Introducing the Mathey-Tissot x Massena LAB Type XX Tribute Chronograph, one of two vintage-inspired chronographs released in collaboration with famed, Swiss watchmaker Mathey-Tissot, both honoring one of the great tool watches of mid-century aviation.

In the 1950s and 60s, several prominent manufacturers, like Breguet, were issued contracts by the French Ministry of Defense (MOD) to produce pilot’s watches according to certain military specifications. The requirements included a flyback function, or retour en vol, which allowed a pilot to instantaneously restart a running chronograph without the typical need to stop, reset, and then restart; a black dial with large, luminous, Arabic numerals and two registers at 3 and 9 o’clock; a bidirectional, 12-hour rotation bezel; and a power reserve of at least 35 hours.

When Breguet, based in France at the time, lacked the resources to complete the contract on their own, they turned to their partner in Switzerland, Mathey-Tissot. Mathey-Tissot was the one of the most industrious suppliers of the Type 20 chronograph of the post war era, supplying a great number of the chronographs to the French government. In fact, out of the 2,000 Type 20 chronographs that Breguet had agreed to supply, none were made by Breguet. They were, instead, made by Mathey-Tissot.

The Mathey-Tissot x Massena LAB Type XX Tribute Chronograph has a warm, brown, tropical dial, and coffee-colored, luminous Arabic numerals. This dial is exclusive to Massena LAB and inspired by William Massena’s very own, vintage Breguet Type XX chronograph from his personal collection.