BY JOVAN KRSTEVSKI
Last year’s Pilot facelift rocked the watch world when Zenith traded tradition for a sporty makeover, almost blurring the lines with their “Pilot” namesake. Holding onto aviation heritage with textured dial evoking corrugated fuselages and oversized crowns recalling aviator gloves, they’re now pushing the envelope further with blue-dialed Pilot Boutique Editions.
ZENITH Pilot Automatic Boutique Edition
In the spotlight, the ZENITH Pilot Automatic Boutique Edition emerges as the purest expression of ZENITH’s Pilot watches. Encased in a 40mm stainless steel case, adorned with a flat-top round bezel and an oversized crown, this watch cuts through the air with a vintage-inspired flair with its flat-top bezel like a streamlined cockpit instrument.
The textured and grooved dial pays homage to the corrugated metal sheets of vintage aircraft fuselages. The luminescent Arabic numerals, applied as metal markers, evoke a sleek font filled with white Super-LumiNova. The engine of this Pilot Automatic is the El Primero 3620 high-frequency manufacture calibre, visible through the display back, resembling an “artificial horizon” dashboard instrument. The watch comes with a blue cordura-effect rubber strap and a brown calfskin strap, easily interchangeable with the quick-release system.
ZENITH Pilot Big Date Flyback Boutique Edition
Stepping into the limelight, the ZENITH Pilot Big Date Flyback Boutique Edition boasts a larger 42.5mm stainless steel case, housing the latest generation El Primero automatic high-frequency chronograph calibre. This aviation-oriented watch features a patented compliant mechanism for the oversized date display and a flyback function for seamless operations. The El Primero 3652 chronograph calibre, visible through the display back, showcases the iconic “artificial horizon” rotor. Like its counterpart, it comes with a blue cordura-effect rubber strap and a brown calfskin strap, offering versatility through an integrated quick-release system.
To provide a holistic view, ZENITH introduces its inaugural ‘ICONS: PILOT’ collection, featuring impeccably restored vintage Zenith chronographs from the late 1960s and 1970s. These timepieces, available primarily through Zenith’s website and potentially through other retailers, offer collectors and enthusiasts a chance to own a piece of aviation history. Meanwhile, the ZENITH Pilot Collection Boutique Editions, including the Pilot Automatic and Pilot Big Date Flyback, priced at 7,500 CHF and 11,400 CHF respectively, are exclusively available at ZENITH physical and online boutiques worldwide.
