Here is the third — and my favorite — of three new Pilot’s watches that Zenith is introducing for 2012.  The Zenith Pilot “Big Date Special” is very nicely proportioned with a 42mm steel case (note the polished and satin-brushed finishes), a matte black dial, and perfectly balanced chrono registers and big date window.   The hands are treated with black ruthenium and Superluminova mark the hours and minutes in a decisively masculine and modern style.  Behind the dial, the automatic mechanical El Primero 4010 calibre ticks away — actually it can be seen through the sapphire caseback.   Available on mesh steel bracelet or top-stitched calfskin strap.  You can check out Zenith’s other two Pilot’s watches for 2012 here:  57.5mm Zenith Montre d’Aeronef Type 20 Pilot’s Watch  and Zenith Pilot Doublematic WorldTime Watch.

Zenith Pilot Big Date Special

42mm case, automatic mechanical Zenith El Primero 4010 caliber (36,000 vph)

Central hours and minutes; Small seconds at 9 o’clock; 30-minute chronograph counter at 3 o’clock; Sweep seconds hand; big date at 6 o’clock

Inspiration:  Zenith 1960

2012 is the year of the “Pilot” watch for Zenith, with three new Pilot models out this year.  Shown here is the Zenith Pilot Doublematic, featuing the “world time” function shown clearly on the outer flange of the dial.  Personally, I have never been a big fan of worldtime watches, but no doubt the watch market has seen many many “world timer” watches launched by many different brands the past year or two (particularly this year, it seems).  Anyway…a few things to note on this Zenith Pilot Doublematic:  in addition to the world time capability, there is also a chronograph and an alarm function.   The alarm is activated and set by a pushpiece button and crown at 8 o’clock. On the dial, a pierced Ruthenium black and red hand shows the time set for the alarm, while an opening at 8:30 confirms that it is turned on (alarm power reserve also shown).  Personally, I’d go for the new Zenith Big Date Special (which I will show you soon) or theMontre d’Aeronef Type 20 Pilot’s Watch over this piece, given a choice.  Thanks to my watch friend Lukasz who runs Chronos24 for the “live shot”, below.

Zenith Pilot Doublematic WorldTime Watch

45mm pink gold or steel case, automatic mechanical El Primero 4606 (two barrels — time and alarm)

picture:  Chronos24

Baselworld 2012: Let’s turn to a great new Zenith El Primero piece, the Espada.  Although the Pilot collection is this year’s flagship, the El Primero collection has certainly received its fair share of attention this year.   You’ve already seen the Zenith El Primero Chronomaster 1969, but I think this El Primero Espada is an equally attractive piece.  It is a basic 3-handed timekeeper with a high frequency El Primero 4650B automatic movement (36,000 vph).  The case is perfectly sized at 40mm, with a screw down crown.  The watch is available in a wide variety of metals (rose gold, stainless steel, or bi-metal) and dial options (black, white, silver).  The watch is overall fairly understated, but that’s what makes it attractive to me.

Zenith El Primero Espada

40mm steel or rose gold case, automatic mechanical Zenith El Primoer 4650B caliber

The case, in stainless steel or steel and 18kt rose gold, measures 40mm. It has an AR-coated sapphire crystal, a sapphire display back, and is water resistant to 100 meters. 

Movement is the Swiss automatic Zenith in-house caliber El Primero 4650B with 22 jewels, 36,000 vph and a power reserve of 50 hours. 

Dials can be had in black, white or silver sunray, all with Rhodium or rose gold plated indeces and markers.

In 2012 Zenith will broaden its popular El Primero Chronomaster line of models with 2 new models, the El Primero Chronomaster 1969 and the El Primero Chronomaster Open Grande Date Moon & Sunphase.   First let’s take a closer look at the Chronomaster 1969, a watch that reflects both Zenith’s rich heritage and its return to respectable watchmaking in recent years.

As with the original 1969 El Primero model, the 30-minute and 12-hour counters (at 3 and 6 o’clock respectively) feature the same colours as the original 1969 El Primero model.   This watch has a new El Primero movement in the form the Calibre 4061, beating at 36,000vph (higher frequency movement than many).  You can also see — and this is a Zenith “first” — a partially cut-away of the dial through the beating heart of the movement can be seen.  This open-heart construction reveals the work of Zenith movement design engineers and watchmakers who redesigned the movement’s escapement to sit at 10 o’clock.  The Zenith El Primero Chronomaster 1969 Chronograph comes presented on a rubber-lined alligator strap with either pin buckle or optional triple folding clasp.  A perfectly sized watch with an awesome dial — nicely done, Zenith.

