Zenith

This watch features a meteorite dial and the wonderful Cal. 5011 pocket watch movement entirely hand-engraved with motifs celebrating Louis Blériot's pioneering landmark exploit in aviation, his journey across the English Channel. Unusual in almost every way you look at it, with its 60mm full sapphire case with white gold bezel, lugs and crown.

It is the second of two extraordinary pieces presented during Baselworld 2015 which demonstrate Zenith's immense artisanal skill on the best possible platform: The Cal. 5011 hand wound movement. The first one was the Zenith Type 20 Skeleton (read my review here).

Like the Skeleton, this dedicated collectors' piece is limited to only 5 'copies' (in quotation marks since the hand engraving make each of this a unique piece).

Louis Blériot, a french pioneer aviator who developed the world's first working monoplane, is most famous for his (at the time) absolutely stunning feat of crossing the English Channel in an airplane.

The prime incentive (next to his determination and passion for aviation, of course) was a prize offered by the UK daily Daily Mail for a non-stop flight across the channel using an 'instrument heavier than air' (thus to exclude balloons).

To give a perspective to this heroic undertaking, aviation was in such infancy that the Wright brothers considered it as too risky, and the Paris newspaper Le Matin commenting that there was no chance of the prize ever being won.

Nevertheless, Louis Blériot set out in the early morning of the 25 July 1909, to pass the Channel from Sangatte near Calais.



Not having a compass, Blériot took his course from the accompanying destroyer ship Escopette, which was heading for Dover carrying his wife, but he soon overtook the ship. The visibility had deteriorated and he later said, “for more than 10 minutes I was alone, isolated, lost in the midst of the immense sea, and I did not see anything on the horizon or a single ship”.

After 36 minutes and 30 seconds, Blériot touched down on a patch of gently sloping land called Northfall Meadow, close to Dover Castle, where there was a low point in the cliffs, damaging the undercarriage and shattering one blade of the propeller, but Blériot was unhurt.

This achievement is one of the most famous accomplishments of the pioneer era of aviation, and not only won Blériot a lasting place in history but also assured the future of his aircraft manufacturing business.

According to Zenith, Blériot was equipped with a Zenith watch during his flight.

 

A good summary can be read on Wikipedia, well worth the time to pursue (click here).

Back to the watch. Representing the sky-high ambitions of Blériot, Zenith chose a Meteorite dial with a - unique in each watch - immensely structured surface in all shades of mystical grey.

The power reserve dial is applied Meteorite as well (is this the first in the watch industry?). The printing is thick and succulent, albeit not as crisp as one is used to. Perhaps, this is a consequence of the exotic material surface?

I just love this red power reserve hand. It is equally generously painted, and this just gives it a very welcome vintage charm.

Turning towards the side of the sapphire case, one can admire Zenith's signature engraving of the movement's main plate sides; here with motifs of Blériot's flight over the Channel.

But the real show is set on the (large) stage of the Cal. 5011, where the story of Blériot's famous adventure is engraved like a historic cartoon.

Altogether 3 different motif groups are presented:

First, we see Louis Blériot in flight piloting his Blériot IV aircraft, surrounded by seagulls.  

Second, a view into the cockpit, with Mr Blériot already discovering the steep cliffs of Dover on the horizon. Note the truthful reproduction of the engine, the cockpit and his wristwatch... One the left, the aviator sceptically checks the weather before takeoff (the days before the flight there was to strong a wind posing too high a risk for taking off).

Finally, some atmospheric details from the flight, seagulls, cliffs and waves. Note the impressive and sharply executed finish of the large winding wheels.

I mentioned already when reviewing the Skeleton 'sister watch' that such pieces are not primarily intended to be actually worn. 

With the Type 20 Tribute to Louis Bériot I guess it is slightly different as it does not feel as oversized as the Skeleton, despite sharing exactly its dimensions:

On the premise of being hedonist enough, one might actually dare to present it strapped on...

Bottom line:

Pieces like Zenith's Pilot Type 20 Tribute to Louis Blériot (or its siblings, the Grand Feu or the Skeleton ) are dedicated collector's pieces much more so than actual wristwatches. Its not only the size or the weight (which in this case is substantial), it is also the fact that a sapphire case itself, in which the lugs are mounted directly (see details here ), does not promise the ruggedness needed for daily usage.

Now, appreciating this watch from the view point of a collector it of course all comes down to preferences and tastes. First of all, it might be a pièce de résistance for those interested in pilot's watches. The historical context, the aviation theme and the indeed tool-like chronometer movement are definitive assets.

Pioneering minds are equally well served with the historical reference and impressive feats such as the largest sapphire case on the market today (and this one of the few offered at all).

Similar considerations apply for watch lovers decidedly seeking the unique: the case material, the engraving, the Meteorite dial, the only 5 pieces to be made (and each of which individually hand-engraved). Strike all points on the list. 

But my question would be whether the Tribute to Louis Blériot would be compelling enough? Any answer here would be a reflection, again, of personal tastes.

Now, if you allow me a personal note, I believe that the Tribute to Louis Blériot would not be an obvious choice for me. First, I think the dial lacks a bit of 'spice' with its monochromatic concept. The Meteorite material alone would not tick me over. One benefit for sure is its (comparatively) improved wearability (wears smaller than size suggests), but then again this is not a major criterium for such a watch.

My main critique is that Meteorite has only a faint correlation with aviation, and no connection to Blériot. A dial made of laminated walnut wood would, for example, be more appropriate, and this was one major innovation that ensured Blériot's success (for the first time, he used a propeller made of this material, it was the first European propeller to rival the efficiency of the propellers used by the Wright Brothers).

Second, I am not totally convinced by the engraving work done. Here, I not referring to the quality of the work, which is top class for sure, but more to its artistic implementation. To my eyes the engraving work look a bit scattered over the vast surfaces on the pocket watch sized movement, while not making full use of the available area. Furthermore, the here and there engraved seagulls could be interpreted as a give-away that Zenith was aware of this.

To sum up, while the Pilot Type 20 Tribute to Louis Blériot is a remarkable piece further attesting to Zenith's seriousness to make itself a name in artisanal watchmaking and watchmaking crafts, it is - in my view at least - not most rounded and consistent offering of all three Pilot Type 20 art pieces so far presented.

Thanks for reading,

Magnus

 

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