Type 20 Ace 428.440 Watch

The Watch

Airain is a French watchmaking brand founded in 1934, celebrated for its quality timepieces and artisanal expertise. From its earliest days, it stood out with precise, elegant mechanical models - often destined for military and aviation professionals. Over the decades, Airain established itself as a high-end watchmaking name, defined by meticulous attention to detail, unwavering reliability, and timeless designs. Though the brand went through a quieter period in the 1970s, it preserved its heritage by developing watches that are both modern and traditional - embodying the best of French watchmaking excellence. Its creations are made for watch enthusiasts who seek distinctive timepieces with a particular focus on mechanical movements. The Airain Type 20 has long been considered an iconic watch with a rich history. The brand collaborates with Ace Jewelers, renowned for their passion for quality watches and jewelry, to bring this original aviation watch to life with a contemporary touch. It features a silver-toned case crafted from brushed and polished stainless steel. It measures 39.50mm in diameter, 10.85mm in thickness, and 47.75mm in length - perfectly proportioned for men's wrists. The case is fitted with a bidirectional knurled bezel featuring a 12-hour visual countdown. It is also topped with a domed sapphire crystal to protect the dial against scratches and impacts. At 2, 3, and 4 o'clock, a knurled crown and two pushers provide easy access to the chronograph and hand-setting functions. Finally, the screwed case back ensures water resistance of 5 ATM.

The Dial

The white dial of this timepiece offers excellent legibility. With a matte finish, it features two sword-shaped hands for hours and minutes, and an orange chronograph seconds hand. These, along with the Arabic numerals beneath them, are coated with SuperLuminova BG W9 for enhanced readability in low-light conditions. This model incorporates a flyback function - a classic pilot's complication - that allows the current timing to be reset and a new one launched instantly. Around the dial, a minute track aids time reading. You'll find two sub-dials at 3 and 9 o'clock for the 30-minute counter and small seconds. Note that the 3 o'clock sub-dial also features a luminescent treatment. Finally, the brand name appears at 12 o'clock.

The Movement

A manual-winding mechanical movement of Swiss origin powers this watch. Specifically, caliber AM2 ensures the reliability of all its functions. Fitted with 23 jewels, it beats at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour and delivers a power reserve of 63 hours.

The Strap

Two straps are included with this men's model:

The first strap is crafted from black nubuck. Comfortable and refined, it will complement any wrist with effortless elegance. It features two orange stitching lines at the lug area.

The second strap is made from orange nylon - easy to work with and full of personality. Its bold color lets you stand out in any situation and pairs just as well with understated outfits as with colorful ones.

Both straps fasten easily with an ardillon buckle.

Water Resistance

At 5 atmospheres of water resistance, equivalent to 50 meters, this watch offers entry-level water protection. While it's not designed for bathing, lap swimming, or diving, you can safely forget to take it off in the shower. That said, our experts recommend keeping it dry to preserve its movement for years to come.