The history of Chronofixe dates back to the mid-19th century. Founded in 1857, in the heart of the Doubs gorges, on the Swiss border, in La Rasse, the Chronofixe manufacture was the only French watchmaking company certified to produce altimeter chronographs. In the early 1950s, the French Ministry of Defense developed a set of specifications for a chronograph watch intended for its Air Force. The government asked watchmakers to come up with a model that was highly resistant and flight-ready, later known as the Type 20. These watches were mainly delivered to the French Air Force and provided to its pilots as part of their equipment, remaining the property of the French government. By the end of the 1950s and 1960s, civilians began to show increasing interest in acquiring functional chronographs. French watchmakers started producing the same design and specifications without the military stamp on the case back. After several generations, they are now collected not only by military personnel but also by private pilots and chronograph enthusiasts.