Zenith El Primero Chronomaster 1969 Watch

42mm stainless steel case, (new) automatic mechanical manufacutre Zenith El Primero Caliber 4061, midnight blue or anthracite dial

Alligator leather strap with protective rubber lining black alligator leather
Ref.: 27.00.2118.496
Stainless steel buckles Stainless steel pin buckle
Ref.: 27.01.0018.008
Stainless steel triple folding clasp (optional)
Ref.: 27.03.0138.940

Baselworld 2012 is right around the corner and after a taking last week off, Team Perpetuelle is gearing up to get the early sneak peaks a-going for you.  Let’s start it off with a smashing cool Pilot’s watch from Zenith, the Zenith Pilot Montre d’Aeronef Type 20, a limited edition (250) military tribute piece that I believe actually traces back to an aviation dashboard clock (not a Pilot’s watch!).  Everything about this watch screams cool, from its thick hands and dial numbers to the huge rounded-onion style crown, and yes even the 57.5mm case size.  Yes, that’s right, the grade 5 titanium case is a whopping 57.5mm in diameter — the reason being that it is built around the Zenith Caliber 5011, a manual-wind movement originally designed for pocket watches and deck chronometer clocks (circa 1960).  While I think the overall trend is towards smaller watches, this size does not bother me in the least because it makes for a perfect military-style Pilot’s watch (historically, they had to be very big and very legible).  Definitely a cool piece from Zenith, and the best part is that their more mainstream production pieces are just as good — so stay tuned in!

Zenith Montre d’Aeronef Type 20 Pilot’s Watch

Limited Edition 250 pieces

57.5mm titanium case, manual-wind Zenith Caliber 5011 (pocketwatch caliber, 50mm diameter, 48+ hrs power reserve, COSC cert.), brown leather strap with titanium pin buckle

close-up of the dial:

Just a couple weeks ago I showed you the Zenith Captain Winsor Annual Calendar watch featuring the MIH-annual calendar module.  Well today I am excited to show you another take this watch, created exclusively for Southern California-based Westime.  The Zenith Captain Winsor for Westime is a 28-piece limited edition containing the same MIH annual calendar complication on top of Zenith’s in-house El Primero automatic chronograph movement.   The 42-mm stainless steel and 18K rose gold case frames a black and blue guilloche dial with rose gold-plated hands and indexes.  Day and month are displayed on the dial in the 3 o’clock location, a 60-minute counter and the date reside at 6 o’clock, and small seconds are seen at 9 o’clock.  Inquire at www.westime.com (great website, by the way!).  Price — [pending]

Zenith Captain Winsor Annual Calendar Chronograph (Westime Exclusive)

42mm rose gold + stainless steel case, MIH-annual calendar module on Zenith El Primero automatic mechanical chronograph caliber, rubber-lined blue alligator strap

close-up:

Many a watch come along that I feel strongly compelled to own, but this new Zenith Captain Winsor is now at the top of my wish list.  The exciting aspect of this exciting new watch lies in its architecture — the piece is a collaboration between Zenith and the Musée International d’Horlogerie (MIH).  Yes, this is the same MIH as in “the MIH watch” — a little-known favorite of many a serious watch collector.  While certainly not a grand looking (nor grandly priced) watch, the MIH watch is reputed for its supremely simple annual calendar module designed by Master Watchmaker Ludwig Oechslin.    Oechslin’s annual calendar module uses a simplified disc mechanism comprising only 9 moving parts — typically added on top of the ETA 7750 caliber.  Genius!  However, for the Zenith Captain Winsor Annual Calendar watch — instead of a run-of-the-mill ETA 7750, Oechslin built his annual calendar module on top of Zenith’s legendary El Primero movement.  Double Genius!  In short — I agree with Hodinkee’s Ben Clymer all the way on this one!

Price-wise, the Zenith Winsor Annual Calendar will set you back $8,700 for the steel model (silvered or midnight blue dial), $18,800 in rose gold — a nice price for such a compelling combination. One steel case/silver dial model, please!

