Skip to main content

The Manual Wind: Zenith Pilot Type 20 Squelette Sapphire

Zenith Pilot Type 20 Squelette Sapphire
It is often forgotten that watchmaking is not just about practical engineering, but also about ornately showing off.  High end watch brands love this aspect of the business.  Creating six and seven figure timepieces handcrafted and jeweled for the very few adds to the fun of the watch world.  Zenith is a modest brand known for its movement manufacturing; primarily the El Primero Chronograph movement.  Out of this LVMH owned manufacturer comes a piece that is ornate and outrageous in both size and detail.

zen20sq2

At 60mm in diameter, the Zenith Pilot Type 20 Squelette is not your average Pilot.  The case is made of sapphire crystal displaying the movement not only through the skeletonize dial and exhibition back, but through the sides of the case as well.  Where there is metal there is hand-crafted design.  The lugs, hand chased, are made of white gold attaching the black crocodile strap to this behemoth piece of horological jewelry.  The crown is of white gold as well.  Taking this piece beyond sapphire and gold is the white blue enamel bezel.  This hand-crafted bezel makes for good contrast with the applied blue arabic numerals on the dial and the blued white gold hands.

Related Videos
zen20sq3

From head on, this piece might appear to be your average oversized skeleton piece with ornate detail.  Once turned around, the sapphire case is what makes this piece even more special creating a full display of the Zenith Caliber 5011k movement.  Based off a pocket watch movement, this 48 hout power reserve manual wind is the perfect fit for this massive watch.  Shockingly water resistant to 30 meters, you can even take an unplanned dip.

Only 5 pieces of this extremely unique timepiece will be produced.  Like a concept car to an automobile brand, this piece will hopefully foreshadow some of what is to come for later production Zeniths.  In five years hopefully a sapphire crystal case will be in all of our collections.

Editors' Recommendations

The Manual Wind: Ulysse Nardin Makes a Colorful Black Sea Diver
the manual wind ulysse nardin makes a colorful black sea diver undiver

In the watch world, it is very common for a brand to exploit a single watch blueprint.  Watches like the Hublot Big Bang, Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore, and the Ulysse Nardin Marine Diver have all seen many variations and limited editions over the years.  While it is tough to ruin a classic timepiece design, sometimes a brand can go a little overboard.  The Ulysse Nardin Maxi Marine Diver is the staple sport piece in UN’s large line of timepieces.  Over the years it has increased to its current size of nearly 46mm.  It’s latest production model, the Diver Black Sea, takes this classic sport piece over the top.

Vulcanized rubber coats this 45.8mm stainless steel case to give this UN a black textured finish.   The instant focus of the piece is the bezel.  Raising an eyebrow, what is in the bezel?  At first glance I thought black diamond baguettes until I saw all the color variations.  The bezel is set with ceramic baguettes keeping the price reasonable while offering this very unique look.  Offered in black, white, yellow, and blue, each color piece has a matching dial and strap.  Giving it a skeletonized appearance, waves of the matching color break across the dial keeping the Ulysse Nardin’s nautical theme.  Below the dial lies a UN automatic in-house caliber movement with 48 hour power reserve and power indicator.  More vulcanized rubber and ceramic attach this piece to the wrist with a folding buckle and ceramic elements with the Ulysse Nardin logo.

Read more
The Manual Wind: The Fabergé Visionnaire Double Timezone for your Wrist
Faberge Visionnaire, Double Timezone

What is in a name?  Watch conglomerates are experts at rejuvenation by digging in the files of watchmaking’s past, choosing a brand with history and resurrecting it with present technology.  Many current brands have taken this path.  Years dormant and suddenly revived.  Fabergé is a name known very well.  Perhaps its fame is not from watchmaking, but why not create a watch?  Fabergé is known for its priceless and collectible eggs, clocks and object d’art.  Almost synonymous with royalty, why shouldn't this brand be utilized today for luxury?

The latest creation out of the house of Fabergé is the Fabergé Visionnaire Double Timezone.  Offered in DLC titanium or rose gold, this 43mm timepiece is a standout.  A domed sapphire crystal encapsulates the futuristic design of the dial.  The hands can be seen protruding from a center ring to tell the time, while in the center of this ring lies a wheel displaying a second timezone digitally.  Great texture and detail give this piece a very futuristic look.  Under the dial lies a well dressed 50 hour power reserve in-house caliber movement.  This can also be seen from the underside of the watch.  This piece is attached to the wrist with either a black or brown crocodile strap.

Read more
The Manual Wind: An Affordable Timeless Timepiece with an Appropriate Name
the manual wind an affordable timeless timepiece with appropriate name eterna

We have all had that moment looking through the drawers at our grandparents.  Sifting through the artifacts of their time perhaps finding some tools, a knife, or even a wristwatch.  That old wristwatch at the back of your grandfathers desk drawer may very well bear the name Eterna.  One of the older watch companies still recognized, these affordable timepieces could be considered a tool watch; bought for the true purpose of telling time.  This old watch company dating back to 1856 has brought back that affordable timepiece with the Eterna Eternity Automatic.

At 40mm in diameter, Eterna has created a modern dress watch.  In stainless steel and PVD gold steel, two looks are offered for an affordable price.  The dial is what makes this watch.  A silver sun-brushed dial brings back the old days giving this watch its classic look.  Beneath the dial lies a Sellita Swiss automatic movement with a 38 hour power reserve.  The piece attaches to the wrist with either a black or brown crocodile embossed calf strap with a tang buckle.

Read more