It's Not The Plane, It's The Pilot

A modern take on Zenith’s popular Pilot collection that debuted in bronze

- JONATHAN HO

ZENITH WAS A PROMINENT MANUFACTURER of specialised timepieces and dashboard instruments for pilots, filing a trademark for the French term "Pilote" in 1888 and for its English translation "Pilot" in 1904; to date, the Le Locle manufacture is still the only brand that has the rights to identify their timepieces with "Pilot" on the dial. Its credibility is further strengthened by the fact that on 25 July 1909, Louis Blériot flew his monoplane over the English Channel wearing a Zenith on his wrist.

This new generation of Zenith Pilot timepieces builds upon the foundation of the new Pilot Automatic. Featuring a broad, flat bezel sitting atop a rounded case, the large crown is a modern take on those old-school onion crowns that you'd expect from an authentic pilot's watch. Surfaces in steel are brushed with polished chamfers, while the black ceramic case is completely microblasted for a matte appearance.