Zenith Captain Winsor Annual Calendar

42mm steel or rose-gold case, automatic mechanical El Primero 4054 caliber, oscillating weight with côtes de genève pattern; ; fitted on black or brown alligator strap with protective rubber lining and matching buckle

Looking closely at the dial, you can see nicely contrasting finishes – a centre section of guilloché and a broad, satin-finished outer ring.  Note also the 2-chronograph sub-dials, “annual calendar” notation at the top of the dial, and the calendar functions (day, date, month):

Designed for the southpaw…

Just about a week to go until ONLY Watch 2011 and my previews continue.  Today we look at Zenith and the two unique pieces that they have created for the event.  Both these watches are what are known as “destro” style (Italian word), meaning that the crown and chronograph pushers are located on the left side of the case (usually they are on the right side) which makes the watches are suitable for a left-hander to wear on his right wrist.  Zenith says that “Like Leonardo da Vinci, one in ten people are left-handed, and the proportion varies considerably between various countries, reaching as much as one-quarter of the population in some cases. It is for them that these two models are specifically designed.”  Both models house the legendary El Primero calibre which was launched by Zenith in 1969 and is now one of the most famous movement families in horological history.

See my comprehensive coverage of all of the special ONLY Watch 2011 pieces >>>

Zenith “Captain Chronograph”

Unique Piece

42mm gold case, automatic mechanical El Primero 400B chronograph caliber,

Zenith “Pilot Chronograph”

Unique Piece

42mm stainless steel case, inverted bezel, automatic mechanical El Primero 4002 chronograph caliber

It’s time to put a Zenith on your wrist…

The hot new pieces from Zenith in 2011 are the Zenith El-Primero Stratos Flybacks.  Consiting of the Stratos Flyback, the Stratos Flyback Striking 1/10th, and the Stratos Flyback Johan Nilson special edition, the watches feature a tough black ceramic bezel and what I would describe as a nice blend of “rugged”  “adventure” and “military” looks.  The case is 45.5 mm diameter, avail. in a variety of metals, and with Zenith’s El-Primero 4057B caliber (precise to 1/10th of a second) or the simpler El-Primero 405B column-wheel chronograph movement.  Personally I’d go for the Stratos Flyback with the black “Alchron” steel case (Alchron is similar to a DLC finish).  Prices for the Zenith Stratos Flybacks start at around $10,000.  The special edition done in partnership with Explorer John Nilson (also picutred below) looks particularly awesome.  Nicely done, Zenith, nicely done!

Zenith Stratos Flyback

Alchron coated-steel case

Steel and Red Gold/Alchron Cases

Zenith Stratos Flyback Johan Nilson Pole2Pole Special Edition

black Alchron-coated steel case, special subdial – limited edition of 500

Zenith Stratos Flyback Striking 1/10th

I’ll wrap this up with a few more thoughts on Zenith in general.  I started covering Zenith at Baselworld 2010, when it introduced some fantastic new watches such as the El-Primero Striking 1/10th watch and the Ultra Thin 681.    Introduced under the guidance of CEO Jean-Frédéric Dufour, these watches (among others) marked the beginnings of  Zenith’s very wise move back to its heritage and playing to its technical capabilities such as that exemplified in the legendary El-Primero movement.  Just a couple years into this move back to its roots, Zenith continues to show us that it is 100% focused on becoming a real powerhouse in the industry.  In summary, I think that Zenith is really on the up-and-up right now, and I think that the time is now right to look at putting a Zenith on your wrist, or at adding one to your collection.

Zenith will be unveiling another great lineup of watches at Baselworld 2011 (March 24-31, 2011), with the Zenith Captain Power Reserve watch you see below being just one example of this.   Under the leadership of Jean-Frédéric Dufour since mid-2009, Zenith has undergone a superbly positive transformation by focusing on more traditional watch designs that reflect the brand’s heritage and technical strengths — i.e. its legendary “El Primero” chronograph movements.  Take a look back at several of the Zenith watches I have profiled in the last year, and you will clearly see that Zenith’s  “return to its roots” has delivered some exemplary timepieces and given watch owners, collectors & enthusiasts a reason to fall in love with the brand all over again.

Zenith Captain Power Reserve

40mm case (white gold or stainless steel), guilloche patterned dial with power reserve (2 o’clock) and small seconds (9 o’clock), Zenith Elite 685 Automatic Mechanical movement

Zenith Captain Power Reserve Steel	Zenith Captain Power Reserve Rose Gold

The 2011 Captain Power Reserve models leave behind the prior Elite Class Power Reserve models which were similarly styled and powered (Elite 685 caliber).

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