Zenith article Status Magazine 2012

ZENITH
NEW ALTITUDE
ELISE
NUSSBAUM
BY
Creator of BOLD DESIGNS, arbiter of CHRONOMETRIC PRECISION, and pioneer in some of
the most extreme environments of the 20th
century, ZENITH builds upon its STORIED
PAST with new models that LOOK TO
THE FUTURE. Always a favorite of pilots,
Zenith repays the compliment with its
NEW PILOT COLLECTION, a line that
hearkens back to the SHARED HISTORY of an impossible dream
and a manufacture for which
NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE.
Available exclusively in a titanium case, the Pilot Montre
d’Aeronef Type 20’s crown is grooved, a feature that allows
a pilot to set the time without removing his gloves.
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T
he early history of aviation was
inextricably bound up with that
of horology, and Zenith in
particular played an important
role in the new era in which men
(and sometimes women) took to
the skies. Instruments on airplanes faced a set of challenges that earthbound
pieces did not, including
extreme variations in
temperature, varying
magnetic fields and the
vibrations of the aircraft itself. Absolute
reliability and perfect
readability were musts,
while appealing aesthetics
were a welcome grace note.
Left: The epitome of form and
function, the 42mm stainless steel
Pilot Big Date Special delivers
precision with Zenith’s El Primero
movement.
Below: The Pilot Doublematic
boasts several functions on its
easy-to-read dial, including world
time, 30-minute chronograph, large
date and central alarm hand.
CONQUERING THE SKIES
Zenith’s new Pilot collection
evokes those early days, when
flying was something best left to
the daring adventurers and devilmay-care pioneers. The Pilot Montre
d’Aeronef Type 20 commands attention like a fighter jet swooping across
an otherwise placid sky. Within it beats
the classic manual-winding 5011K movement, originally
developed in 1939 as a cockpit instrument. To date, this exceptional caliber has garnered an astounding 277 awards for
precision.
The exterior is no less compelling. Available in a limited
edition of 250 titanium models, the Type 20’s generous 57.5mm
diameter proffers a broad canvas on which to present luminescent numerals and hands that serve up the time at a glance,
even at night. The contrast of these elements against the
black dial adds to the vintage military feel and ensures legibility. Balanced in perfect equilibrium, the small seconds
and power reserve indicator further enhance that clarity.
TO BE PRECISE
Later eras delivered no fewer challenges. Would-be pioneers, knowing
that simply defying gravity was no longer as dangerous or impressive, brazened ever-more challenging endeavors, requiring timekeepers that could
withstand extreme changes in temperature and altitude, intense acceleration
and all the other natural shocks that timepieces are heir to. One particularly
gifted Zenith chronograph became a mainstay of the Italian Navy in 1960 —
a much-esteemed model that inspired the new Pilot Big Date Special.
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ZENITH
The dial’s crisply divided minute track enables the smallest of
measurements, and marked-off tracks grace both the small seconds
counter at nine o’clock and the 30-minute counter at three o’clock,
underscoring Zenith’s reputation for precision. From its low vantage
point, the eponymous big date dominates the scene outside as the
El Primero Calibre 4010 leads from within.
JET-SETTING SAVOIR-FAIRE
As the 20th century progressed and air travel became increasingly
common, watches had to fulfill the modern traveler’s demand to be on
time — anywhere in the world. The Pilot Doublematic grants this
wish with a valuable “world time” function. One disc encircles the dial
with the names of 24 reference cities, while an adjacent concentric
circle displays the time complete with a day/night indicator. The
watch also includes a 30-minute chronograph counter at three o’clock,
large date and an alarm with indications of its own. This alarm is
remarkable for its impressive chime, which continues to ring for
almost 30 seconds. Two barrels power the Pilot Doublematic, one for
the movement and the other dedicated solely to the alarm function.
The 45mm case, in rose gold or brushed and polished stainless
steel, reveals the automatic El Primero 4046 movement through its
sapphire crystal caseback.
exceptionally precise, and Zenith’s El
Primero Chronograph 1969 uses this
precision in the service of the world’s
most popular complication. The El Primero 4061 powers two chronograph models, one encased in stainless steel and the
other in rose gold. Each conveys a distinct personality that interacts with the
activity on the watch’s face.
The El Primero’s signature blue and
black tones bring a visual dynamism to
the dial in overlapping chronograph
counters, evoking the original El Primero
chronograph. A uniquely shaped opening
at ten o’clock suggests overlapping ripples in a disturbed pool, almost as if the
MAKING WAVES
Zenith had a banner year in 1969 with the introduction of the
brand’s first in-house movement, the El Primero. Beating
at 5 Hz, or 36,000 vibrations per hour, the El Primero is
The rose gold El Primero Chronograph 1969’s contrasting
blue and black chronograph counters stand out against
its silver sunray dial.
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Also available in stainless steel, the El Primero Chronograph
1969 reveals its El Primero 4061 movement through the
cutout on the dial and the sapphire crystal caseback.
movement — the El Primero 4061 — was
making waves upon the dial. A star-tipped
central chronograph hand — red on the
stainless steel model and blue on the rose
gold version — completes the complementary color scheme.
SUN, MOON AND STARS
Zenith’s iconic in-house movement is on
view once again with the El Primero
Chronomaster Open Grande Date
Moon & Sunphase. It incorporates a
column-wheel chronograph, small seconds, tachymeter, large date, moon phase
and a day/night indicator Zenith has dubbed a “sunphase.” Available in
rose gold or stainless steel, this piece combines a solid grasp of classical
watchmaking aesthetics with a willingness to mix things up a little.
The moon phase finds its artistry enhanced by the sunphase that
accompanies it. Two discs occupy the same spot, each one turning on
its own celestial timeline. The moon phase disc is traditional but
transparent, making a full rotation once every 59 days. Behind it, the
sunphase disc rotates over 24 hours, depicting the sky either sunlit for
day or starry for night.
STRONG, SILENT TYPE
Fixing its sights firmly on traditional territory, Zenith’s El Primero
Espada stakes a claim to the discerning gentleman’s wrist. Powered
by the El Primero 4650 B, the Espada takes the most essential functions of a watch and buffs them to a high shine. With classical elegance, the stainless steel case and black dial play host to discreet
rhodium hour indexes and hands, supplemented by a minute track
running along the bezel. The Espada is currently the only highfrequency El Primero non-chronograph to feature three hands, each of
which include luminescent touches for nighttime readability. A date
indicator completes the look of this masculine 40mm watch, whose
name means “sword” in Portuguese.
Maintaining its adventurous reputation, Zenith boldly
experiments with different sizes, materials, aesthetics and
inspirations, delighting its many fans with an emphasis on
the cornerstones of horology and a strong sense of style. ¨
One of the defining details of the El Primero Chronomaster Open Grand
Date Moon & Sunphase is the crescent-shaped opening near the bottom
of the dial. It is where the day/night indicator revolves once a day behind
the transparent moon phase disc.
The 40mm stainless steel El Primero Espada
projects quiet confidence with a look that
demonstrates Zenith’s firm command of
classic watchmaking traditions.
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