, sized in proportion to the case.
Which movements appear inside replica 3820BR watches?
Entry copies use quartz or a basic hand-wound Seagull ST19, which looks right through the dial but sounds and feels thin. Mid-tier copies use an Asian 7750 automatic chronograph, reliable but without a true flyback. The top tier uses a modified chronograph with a flyback function, and those are the only copies that reproduce what the original does when you use it.
How do you test the flyback function?
Start the chronograph, let it run, then press the lower pusher once while it is still running. A real flyback snaps the seconds hand to zero and immediately keeps counting without a separate stop step. A standard chronograph will not behave that way, so this single test separates the best copies from everything below them.
What is the biggest tell on a fake Type XX 3820BR?
Most fakes give themselves away through the case profile and the gold finish, not the dial printing. Replica cases are often too thick or lack the crisp coined edge, and plated gold reads flat next to the warm, slightly pink tone of 18k rose gold. Under magnification, dial text, the date font, and the depth of the guilloché and engraving are the next clues.
Price tiers for replica Type XX 3820BR watches
- Budget tier, roughly 80 to 150 USD: quartz, wrong case proportions, thin plating.
- Mid tier, roughly 250 to 500 USD: automatic 7750 movement, good dial, plated gold.
- Upper tier, roughly 600 to 1,200 USD: flyback movement, accurate dimensions, heavier gold plating or solid gold cases.
Price alone proves nothing. A careful check of dimensions, function, and finish tells you more than the asking price on any listing.
Is a replica Type XX 3820BR worth buying over a steel Type XX copy?
Only if the gold tone and case profile are convincing, because those are the two features that fail most often. A well-made steel Type XX copy usually looks more believable than a cheap gold one.
Does any copy use the real Lemania 1350 base?
Genuine Lemania 1350 ebauches are scarce and expensive, so nearly all copies use Asian chronograph movements instead. A listing that claims a genuine Lemania base at a low price is almost certainly mislabeled.
Bottom line
Judge a fake Type XX 3820BR on case dimensions, fluted band quality, dial printing, and whether the chronograph actually flies back. Gold tone and weight finish the assessment. Get those four things right and the copy reads as a Type XX from across the room, which is the realistic standard for this reference.