Zenith Pilot Montre d'Aeronef Type 20 - Proportionately Disproportionate.

 

 

This is the Zenith Pilot Montre d'Aeronef Type 20, an aeronautical-styled piece which measures a substantial 57.5mm across.

 

Perhaps you think that the subdials are a little out of proportion?  That perhaps the design department should have pushed the power reserve just a little bit more to the right?  Actually this dial looks unusual because underneath it beats an unusual calibre.  Unlike many of those huge pilot's watches out there which contain miniscule movements, securely clipped inside to stop them from rattling around (..... you know who you are...) this one is built around a pocketwatch calibre - the Zenith Calibre 5011, so you would have to say that this one has been upsized for all the right reasons and is completely proportionate.

 

With a dial this big of course everything is going to be legible - readability which has been increased by the use of chubby hands and numerals, lume-coated against a sleek black dial.  The small seconds subdial eats up almost all of the number 9 and even takes a nibble out of the 8 and 10 too.  The superb power reserve adds a touch of red on black style and symmetry.  On the case are big manly squared-off lugs and a grippy, out-sized crown.

 

Zenith Pilot Montre d'Aeronef Type 20 will be a limited edition of 250 pieces, the first of which was auctioned for the Smiling Children Charity.