There are some watches available today that are so distinctive in appearance, it is somewhat hard to believe that they played such a critical role in the development of all pilot watches as a category, and thus an important role in the broader world of horology. The modern Zenith Pilot watch, with its historical heritage, is one such series, holding a significant place in early aviation and influencing early designs for pilots’ wristwatches — but also in maintaining popularity among haute horology fans in the modern era.
The history of the Zenith Pilot begins back in 1909, when Louis Blériot became the first man to fly across the English Channel from Calais, France to Dover, England, with simply an early, somewhat generic Zenith wristwatch strapped to his wrist. This achievement, while today quite routine, was monumental in the development of early aviation, proving both the possibility of long-distance air travel, and the success of monoplanes over the previously popular bi-planes in completing it. The success inevitably made Blériot’s name legendary in aviation history, and solidified Zenith’s brand in its association with in-flight, tested performance. Zenith quickly capitalized on this association with the production of an array of onboard timekeeping instruments, specifically the Type 20 montre d’aéronef of 1939 (or “aircraft clock,” below), upon which the modern Zenith Pilot wristwatch is partly based.
The particular Pilot watch we’ll be focusing on today is the Type 20 Extra Special (Ref. 03.2430.3000/21.C738, below). This 45-mm steel- or bronze-cased piece is, as its name declares, extra special. With its relatively large case, intricately engraved caseback, large onion crown, and straight, utilitarian lugs — the piece shares many details with other pilot watches available today, while simultaneously presenting a unique, vintage-inspired take on the category.
On the matte black dial are bold, luminous white Arabic numerals; Zenith’s corporate logo and “Montre D’Aéronef, Type 20” near the 12 o’clock mark; and the words “Pilot” and “Extra Special” above 6 o’clock. It has early-20th-century-inspired cathedral hands on a black ruthenium-plated and satin finished dial, and is powered by Zenith’s automatic Caliber 3000, one of the brand’s many in-house movements, this one offering a power reserve around 42 hours. This particular steel reference can be found at various dealers starting around $3,000.
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