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The Watches

Zenith Launches Boutique-Only Pilot Models

Zenith unveils boutique editions of its existing Pilot Automatic and Pilot Big Date Flyback watches, both of which feature the brilliant blue dials we’ve seen on previous Zenith boutique-only launches.

The new Zenith Pilot Automatic, Boutique Edition

These latest models give a new look to two of Zenith’s top 2023 debuts. Each highlights the watchmaker’s signature sky blue hue as rendered on textured, grooved dials meant to recall the corrugated metal sheets of vintage aircraft. Both watches also sport the word Pilot on the dial, which Zenith notes is an especially significant detail. That’s because only Zenith holds the rights to mark its dials with the term.

Zenith makes one of the two new watches, the Pilot Automatic Boutique Edition, with a 40mm stainless steel case that features a distinctive flat-top round bezel, which complements the watch’s satin-brushed, rounded case. 

Above the date window you’ll see a luminescent hour marker in the form of a flat white line. This detail is meant to recall the artificial horizon instrument in plane’s cockpit.

The new 42.5mm Zenith Pilot Big Date Flyback, Boutique Edition.

As the second of the new boutique-only watches, the new 42.5mm Pilot Big Date Flyback Boutique Edition offers a monotone sky-blue big date wheels to match the dial. More complicated with its flyback function, the watch’s namesake display that, combined with its large crown, was originally made for pilots who wore thick sheepskin gloves.

The flyback function allows the chronograph to be reset to zero and restarted by a single push of a button, simplifying the pilot’s operations and offering the possibility to record consecutive times without having to stop and restart.

From the back of the Pilot Big Date Flyback the wearer can eye an El Primero 3652 chronograph caliber with its “artificial horizon” rotor visible. (See below for all technical specifications). 

Zenith fits the watch on a blue rubber strap and also provides a brown  calfskin strap. All the straps come with an integrated quick-release mechanism for easy swapping without tools.

Prices: $7,500 (Pilot Automatic) and $11,500 (Pilot Big Date Flyback), both available in Zenith physical and online boutiques. 

 

Specifications:

Zenith Pilot Automatic, Boutique Edition 

(Reference: 03.4000.3620/51.I003)

Key points: El Primero 3-hands watch. High-frequency movement (5Hz). Full interchangeable strap system. Boutiques Edition.

Movement: El Primero 3620 SC, automatic

Frequency: 36,000 VpH (5 Hz)

Power reserve: Approx. 60 hours

Functions: Hours and minutes in the centre. Central seconds hand. Date indication at 6 o’clock.

Finishes: Special “Pilot artificial horizon” black oscillating weight

Material: Stainless steel

Water resistance: 10 ATM

Case: 40mm

Dial: Blue with horizontal grooves

Hour markers: Applied Arabic numerals in SuperLuminova SLN C1

Hands: Blue & white with SLN C1

Bracelet & Buckle: Comes with 2 straps: Blue “Cordura” effect rubber and a brown calfskin leather with folding clasp.

 

Zenith Pilot Big Date Flyback, Boutique Edition

(Reference: 03.4000.3652/51.I003)

Key points: Automatic El Primero column-wheel chronograph with flyback function. Patented Big Date at 6 o’clock. Instantaneous Big Date jump in 0.007 sec (0.02 for discs jump & stabilization). Full Interchangeable strap system. Boutiques Edition.

Movement: El Primero 3652, automatic

Frequency: 36,000 VpH (5 Hz)

Power reserve: approx. 60 hours

Functions: Hours and minutes in the centre. Small seconds at 9 o’clock. Instantaneous Big Date at 6 o’clock. Flyback Chronograph. 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock.

Finishes: Special “Pilot artificial horizon” black oscillating weight

Material: Stainless steel 

Water resistance: 10 ATM

Case: 42.5mm

Dial: Blue with horizontal grooves

Hour markers: Applied arabic numerals in SuperLuminova SLN C1

Hands: Blue & white with SLN C1

Bracelet & Buckle: Comes with 2 straps: Blue “Cordura” effect rubber and a brown calfskin leather with folding clasp.

