Watches and Wonders – 2023 Zenith’s Pilot collection Relaunch with Pilot Automatic and Pilot Big Date Flyback. The Pilot collection blends durability, legibility, intuitiveness and a modern design with subtle nods to aviation. Zenith is now launching the line’s first Boutique Edition timepieces that not only respect tradition but boldly embrace innovation. These timepieces, adorned with captivating blue dials, pay homage to the night sky – a source of inspiration that has guided Zenith since its inception.
Zenith is proud to be associated with the colour blue. It has a very special place in its heart. Reflecting the night sky and the brightest shining star that inspired Zenith’s founder, Georges-Favre Jacot, blue encapsulates the spirit of adventure and bravery of early pilots. The Pilot collection’s deep shade of blue is not just a colour choice; it’s a tribute to the pioneers who dared to soar above the horizon, chasing dreams amid the vast expanse of the sky.
The Pilot Automatic Boutique Edition is encased within a 40mm stainless-steel frame and exudes angularity, with its flat-top, round bezel. The dial is textured and resembles the corrugated metal sheeting on vintage aircraft fuselages. It features large luminescent Arabic numbers. The luminescent hour marker at 6 o’clock, resembling an artificial horizon instrument, adds a touch of aviation nostalgia. The El Primero 3620 watch movement is visible through the back display. The straps are interchangeable and come in brown calfskin or blue cordura effect rubber.
Pilot Big Date Flyback Boutique Edition – a more feature-rich and larger sibling, at 42.5mm – boasts an impressive big date display as well as a highly coveted flyback function. The innovative, compliant mechanism stabilizes the big date’s wheels in less than 0.03 seconds, ensuring precise timekeeping. Flyback, designed for pilots wearing thick gloves, records consecutive times with just a push of a switch. This aviation-themed watch is powered by El Primero’s 3652 chronograph, which can be seen through the back display. The straps are brown calfskin with blue cordura effect rubber.
To complete the narrative, Zenith introduces the first-ever “ICONS: PILOT” capsule collection, featuring three vintage Pilot watches meticulously restored and certified by the Manufacture’s Heritage Department. This capsule collection delves into three Zenith Pilot watches’ professional and consumer aspects from the late 1960s and 1970s, focusing on their earlier El Primero models.
Tipo CP-2 Cairelli
Produced for the Italian army corps between 1968 and 1972, this military-spec chronograph, delivered through Roman retailer A. Cairelli, inspires modern Zenith Pilot creations with its rotating bezel and luminescent elements like Zenith’s 146 DP manual-winding chronograph calibre, originally developed by the Martel Workshops that had provided Cairelli. The A.M.I. The A.M.I.
A3821
Launched in 1972, the A3821 stands out for its space-age design, combining the legibility of a pilot’s watch with the water resistance and double gaskets of a diver’s watch. This hybrid exemplifies Zenith’s innovative approach during that era.
01.0230.415
The ref. 01.0230.415, from 1975, is the first Zenith El Primero chronograph with a display back, revealing the revolutionary calibre with a space-age design and a matte black dial, with movement mounted on a suspension system as well as an integrated “lobster” bracelet made by Gay Frères. This exceedingly rare piece showcases the brand’s commitment to pushing boundaries.
Zenith’s Boutique Editions, which combine vintage charm with modernity, and the ICONs capsule collections, which revive treasures of the past, continue to elevate the art watchmaking. They invite enthusiasts to fly with them in the skies of innovation. The Boutique collection is available exclusively at Zenith’s website and stores, while the “Icons: Pilot” remains a website-only offering. Pilot Automatic Boutique Edition retails for $7,500. Pilot Big Date Flyback Boutique Edition sells for $11,500.