BREAKING DAWN

The Zenith Pilot collection sheds its vintage plumage to don a new and more sophisticated get-up

- KC YAP

ZENITH'S FASCINATION WITH the world of aviation goes as far back as the late 19th century, when the manufacture's founder Georges Favre-Jacot revealed his belief that mankind was on the verge of finally conquering the skies - and that Zenith should be there alongside the brave pioneers who saw a world of freedom and infinite possibilities far above the horizon.

Zenith would become one of the preeminent makers of specialised watches and dashboard instruments for pilots. Among the most notable of its countless adopters was Louis Blériot, who made history by making the first flight across the English Channel in 1909. Today, Zenith continues to uphold and build upon this unparalleled heritage with the latest generation of the Pilot collection.

Taking on many forms over the years in a balancing act between heritage and modernism, the Zenith Pilot collection is the manufacture's most long-standing range, and one that never ceases to beguile seasoned watch aficionados, as well as avid aviation enthusiasts. The latest chapter caters to the pilot spirit in each of us. seeking the freedom to dream and the space to constantly rise above our limits and the world around us.

Entirely redesigned from scratch, the all-new Pilot collection foregoes the vintage aesthetic for something that draws inspiration from the entire span of aviation - past and present. It is imbued with all the essential features of durability, legibility and intuitiveness, respecting the codes of Pilot watches that Zenith largely defined over a century ago with some of the earliest recorded aviator clocks and dashboard instruments, now revisited in a more contemporary context with some added Zenith flair and understated nods to the world of aviation.

PILOT AUTOMATIC