Zenith Pilot Big Date Flyback Ceramic automatic El Primero cordura strap 42,5 mm

PILOT collection takes flight

Dreaming of conquering the sky. Pursuing freedom to gain height and discover a new perspective. The sky is yours: it invites you to reach for your star. ZENITH's fascination with the world of aviation dates back to the end of the 19th century, when the company's founder, Georges Favre-Jacot believed that man was finally on the verge of conquering the sky - and that ZENITH should stand with the brave pioneers who perceived a space of freedom and infinite possibilities, far beyond the horizon. ZENITH registered the French name "Pilote" in 1888, and its English equivalent "Pilot" in 1904. In the following years, ZENITH would become one of the leading manufacturers of watches and instruments for pilots. Among the most famous of its many enthusiasts was Louis Blériot, who made history by making the first flight across the English Channel in 1909. Today, ZENITH continues to nurture and develop his unparalleled legacy, through the latest generation Pilot collection.

Representing the balance between heritage and modernity in many forms over the years, the ZENITH Pilot collection, the Manufacture's longest-running line, has never ceased to appeal to seasoned watch lovers and aviation enthusiasts. The final chapter calls out to the pilot in all of us, seeking the freedom to dream and a space to always go beyond our limits and surrounding world.

A completely redesigned, the all-new Pilot collection eschews vintage styling to represent the entire world of aviation - its past and present. It has all the essential qualities required, durability, legibility and ease of use, in keeping with the Pilot codes largely defined by ZENITH more than a century ago, via some of the first aviator clocks and flight instruments in history. Today, it revisits them in a more contemporary way, with a more pronounced ZENITH style and discreet nods to the world of aviation.

Pilot Big Date Flyback: The must-have

The ZENITH Pilot collection simply would not be complete without a chronograph. For this model, ZENITH has taken it a step further by developing a new version of the El Primero 3600 caliber, with several new functions specially designed for the Pilot!

This Pilot Big Date Flyback offers a 42.5mm black ceramic case, and is inspired by one of the most notable El Primero Flyback chronographs, the aptly named "Rainbow Flyback". This "Full Black" version adopts an achromatic utilitarian look, with white luminescent hands and hour markers that contrast sharply with the black opaline striated dial.

An El Primero caliber with multiple complications

When it comes to performance, the new high-frequency El Primero caliber 3652 adds two functions perfectly suited to the Pilot's 5 Hz chronograph: the large date and the flyback function. Beyond ease of reading, the Pilot Big Date Flyback's oversized date display benefits from a patented next-generation mechanism that advances and stabilizes the two discs in less than 0.03 seconds. Originally designed for aviators wearing thick sheepskin gloves, the flyback function allows the chronograph seconds to be reset and restarted at the touch of a button, reducing the need for pilot intervention and allowing consecutive times to be recorded without stopping. The El Primero chronograph caliber and its "artificial horizon" rotor can be admired through the transparent back.

Many styles

The ceramic Pilot Big Date Flyback comes with two Cordura-effect rubber straps, one black and one khaki, to suit any style. The straps feature the built-in quick-change mechanism, designed for easy replacement without tools.