Zenith's fascination with the world of aviation goes as far back as the late 19th century. Zenith wanted to be alongside the brave pioneers who saw a world of freedom and infinite possibilities above the horizon. In 1904, Zenith filed a trademark for the English term "Pilot" making them the only watch manufacturer with the ability to put "Pilot" on the dial of their watches.
The all-new Zenith Pilot collection forgoes the vintage aesthetic for something that draws inspiration from the entire span of aviation. The Pilot Automatic revisits the aesthetic codes of the collection with a silhouette full of subtle details. Crafted in a 40mm black ceramic case, the Pilot Automatic features a new case design with a distinct flat-top round bezel fixed on top of the rounded case. The surfaces are vertically satin-brushed, and the oversized crown takes on a more angular, modern form while remaining easy to operate - even while wearing gloves.
The black opaline dial with its horizontal grooves, mimic the look of the metal sheets that made up the fuselage of many older aircrafts. The oversized luminescent Arabic numerals take on a more modern font. At 6 o'clock on the dial, just above the date feature, the hour marker takes the form of a straight white line, recalling the artificial horizon instrument in a plane. The dial is signed "Pilot" as Zenith remains the first and only brand to hold the rights to mark its dials with the term.
The watch is powered by the El Primero 3620 high-frequency manufacture movement, which delivers a power reserve of 60 hours. The mechanism's open and blackened oscillating weight recall the essential "artificial horizon" dashboard instrument, which informs the pilot of the aircraft's orientation relative to the Earth's horizon.
This black ceramic watch comes with two straps. The black ceramic version is on a stealthy black cordura-effect rubber strap with a newly designed folding clasp developed specifically for the Pilot. It also comes with a more utilitarian khaki cordura-effect rubber strap. The straps can be easily changed with the help of the quick-release mechanism that is integrated directly into the back of the straps.
