For whatever reason, Zenith watches have never really pinged that strongly on my radar. Sure, I’ve been aware of what they produced, but nothing has really caught my attention. That is, until the news of the Zenith Pilot Type 20 Blueprint landed in my inbox.
Though the Zenith Pilot Type 20 Blueprint is “just” a time-only pilot watch, I was immediately caught up by the look of the dial. It put me squarely back into memories of seeing plotters at my dad’s office printing out, well, prints for the industrial robotics they were designing, and even trips to the blueprint shop when I was in a machine shop early in my career. The look (and smell) of those fresh prints – true blueprints – is not something you forget.
The Zenith Pilot Type 20 Blueprint probably isn’t capturing those olfactory notes, but it does definitely have the look down pat. And how they did it, that’s just cleverness in and of itself. Take a look at that picture up above. The dial blank has the various measurements (almost like an angular take on the golden ratio, actually), while the sapphire layer has the numerals and minute track printed on it.
This will give the dial of the Zenith Pilot Type 20 Blueprint a depth a normal blueprint would never see. Think of it as the augmented reality approach to a blueprint, perhaps. Regardless, it makes for one very clever dial, and you can very much put me in the fan camp. Seeing one of these, however, that’s going to be rare – only 250 pieces are being made, and at $8,200 likely out of range for most of us. That said, if I were ever going to buy a higher-end time-only watch, the Zenith Pilot Type 20 Blueprint would be very near the top of my list. zenith-watches.com
Tech Specs from Zenith
- Reference: 03.2435.679/51.I012
- KEY POINTS
- NEW 45-MM BRUSHED STEEL CASE
- UNIQUE DOUBLE LAYERED DIAL
- CASE-BACK ENGRAVED WITH ZENITH FLYING INSTRUMENTS LOGO
- INSPIRED BY THE LEGENDARY ZENITH AVIATION WATCHES
- LIMITED EDITION 250 PIECES
- MOVEMENT
- ELITE 679
- FREQUENCY: 28’800 VPH (4 HZ)
- POWER RESERVE: MIN. 50 HOURS
- FUNCTIONS: HOURS AND MINUTES IN THE CENTRE. CENTRAL SECONDS HAND
- CASE: 45-MM
- MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
- DIAL: DOUBLE LAYERED DIAL : 1 BLUE DIAL + 1 SAPPHIRE DIAL
- WATER-RESISTANCE: 10 ATM
- PRICE: 8400 CHF
- HOUR-MARKERS: ARABIC NUMERALS IN WHITE VARNISH
- HANDS: RHODIUM-PLATED AND FACETED GOLD, COATED WITH SUPERLUMINOVA SLN C1
- BRACELET & BUCKLE: BLUE CALFSKIN LEATHER STRAP WITH RIVETS, TITANIUM PIN BUCKLE
