Introducing The New Zenith Pilot Automatic And Pilot Big Date Flyback

March 27, 2023

Zenith has introduced an updated take on its long-standing Pilot watches, announcing its new Zenith Pilot collection of four models: the Pilot Automatic and the Big Date Flyback, both in a stainless steel case or black ceramic. The Pilot Automatic measures 40mm, while the Big Date Pilot Flyback measures 42.5mm. All four have black dials with horizontal grooves, large Arabic numerals, and a new case and bezel design. Pilot Automatic The new Pilot Automatic serves as the foundation for this new generation of Zenith Pilot watches. The case design is new, with a large, flat bezel that sits atop the rounded case. The crown is oversized and looks like a modern take on those old-school onion crowns, exactly what you'd expect for a pilot watch. In steel, the surfaces are brushed with polished chamfers; the black ceramic case is entirely microblasted for a matte finish.? The dial has large, applied Arabic numerals that are filled with Super-LumiNova, as are the hands. The font is sans-serif and modern, something brands as varied as Daniel Roth and IWC (and its long-running Mark Series) have opted for, sometimes to great consternation.? For a modern take on a pilot watch, it's hard to argue for anything but a font like this. The numerals are big and bold, but as with most things pilot's watch, this is explained by one word: legibility. A date sits at 6 o'clock, just beneath a horizontal line which is meant to recall the artificial horizon instruments on a plane's dashboard, designed to help the pilot understand their orientation relative to the Earth's horizon. Inside is Zenith's automatic El Primero 3620, a high-frequency movement beating at 5 Hz with 60 hours of power reserve. Last year, we went in-depth on this movement when Zenith introduced it in the Defy Skyline collection. I'd recommend reading that story for more on caliber 3620. The pair of new Pilot Automatics have an MSRP of $7,500 (steel) and $9,600 (ceramic). Pilot Big Date Flyback Alongside the new Pilot Automatic, Zenith has also introduced a pair of chronographs: the Pilot Big Date Flyback, again in stainless steel and ceramic. A quartet of automatic and chronograph options make for a solid pilot collection launch, so let's take a closer look at these new flybacks. Both measure 42.5mm and are powered by the new automatic El Primero 3652. It brings a big date and flyback function to the well-known El Primero 3600 caliber, and still beats at 5 Hz with 60 hours of power reserve. Zenith says the big date function has an instantaneous jump, taking just 0.02 seconds for each disk to jump and stabilize. We don't yet have more information about this new movement, but look forward to asking Zenith questions about it during our meeting at Watches & Wonders.? We were able to get hands-on with the Big Date Flyback in advance of Watches & Wonders. Stay tuned for hands-on impressions of Zenith's entire new Pilot collection later this week. The ceramic Big Date Flyback plays it cool, keeping with a monochromatic black look with stark white and contrasting numerals and hands. While the parents kept their eye on the ceramic version, the steel Flyback snuck out and had some fun. In a callback to the El Primero "Rainbow" from 1997, its minutes totalizer has alternating bright colors to distinguish between five-minute intervals. The center seconds hand and the chronograph minute counter are also finished in a bright orange tone.? The stainless steel Big Date Flyback has a price of $11,500; the ceramic will retail for $13,500. Each of the four watches have Zenith's interchangeable strap system, and come with a pair of straps: leather and black "cordura effect" rubber for the steel versions, and cordura effect in black and khaki for the ceramic. What We Think Zenith might have a commercial hit on their hands with its new Pilot collection. We weren't able to get full specs in advance of seeing these at Watches & Wonders, but I did get a few minutes with the ceramic Big Date Flyback chronograph the night before in a dimly lit bar in downtown Geneva. And I have to say, I was impressed, and it made me excited to get hands-on with the rest of the collection.? Zenith didn't give the thickness of the new Big Date Flyback, but after wearing for a few minutes I'd bet it's about 13mm. The case is balanced on the wrist and the black ceramic combined with the cordura strap gives it a large but manageable presence on wrist C?exactly what you want from a modern pilot's watch.? In theory, a black ceramic pilot watch just works C we should know, we made one. Forty millimeters and 42.5mm are basically the modern Goldilocks zone for time-only and chronograph watches, respectively. Pilot watches are supposed to be big and these are, but not excessively so.? Our archives kindly reminded me that Zenith tried a big date on a pilot watch way back in 2013; this new collection has a stronger point of view than that stitled release, which is refreshing. Sure, a pilot line "entirely redesigned from scratch" (Zenith's words) might not be your thing, but it's nice to see Zenith trying with a modern reinterpretation of its oldest line. If the new Pilot collection is good, it could be Zenith's entry into the crowded pilot watch category. Of course, IWC is the big pilot in the room, and the new Zenith Pilot collection is priced higher than its IWC competition (in steel, IWC Big Pilot 43: $8,950; Pilot's Chronograph: $7,900; Mark XX: $5,250), though the El Primero movements make the guts of the Zenith's collection more technically interesting. The dial of each model is signed Pilot at 6 o'clock, in quotes and a font that'll look familiar from previous Zenith's pilot's watches. "Zenith remains the first and only brand to hold the rights to mark its dials with the term," having first trademarked the term in 1904, the brand explains, in language that reads like its lawyers making a subtle jab at every other watch company's lawyers.?Now, Zenith's got a completely modern take on the pilot watch, and one that's got me excited to see more.? The Basics Pilot Automatic Brand: ZenithModel: Pilot AutomaticReference Number: Reference: 03.4000.3620/21.I001 (steel) and 49.4000.3652/21.I001 (ceramic)Diameter: 40mmCase Material: Steel and ceramic optionsDial Color: Black with horizontal groovesIndexes: Applied Arabic numeralsLume: Super-Luminova (SLN C1) on numerals and handsWater Resistance: 100mStrap/Bracelet: Black "cordura effect" and brown calfskin leather straps (on steel); Black and khaki cordura effect rubber straps (on ceramic) Pilot Big Date Flyback Brand: ZenithModel: Pilot Big Date FlybackReference Number: Reference: 03.4000.3652/21.I001 (steel); 03.4000.3620/21.I001 (ceramic)Diameter: 40mmCase Material: Steel and ceramic optionsDial Color: Black with horizontal groovesIndexes: Applied Arabic numeralsLume: Super-Luminova (SLN C1) on numerals and handsWater Resistance: 100mStrap/Bracelet: Black "cordura effect" and brown calfskin leather straps (on steel); Black and khaki cordura effect rubber straps (on ceramic) Zenith's El Primero 3620, now with center seconds Zenith's El Primero Big Date Flyback caliber The Movement Pilot Automatic Caliber: El Primero 3620Functions: Time and dateDiameter: 30mmPower Reserve: 60 hoursWinding: AutomaticFrequency: 36,000 beats per hourJewels: 26 Pilot Big Date Flyback Caliber: El Primero 3652Functions: Big date, chronograph with flyback function (30-minute counter at 3 o'clock), instantaneous big date jump ?Power Reserve: 60 hoursWinding: AutomaticFrequency: 36,000 beats per hour Pricing & Availability Price:? Steel Automatic: $7,500 Ceramic Automatic; $9,600 Steel Big Date Flyback: $11,500 Ceramic Big Date Flyback: $13,500Availability: TBDLimited Edition: NoFor more, visit Zenith Watches. Shop this story The Hodinkee Shop is an authorized retailer of Zenith; to view our collection, click here.Zenith is part of the LVMH group. Although LVMH Luxury Ventures is a minority investor in Hodinkee, we maintain complete editorial independence.