INTRODUCING: The Zenith Pilot Type 20 Extra Special Silver
Zenith is rather proud of the fact — and understandably so — that they hold the trademark for the “Pilot” name on watches, so it makes sense for them to proudly emblazon the name on the dials of their aviation-inspired pieces. This latest limited edition is extra special (also mentioned on the dial), because of its uncommon construction. The design of this Pilot is — well — pure pilot, with its large, classically shaped 45mm case, even bigger onion crown, stylised Arabic numerals and cathedral hands, replete with a suitably rugged calfskin strap (with an extra, somewhat mysterious, layer of leather on the bottom). Where things start getting interesting is the case material. You’d be forgiven for thinking it was steel, or perhaps even white gold. But no, you’re looking at sterling silver. Silver, while very traditional in jewellery, isn’t frequently seen in watches, largely because it tarnishes over time. However, in this age of forced patina, a silver case offers a dressier alternative to de rigueur bronze. The dial is also noteworthy. Made to resemble the riveted hull of a plane, it also features a very cool, randomised brush finish, again evoking the industrial finishing of early planes. It’s a…
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Editor’s note: The other week I caught up with a mate who had recently come to the inevitable realisation that he needed a yellow gold Day-Date on his wrist. He struggled with the stigma of gold for ages (yellow gold AND a Rolex to boot), before finally reconciling that it was, by all metrics, awesome. And that got me thinking back to this instructional guide from Andy Green … You know who you are, and you know why you’re here — and it’s totally fine. You’ve found yourself at the inevitable crossroad that all collectors come to. You’re finally in the position to buy something that you never thought you’d like, but as your tastes have evolved, you’re struggling to resist it. When you first started collecting watches, you swore it was too obnoxious, gaudy and ‘flashy’ … yet, here you are, lusting after a gold watch — not knowing how to handle it. Firstly, it’s okay. Like I said, we’ve all been there, often without realising. Maybe it happened when you were at your local dealer, who only had that model you wanted in white gold. Maybe you tried on a friend’s piece and fell in love with the weight of the metal.…
If I’m being honest, this is one of the less “Breguet” watches Breguet has released in recent years. It’s an unconventional mix of traditional features, in a much more contemporary package. All the key design features are there: the fluted case, the hands and the elaborately guillochéd dial, but this watch is a world away from their Classique collection, while still being undeniably Breguet. It also — and this is a key point — doesn’t look too much like anything else in the crowded field of high-end sports chronographs. And make no mistake, this is a high-end sports chronograph. One look at the back side of this hefty 42.3mm by 13.85mm watch should make that abundantly clear. All 346 parts of this automatic calibre (at least the ones I could see) are gorgeous, working together in complex harmony. The rotor is now a skeletonised ship’s wheel affair rather than the wavelike shape of yore. Of course, being Breguet, you know that there’s silicon inside, particularly the escapement anchor and the balance spring — good things for a sporty chrono. The choice of white gold case leans away from sports and more towards luxury (don’t worry though, there’s a titanium option…