Review: Zenith Pilot Montre D'Aéronef Type 20
The watchmaker known as Zenith has made quite the comeback in recent years. As creator of the world's first integrated automatic chronograph movement—the El Primero—and former supplier of said movement to none other than Rolex, Zenith has some serious credentials to play with. Unfortunately, this rich heritage got a bit of a pummelling during the awkward reign of former CEO Thierry Nataf, when the usually exemplary designs of the pioneering watchmaker took a bit of a nosedive.
That era passed in 2009, and with Jean-Frederic Dufour—who cut his teeth with the likes of Chopard and Ulysse Nardin—now manning the helm, Zenith has risen from the over-styled and cumbersome ashes of its recent past to make watches that are, well—decent. In Mr. Dufour's words, 'the history of Zenith was not completely in line with [Nataf's] strategy.' With that in mind, he created the Striking Tenth, which cemented the El Primero as the king of chronographs once again; the Stratos, which gave the watchmaker a more palatable modern alternative to its primarily classical range; and the Captain, which offered an affordable entry into the renewed desirability of the brand.
And that brings us to the Pilot. Introduced in 2012, the Pilot Montre d'Aéronef Type 20—to give it its full name—borrowed heavily from Zenith designs of the 30s and 40s, specifically pilots' watches used during the second world war. This year, Zenith have beefed the range up a little, adding this GMT version to the line-up.
I want to caveat what I'm going to say next with this: I like Zenith watches—I mean I really like them. For me, an Ultra Thin and a Stratos Flyback is a supremely satisfying two-watch collection, and the Academy stuff is just mind-blowing. Throughout the ranges, quality is supreme, technology and innovation is industry leading, and the balance between looking to the future and celebrating the past is spot on. But, unfortunately, I just can't like the Pilot. I know it carries a rich history, I know the proportions are authentic and I know the fonts are too, but together they look to me like a caricature.
Variety is, as they say, the spice of life, and I will at this point highlight that there is nothing wrong with the Pilot—quite the opposite, actually. It is fantastically made, beautifully detailed and comfortable to wear, so if you're reading this and thinking, 'Pah! He must be blind', then I urge you to go ahead and try this watch out yourself, because it is well up to Zenith's high standards. It's just not for me.
Watch Spec | Zenith Pilot Montre D'Aéronef Type 20
Case: Stainless steel Dimensions: 48mm dia, 15.8mm thick Crystal: Anti-reflective coated synthetic sapphire Water Resistance: 100m Movement: Cal. Elite 693, automatic Frequency: 28,800 vph Power Reserve: 50 hours Strap: Leather Functions: Time, Second time zone indicator | Shop Now
