Zenith Pilot Big Date Flyback automatic El Primero black dial 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.

Completely redesigned, the all-new Pilot collection eschews vintage style 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 wouldn't 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 steel case, and is inspired by one of the most notable El Primero Flyback chronographs, the aptly named "Rainbow Flyback." The black dial is inspired by aircraft fuselages and features a minute counter that alternates colors to make the five-minute increments stand out more clearly, thus avoiding misreading. The central seconds hand and chronograph minute hand are colored "Anticollision Red.", another nod to the iconic 1997 El Primero Rainbow.

An El Primero caliber with multiple complications

When it comes to performance, the new high-frequency El Primero caliber 3652 adds two functions to the 5 Hz chronograph that are perfectly suited to the Pilot: 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 Pilot Big Date Flyback is delivered with a black Cordura-effect rubber strap and a brown leather strap. All straps feature the built-in quick-change mechanism, designed for easy replacement without tools.