The past, present and future work together to create a pilot watch that truly captures the golden age of aviation.
When you see Zenith Pilot Type 20 Chronograph Extra Special, the first thing that comes to mind is the case material. Unlike the usual highly polished case, this is a unique Zenith appearance, which has an unconventional rough appearance; something more consistent with the old-fashioned WW2 pilot watch. It is also a nice large size of 45 mm with a thickness of 14.25 mm.
The nostalgia of these pilot watches is not only reflected in the case material itself, but also in every element of the design, from the case finish to the outdated fonts used in Arabic numerals. Even the screws used to seal the case have a retro look, with a round head slightly protruding from the case.
The bronze case of the Zenith Pilot Type 20 Extra Special Chronograph is made of solid brass, which seems to have design elements on it. They use oxidation to blacken the grooves in the lines on the case, crown and chronograph buttons. Whether they acid etch the shell to achieve this effect is a secret secret, but it does look great!
Nubuck leather straps use a process to sand and polish the leather to produce some fine fibers that provide a soft, almost velvety touch. The model reference number in this review is 29.2430.4069/21.c80, with a vintage green leather strap with off-white stitching.
The matt black dial is offset by the white railroad minute and minute-second tracks on the outer periphery of the dial. The hands of this Zenith Pilot Type 20 Extra Special chronograph are rose gold and filled with luminous material. At the center of the top of the dial is a rose gold five-pointed star. Below this star is the Zenith wordmark, with the words “Montre D’Aeronef” (pilot watch) below it. Just above the 6 o’clock position is the word “Pilot”, printed in orange, and it appears to be surrounded by creative use of big quotation marks.
The titanium case back has the Zenith Flying Instruments logo, the top is engraved with a special engraving of “Zenith Flying Instruments”, and the bottom has the words “Montre D’aeronef Type 20”. There is an airplane and a badge in the center of the back of the watch. There is a Zenith logo in the center, and of course the identifiable Zenith five-pointed star.
The crown is too large and protrudes a lot from the right side of the case, but it does not protrude in a visually unbalanced way. Somehow, the black stripes that are part of the crown design make the crown look smaller than it actually is. replica watch stores
The Zenith Pilot Type 20 Extra Special chronograph button is a long rectangle with rounded edges and about a dozen groove lines to provide better grip when starting or stopping the stopwatch function.
For any watch enthusiast, it should not be surprising that the Zenith El Primero movement is used to power this column wheel chronograph. The Zenith El Primero 4069 movement with 35 jewels inside makes this watch truly unique. It consists of 254 parts and has a power reserve of 50 hours. The 4069 automatic movement beats at a frequency of 5Hz or 36,000 VpH, making it a highly accurate chronograph.
Zenith Pilot Type 20 Extra Special Chronograph is an excellent pilot’s watch, sturdy and durable, with the weathered appearance of a senior Air Force pilot. The movement that powers this best quality replica watches may be one of the most iconic chronograph movements of all time, and there are many models to choose from, with various color combinations.