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The Watches

Frederique Constant Teams with Peter Speake  

British watchmaker Peter Speake continues his collaborative work with Geneva-based watch manufacture Frederique Constant, launching the Slimline Perpetual Calendar Manufacture Designed by Peter Speake, a steel-grey hued edition of the brown-accented collaborative watch from 2022.

The new Slimline Perpetual Calendar Manufacture Designed by Peter Speake.

The new 42mm steel-cased perpetual calendar retains the skeletonized design of the original model. The openwork design nicely displays Frederique Constant’s own automatic FC-775  caliber, here showing the hour and minutes without a seconds hand.

The idea is to allow the eye to more clearly focus on the perpetual calendar displays, which include the day and date, the month (at 12 o’clock), moonphase (at 6 o’clock) and, finally, the leap year. 

Frederique Constant explains that “since this detail is not needed for everyday use, it has been moved over to the month display at 12 o’clock. A discreet red dot appears for the month in question when the year has 366 days; at all other times, the window remains white.”

Frederique Constant finishes its in-house movement with a circular satin finish and blued screws. The watch’s transparent caseback displays an openwork, blue-colored oscillating weight. Also visible are the words ‘Limited Edition 135 pieces’ which are engraved on each watch. Each watch arrives on a grey nylon strap with matching overstitching. 

Price: $11,995.

 

Specifications: Frederique Constant Slimline Perpetual Calendar Manufacture Designed by Peter Speake

(Reference FC-775PS4S6, a limited édition of 135) 

Functions: Hours, minutes, moonphase, date, day, month, leap year.

 

Movement: FC-775 in-house caliber, automatic, perpetual calendar, Perlage decoration on movement, anthracite bridge, blue rotor, satin finishing on all springs, circular finishing on perpetual calendar wheels, 38-hour power reserve, 28,800 alt/h. 

 

Case: Polished stainless steel 3-part case, diameter of 42mm, height of 12,05 mm

Anti-reflective convex sapphire crystal, see-through case back, water-resistant to 3 ATM/30m/100ft.

 

Dial: Grey color dial with matte finishing, skeleton, luminescent printed indexes, 

White and polished hands with luminous treatment, moonphase with luminous treatment.

 

Strap: Grey nylon strap with tone-on-tone stitching, folding buckle.

 

Availability March 2024 at the Citizen Flagship Store New York and at select Frederique Constant retailers.

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The Watches

H.Moser Adds Jade to Streamliner 

H. Moser fits a stunning dial made from Wyoming-sourced jade into its Streamliner tourbillon to create the new Streamliner Tourbillon Concept Wyoming Jade, a limited edition (of 100) red gold watch.

The new H. Moser Streamliner Tourbillon Concept Wyoming Jade.

The logo-free jade dial allows the Streamliner’s one-minute flying tourbillon to stand out nicely (at 6 o’clock), highlighting this independent Swiss watchmaker’s considerable technical and artisanal talent.

Collectors may be familiar with the Streamliner’s retro-styled cushion case and the unusual double-hairspring HMC 804 automatic caliber that powers the watch, but until now no one has seen how a rare olive-toned slice of jade can enhance the Streamliner’s pleasing aesthetic.

H. Moser explains that its dial-makers sourced the dial’s raw material from Wyoming. Chosen for its naturally occurring marks and unique shades, the jade used on the dial is untreated out of “respect for its original structure.” 

With the selected material, H. Moser explains that lapidary artisans cut the stone using CNC technology in a liquid environment to create a slice 1.0 to 1.2 mm thick. “These slices are then laid on jigs, wetted and inspected under a light to determine the optimal positioning of the plates for cutting the dials.” After hand polishing, dial makers varnish and then glue the dials onto a brass base.

