About time: The jet set
Abid Rahman
Real flyboys like real flyboy watches and the Zenith Pilot Type 20 GMT is a genuine contender, and not just because it has "pilot" in its name and a fancy cockpit-ready strap. Zenith is one of the few mechanical watchmakers with a credible tradition of making pilot's watches and the Pilot Type 20 GMT is appropriately sized at 48mm with a dial designed to be immediately legible with large Superluminova-coated numerals, if you ever find yourself flying in the dark. Like you do.
There are a lot of striking things about the Pilot Type 20 GMT, such as the onion crown, which lends the watch more than a bit of character as well as tactile practicality. This being a GMT watch, there is a handy second time zone indication, with a small seconds hand.
Inside is an in-house Elite 693 movement with a power reserve of 50 hours and finished with Côtes de Geneve patterns. Two further details ram home the aviation chops of this watch - an engraving of aviation instruments on the case back and the choice of either a leather strap or the pilot's strap (top right). Prices for the Zenith Pilot Type 20 GMT are available upon request.
Next is a pilot's watch from another brand with real heritage, the IWC Pilot's Watch Chronograph "The Last Flight". The story behind this watch is a bit dark, inspired as it is by the literal last flight of Antoine de Saint-Exupery, the French fighter pilot and author of the children's book The Little Prince. Saint-Exupery's last flight 70 years ago is a weird thing to pay tribute to, and it might be too much for superstitious folk but the watch itself is a pretty exception.
Regular readers will know I have a weakness for watches with chocolate brown dials, but this watch goes the extra yard with a chocolate brown ceramic case and dark brown leather strap. Heaven. The case is sized at 46mm and inside is a IWC-manufactured 89361 movement with a impressive 68 hours of power reserve. Features include a flyback chronograph and a date window as well as a stopwatch function. There are three references available, the difference being the crown and case back material, which comes in platinum (top left; 17 pieces priced at HK$250,000 each), red gold (170 pieces priced at HK$190,000) and titanium (1,700 pieces priced at HK$115,000).
Finally, we have something a little more low-key: the Longines Avigation (left), a terrible name for a watch but the etymology comes from "aviation" and "navigation". Designed originally for the British Army in 1949, the watch has been given a distinctly modern spin with the larger 44mm case in steel and the Superluminova-coated numerals. Another second time zone watch, the Avigation is a bit more busy in illustrating this function than the Zenith, but it still looks good as well as getting the job done. Inside is an ETA movement with 48 hours of power, which taken together with the steel case keeps the price down to a very attractive HK$18,200.
