Zenith gave us an early look at the Pilot Type 20 Grand Feu ahead of its official unveiling at Baselworld 2014, and the first thing you notice is the sheer size of it. The case measures 60mm across and is machined from a single block of sapphire, a first for the brand and a record for the watch industry. Because the case is transparent, the movement is visible from almost every angle, with 18kt white gold used for the lugs, bezel and the oversized crown at 3 o’clock.
Inside sits the El Primero 5011K, a hand-wound in-house caliber built in Switzerland. It runs at 18,000 vibrations per hour, holds a 48-hour power reserve and uses 19 jewels. The dial is Grand Feu enamel, finished with blued hands in classic pilot style, and the watch comes on a black leather strap closed by an 18kt white gold pin buckle.
Production is limited to 10 pieces worldwide, which says a lot about how difficult the sapphire case is to produce. The Grand Feu arrives shortly after another Zenith showpiece, the Academy Christophe Colomb Hurricane, a skeletonized rose gold watch with a fusée and chain transmission limited to 25 pieces.
If you’re attending Baselworld this year, this is one of the pieces worth seeking out in person. Photos rarely do sapphire cases justice, and at 60mm, this one demands to be seen up close.
[ Zenith ]
