Swiss luxury watch manufacturer Zenith has just launched its first-ever boutique editions of its popular Pilot watches. The new Pilot Automatic and Pilot Big Date Flyback boutique editions are inspired by aviation and feature stunning blue dials and oversized crowns.
Showcased in our best watches guide, Zenith is well known for its sporty chronographs and adventure-inspired timepieces. Zenith relaunched its Pilot collection at Watches and Wonders in 2023, giving the line a complete revamp and drawing inspiration from the past, present and future of aviation. Now, Zenith has expanded its Pilot range with two new boutique editions that are bold, colourful and contemporary.
Using Zenith’s signature colour in the forefront of the two new designs, the boutique edition Pilot watches both feature stunning blue accents, including the dial, hands and straps. Inspired by the night sky, the new Pilot watches are designed to remind wearers of the bravery and adventure that the earliest pilots experienced when flying for the first time.
The first new watch in the Pilot collection is the Pilot Automatic Boutique Edition. The 40mm stainless steel rounded watch is powered by the El Primero 3620 high-frequency movement that’s visible through the caseback. The watch has a distinct flat-top round bezel on top of the case and an oversized crown on the side which is not only edgy and fun to look at but also makes it easier to operate.
The Pilot Automatic Boutique Edition has a textured and grooved dial in the signature Zenith blue that represents the corrugated metal sheets that constructed older aircrafts. The dial features oversized Arabic numerals in a luminescent white colour that’s filled with Super-LumiNova. The watch hands have blue accents at their base and there’s a date window located at the 6 o’clock position.
With a 60 hour power reserve, the watch is completed with the Zenith logo and Pilot text printed on the dial. Priced at £6,700, the Pilot Automatic Boutique Edition comes with two strap options – a blue rubber strap or a brown calfskin strap – that can be interchanged with a quick-release system.
The second new addition to the Pilot range is the Pilot Big Date Flyback Boutique Edition. This watch isn’t too dissimilar in style to the Automatic, as the numerals, hands, crown and strap options are the same. But what sets the Pilot Big Date Flyback Boutique Edition apart is its larger and more feature-packed.
The Pilot Big Date Flyback Boutique Edition runs on the latest generation of the El Primer automatic high-frequency chronograph calibre. Two chronographs appear on the blue dial, overlapping the 2, 4, 8 and 10 numerals and replacing the 3 and 9 numerals completely.
The watch is housed in a 42.5mm stainless steel case and has a flyback function that allows the chronograph to reset to zero and restart by a single push of the button. It also features a next-gen patented complaint mechanism that advances and stabilises the date display’s wheels in less than 0.03 seconds. It’s priced at £10,100.
In addition to the new Pilot boutique editions, Zenith has also launched its first-ever ICONS: PILOT collection, three vintage collectibles from the second half of the 20th century. Three vintage Pilot watches have been restored and certified by the Manufacturer’s Heritage Department to breathe new life into the original watches.
