Zenith Pilot Montre d’Aéronef Type 20 Annual Calendar
For 2013 Zenith unveil a new collection of Pilot watches, here we feature the Zenith Pilot Montre d’Aéronef Type 20 Annual Calendar, which with its well designed and perfectly placed compendium of indications captures the spirit of the collection's cockpit-inspired styling and is rather handsome to boot.
Last year Zenith unveiled a superb trio of aeronautical timepieces in celebration of a time when Zenith not only supplied precision cockpit instruments, but were also the watch of choice for some of the world's most celebrated pilots, an entirely appropriate scenario for the brand who originally trademarked the term "Pilot" so no other watchmaker could use it.
Perhaps you may recall the 2012 Montre d’Aéronef Type 20, at 57.5mm across its out-sized case was proportionate considering that it was built around a pocketwatch calibre, the Zenith 5011. This year's continuation of the portfolio engenders more wearable pieces while retaining the authentic Pilot characteristics including the huge, grippy crown and the big manly squared-off lugs.
On the dial everything is readable and usable, the generous lume-filled Arabic numerals, the twin day and month apertures at 3, the date at six and the slightly overlapping counters. The distinctive chubby hands, synonymous with the original 1938 Type 20 continue the authenticity.
Inside is the El Primero 4054B movement, an evolution of the brand's in-house El Primero chronograph calibre to which the Annual calendar complication has been added using just nine moving parts, a suprising simplification which we have seen before in the Zenith Captain Winsor Annual Calendar c/o the component-minimalising expertise of Ludwig Oechslin.
Two editions of the Zenith Pilot Montre d’Aéronef Type 20 Annual Calendar will be available, titanium case with 18 carat rose gold bezel or a stainless steel version each with a case size of 48mm.
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