Zenith Celebrates Pilot Legacy With Immersive Exhibit at Watches of Switzerland
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Zenith’s aviation history runs deep, as the brand has been at the forefront of pilot instrumentation from the beginning and its redesigned Pilot collection, which was unveiled at this year’s Watches & Wonders fair in Geneva, is its longest-standing line.
The Swiss timemaker’s fascination with the world of aviation goes back to the late 19th century, when the manufacturer’s founder, Georges Favre-Jacot, believed that mankind was on the verge of finally conquering the skies. In 1888, Zenith filed a trademark for the French term “Pilote,” followed by the English version “Pilot” in 1904. In the years that followed, his company would become one of the preeminent makers of specialized watches and dashboard instruments for pilots.
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To celebrate the commercial launch of the watch collection and its legacy, Zenith and Watches of Switzerland have partnered to bring an immersive exhibit to the retailer’s Hudson Yards location in New York City.
The “Pilot” pop-up will be open to the public from Tuesday until Sept. 10 and will occupy the main entrance foyer between Patek Philippe and the entrance of the Watches of Switzerland store.
The experience will include an LED “paper airplane” artistic installation and LED screen with the campaign of the collection, and the main attraction: a selection of six historic timepieces, including the Dashboard Altimeter (1910s), Pilot Wristwatch (1928-1930s), Chronograph Tipo CP2 (1968-72), El Primero Pilot-Diver (1972), El Primero Rainbow Fly-Back (1997) and El Primero Pilot Big Date Special (2010).
A selection of the new Pilot range will also be on display and available for purchase at the pop-up exhibit, with pieces such as the Pilot Flyback Chronograph in Steel ($11,500), the Automatic in Steel and Ceramic iterations ($7,500 to $9,600) and the Flyback Chronograph in Ceramic ($13,500) — which was most recently spotted on Aaron Rodgers, quarterback for the New York Jets, on his first day of training camp.
Ellen Sorensen, Zenith’s president of the Americas, will be in attendance on Tuesday to celebrate the opening of the exhibit, with collector events planned for throughout the exhibition, including one for Red Bar members on Aug. 24.
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