Haute Watch of the Week: Zenith Pilot Montre d’Aéronef Type 20 Tourbillon

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Adding a tourbillon to the Pilot Montre d’Aéronef Type 20 in no way detracts from the model’s aviator-watch aesthetic; rather, it enhances it. The onion crown, super-large, highly luminated hands and numerals (actually made of super-LumiNova), extra row of stitching along the strap attachment all identify this as a pilot’s watch.

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The tourbillon is the perfect complement to this functional aesthetic. With a seconds hand attached to the cage and an additional index around the carriage perimeter to indicate the date, the tourbillon is a focus of functionality. The tourbillon carriage occupies the 10 o’clock position rather than the traditional 6 o’clock position, a position that causes it to emerge from under the shirt cuff first. (A good reason for wearing a tourbillon is to show it off as much as possible.)

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Crafted in titanium and rose gold, the watch is powered by the automatic El Primero 4035 D chronograph caliber.

The oversized numerals make the watch look bigger than it is, but the case is a classic 40mm size, whereas many of the brand’s Pilot Montre d’Aéronef models are 48mm.

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Photos courtesy Zenith.