H. Moser frames the dial of the new watch with a 40mm by 12.1mm red gold case, held with an equally luxurious red gold integrated bracelet. (See below for full technical specifications). 

Price: $119,000.

Specifications: H. Moser Streamliner Tourbillon Concept Wyoming Jade

Reference 6804-0406, red gold model, natural Wyoming jade dial, integrated bracelet in red gold, limited edition of 100 pieces 

Case:

5N red gold topped by a slightly domed sapphire crystal

Diameter: 40.0 mm

Height without sapphire crystal: 10.3 mm

Height with sapphire crystal: 12.1 mm 

Screw-in crown adorned with an engraved “M”

See-through sapphire crystal case-back

Water-resistant to 12 ATM 

Dial:

Wyoming jade, 100% natural

Hour and minute hands with Globolight® inserts 

5N red gold faceted indices 

Movement:

HMC 804 automatic Manufacture calibre

Diameter: 32.0 mm or 14 1/4 lignes 

Height: 5.5 mm 

Frequency: 21,600 vibrations/hour

Automatic bi-directional pawl winding system 

Oscillating weight in 18-carat red gold with engraved H. Moser & Cie. logo 

Power reserve: minimum of 3 days 

One-minute flying tourbillon at 6 o’clock with skeletonized bridges 

Original double hairspring 

Strap/bracelet:

Integrated bracelet in 5N red gold  

Folding clasp with three blades in 5N red gold, engraved with the Moser logo 

Half-links available.

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The Watches

Maurice Lacroix Shines Up Aikon with PVD 

Maurice Lacroix adds a distinctive metallic sheen to its best-selling Aikon collection with two new models, each dressed with a glossy PVD hue.

The new Aikon PVD entries add a 39mm dark blue model and a 42mm gunmetal grey edition to the wide-ranging collection. Maurice Lacroix will make each new model as a limited edition series of 888 watches.

One of two new Maurice Lacroix Aikon PVD models.

Since the Swiss watchmaker debuted Aikon in 2016 we’ve seen it expand to include quartz-powered and automatic models, with a many boasting eye-catching skeletonized designs.

Each of the new watches displays the time from an impressive fumé dial finished using a Clous de Paris motif. As a fumé design, the color (which matches the case) is lighter at the center and darker toward the edges.

From the back of the watch wearers can see the automatic Sellita-based ML115 movement, which Maurice Lacroix finishes with perlage and colimaçon.

As with all Aikon watches, these debuts are equipped with the Maurice Lacroix Easy Strap Exchange system, which means the wearer can quickly change the included rubber strap as desired without the need for tools.

Price: $2,450. 

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The Watches

Citizen Celebrates Godzilla 

Citizen marks Godzilla’s 70th birthday with a limited-edition 48.2mm steel-cased Godzilla collaboration watch featuring a design based on the watchmaker’s Promaster Professional Diver 300m.

The new Citizen Eco-Drive Professional Diver Godzilla Collaboration Models.

Already nicknamed the ‘Ecozilla’ watch by fans, the new  Godzilla Collaboration Model features a dial, case, and bezel with a camouflage pattern inspired by Godzilla’s scaly skin. Citizen underscores the watch’s theme by including tiny images of Godzilla within the pattern.

Citizen is offering two dial variations of the new model. One features a black dial with the classic black and white image of Godzilla (model BJ8056-01E, a limited edition of 2,500).

The second release offers a dark red dial with Godzilla roaring in huff (BJ8059-03Z, a limited edition of 3,000).

On the back of each model you’ll find Godzilla’s footprint, a feature only found on this limited-edition model.

As Eco-Drive watches, both watches are powered by light and will operate for six months on a full charge (in power save mode). And as Promaster watches, both feature solid adventure-ready technical specifications, including water resistance to 300 meters, a Citizen Cal.B873 movement accurate to plus or minus fifteen seconds per month, luminous hands and indexes, a unidirectional bezel and a screw-lock left-side crown.

Price: $900. 

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