Zenith Type 20 Extra Special 40mm
Watch reviewed was kindly loaned by Zenith Australia
Although many other brands are commonly associated with flight, Zenith was one of the manufactures that had a connection with aviation since the early days of flight itself. Without going into a long history lesson on the aviation, it should be noted that in 1909 a Frenchman by the name of Louis Bleriot crossed 31 miles of open water by air over and across the English Channel. And on his wrist? A Zenith.
The watch itself was standard for that early 1900s period and bore all the hallmarks that competing brands, such as Omega and Longines, also had on their aviation pieces. A large onion crown with extended stem was included to aid with winding and adjustment while wearing gloves. Black enamel dials featuring oversized Arabic numerals filled with luminescent material. Elongated cathedral hands were also a frequent trait amongst watches of that era.
Throughout the war period, Zenith’s Montre d’Aeronef Type 20 (a military serial number and the namesake of this watch) was seen in French cockpits. This design was re-released in 2012 as part of a 250 piece limited edition. That watch, at 57.5mm in diameter, was not only an homage to pilot’s watches of that era but also contained a 50mm Calibre 5011K - the exact calibre used in many cockpit clocks. The Montre d’Aeronef kicked off a series of variants of a similar appearance, but of differing case materials, complications, and sizing.
So what?
Much to Zenith’s credit, it has managed to reissue a classic without trying too hard. Most elements are designed in a non-serious and fun manner. The cathedral hands retain the same overall shape as the original, but the proportions are slightly more stubby and comical. Similarly, the typeface used on the numerals is chunky and playful, while still being true to its namesake. As such, the Type 20 is a remarkably flexible and adaptable piece in handling day-to-day casual wear. The size of elements carries over to the full-onion crown as well, aiding the watch in its operation and adjustment. If we had one gripe with this watch, it would be that such a crown deserves to be matched with a manually wound movement.
By combining such elements with an excellent anti-reflective coating and an uncluttered dial, Zenith has managed to create a watch of ultimate legibility in all conditions. The readability is assisted by the bright green Super Luminova which glows brightly and manages to hold at a constant level for extended periods of darkness. The ‘aged steel’ case of the watch is a gunmetal coated steel that is sanded irregularly, giving the watch a very matte appearance. The colour of the case continues onto the ‘grain finished’ dial which has a resemblance to fume type dials used on other watches. The central section especially has a mineral metallic glow under bright direct sunlight adding to the lustre of the watch.
The problem with it is...
The automatic rotor is rather loud when moved perpendicular to the axis of rotation. This appears to be a trait common with the other Pilot offerings that we had a chance to play with. Moreover, the closed case back's engraving could feature more depth, and perhaps a more interesting motif could be used.
