OT a bit.
Opinions and views needed.
Thinking about consolidating and trading off my Tudor and Sinn for either a Zenith Rainbow Flyback or Breguet XX. the prices differences are not that great.
Which one would you choose and in a long run better/easier/robust in their up keeping?
Which model of the Rainbow Flyback are you getting?
Also which of the Breguet Type XX are you looking at? Aeronavale or Transatlantique?
Both the El Primero Cal. 405 and the Breguet 582 (or 582Q date) are about the same in terms of reliability and robustness. However only the Cal. 405 can time to 1/10 sec, is that important to you? The power reserve of the Zenith is also longer than the Breguet, 55 hours vs 40 hours.
Just to note that the later model Rainbow are fitted with the Cal. 405Z with the modified escapement and is considered rarer. The difference is shown below.
Also if I am not mistaken the Cal. 405 is of the column wheel design and is considered by many chronograph purist as the ultimate design. However the 582 shares the same design concept as the Omega 861 (moon watch movement) and we all 'know' that it is robust since it's dad went to the moon and passed all the test (by NASA). But that does not imply that the Breguet movement is better.
Ok before we jump the gun, yes Rolex did send a watch in for testing and it could have been the Daytona (since NASA required chronograph watches), but Daytona of those days were fitted with the Valjoux movement. And the movement did not fail but the hands failed in the humidity test. It got bent at high temp and got stuck. So no reflection on the Zenith powered Daytona (1991 - 2000?).
The Breguet XX is still in production while the Zenith has been discontinued and is hard to find and rather popular. I like both the watches and would love to have both, perhaps one day. In reality I just love the El Primero movement (maybe I should get some cuff-links...) but perhaps not the Rainbow in itself. Well the all black version is not too bad. The best would be to get the El Primero in a Panerai case, i.e. PAM00074, but I digress.
If you are looking at the Breguet name in the Type XX, I don't think the Type XX represent it well. The Type XX was introduced in the low period of Breguet's history and is the cheapest way to enter into the world of Breguet watches. Early Type XX had many issues and it help to 'kill' the Breguet name. However I do like the watch and it's (implied) history and links to the Type 20 (note not Type XX). I think it is a beautiful watch and like it a lot. Given a choice between the Zenith and the Breguet, I will still go Breguet first. But that is just me.
