An airborne legend in its own right, Zenith’s line of Pilot watches – specifically the Type 20 collection – is back in action in two new iterations: Pilot Type 20 Rescue and Pilot Type 20 Chronograph Rescue
Based on the earliest Zenith dashboard instruments that accompanied pioneers like Louis Blériot during the dawn of aviation, the Pilot Type 20 revisits the archetypical Pilot’s Watch design, with a strong vintage accent. Yet until now, the collection has been heavily influenced by the aesthetic of such historical instruments, using a combination of aged case materials and textured coloured dials to emulate an early 20th century look.
Today, Zenith has revisited its iconic Pilot’s Watch to offer the utility of a modern instrument with all the analog charm of the past. The Pilot Type 20 Rescue and Pilot Type 20 Chronograph Rescue are offered in a stainless-steel case with a slate-grey sunray dial, with the signature oversized Arabic numerals entirely made out of Super-LumiNova. While the Pilot Type 20 Rescue is powered by an Elite 679 automatic movement with a power reserve of 50 hours, the Pilot Type 20 Chronograph Rescue houses an El Primero 4069 automatic movement with a similar 50 hours of power reserve. Both timepieces are cased in a stainless-steel case and caseback, and are water-resistant to 10 ATM.
From the tarmac to the cockpit, yellow is a recurring colour in the world of aircrafts that grabs the attention for vital controls and information. Securing this rugged model firmly to the wrist is an aged black calfskin leather strap recalling the classic shearling leather flight jacket, with rivets and a titanium pin buckle as well as a distinctive tab recalling those seen on vintage pilot helmets.
