REVIEW: Hands On With The Zenith PILOT Big Date Flyback Porter

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Where aviation heritage meets contemporary design, the Zenith x Porter PILOT Big Date Flyback Chronograph delivers bold style and functionality!

The Zenith X Porter Pilot Big Date Flyback Porter stands out as a shining example of thoughtful design and craftsmanship in a world where collaborations feel like the norm. This collaboration was a bit unexpected; however, it is a great way to end 2024 with one of the best-looking timepieces released as a dual project.

This watch, as expected, revolves around the theme of travel. Porter is a Japanese bag brand that has a variety of styles for travel bags. For this collaboration, Porter by Yoshida & Company has supplied the velcro straps for the timepeices. They are also throwing in a specially developed bag that has been made with Zenith’s input, in Porter’s signature khaki-green colour.

Zenith, on the other hand, has a long history when it comes to pilot watches. For those who may not know, Zenith has been supporting pilots since the earliest days of aviation. The history between Zenith and aviation goes as far back as 1888, when Zenith’s founder, Georges-Favre Jacot, saw the potential of aviation and trademarked “Pilote” in French, followed shortly after by “Pilot”.

Zenith’s PILOT collection is the brand’s longest-running collection and has played a large pivotal role in shaping the world of aviation timepieces. The brand was among the first watchmakers in the world to create aviation watches and, as mentioned previously, owned the exclusive rights to use the term “Pilot” on the watch dials. What really cemented Zeniths’ position as the leader of aviation timepieces was when in 1909, Louis Blériot famously wore the Zenith PILOT watch during his historic flight across the English Channel.

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^{The latest Zenith PILOT Big Date Flyback Chronograph Porter Edition alongside the specially developed bag that has been made with Zenith’s input.}

Over the decades, Zenith’s PILOT collection has gone through many changes while, of course, still retaining its core identity, which made it a favourite among buyers. The early-generation Zenith PILOT timepieces were high-utility models that were designed specifically for pilots. The watches featured oversized dials, bold Arabic hour numerals and large onion crowns for easy operation even while wearing gloves. The core identity of these timepieces was prioritising functionality and legibility.

As the PILOT collection transitioned into the modern era, Zenith started to use more advanced materials, such as bronze, along with incorporating their high-tech movements like the El Primero chronograph calibres. The modern PILOT timepieces also reflect contemporary tastes, with Zenith creating skeleton timepieces like the PILOT Type 20 Squelette. However, this is more the brand having fun and creating something unique, whilst still keeping the signature Pilot models in the lineup.

Last year, the PILOT collection went through what you can consider a major update in which the dial details were “redesigned” to suit modern standards. Thankfully, the brand didn’t completely rejig the design but rather made it simpler. In comparison, if we take the previous gen’s PILOT model, it had large Arabic markers, cathedral hands for the hour and minute hands, lots of SuperLumi-Nova, and a more “spacious” dial. The last part is due to the 45mm case size for models like the flyback chronograph.

The 2023 update to the PILOT collection, however, redesigns these core elements. Firstly, the case size of the flyback chronograph has been reduced from 45mm to 42.5mm, which means that naturally, the elements in the dial will be sized down too. This is evident through the Arabic hour indices, which are smaller in size but also have different fonts, giving a simpler, more elegant look. I personally like the old font style better as it gave the watch a unique look, but the new design isn’t completely lost on me. The cathedral hands have also made way for “sword” shaped hour and minute hands, which, unlike the previous gen’s design, are mimicked on the chronograph counters as well. This uniformity gives the dial balance, which, when combined with the simple yet elegant hour indices, creates a timepiece with a well-defined look.

Related Reading: Zenith’s new 2023 PILOT collection

That’s not where the changes to the new model stop. Two other major changes include the sizeable prominent date window at 6 o’clock, which pushes what used to be the large “pilot” inscription down to a miniature version underneath the date. Then, the elephant in the room is the major change to the dial: the horizontal groove pattern. The horizontal grooves were created to mimic the look of corrugated metal sheets, the same design that you would find on the fuselage of much older aircraft. So it’s clear that even though Zenith is modernising the PILOT collection, they are still going back to the roots for design inspiration!

Initial Impressions:

When I first saw the pictures of this timepiece online, it caught my attention immediately. This is certainly one of the collaborations that have stood out in recent times. I am a big fan of dials that stand out, whether it be through colour or design. This new collaboration between Zenith and Porter has both!

Seeing the watch in person is, as we know, always different than seeing it through pictures. Luckily, the watch’s appearance only elevated in person, with the dial being even more eye-catching. What the two brands have done well when it comes to this collaboration is the orange accents. While this shade of green is certainly captivating, the orange accents found throughout the dial are what make this watch more me (obviously the wearability and movement). This is one of the best green dial watches I’ve had the pleasure of trying on, and luckily for me, I was able to wear it for some time to appreciate it truly.

Case Design:

With the relaunch of the Pilot’s collection from Zenith came a redesign of the watch case. The watch has been downsized, with this PILOT Big Date Flyback Porter being a more modest 42.5mm. The case material is ceramic, with the colour being a beautiful green “khaki” shade. This is honestly one of the best green shades I’ve seen on a timepiece, which is why I think the other coloured elements on the watch work really well with it! This shade of khaki green is more reflective of olive green and has been chosen to resemble the signature green found on Porter bags.

The PILOT Big Date Flyback Porter comes with black PVD chronograph pushers and a large onion crown. If I’m being picky, this is where the downsides to the colour choice would be. The choice of using black for the pushers and crown seems out of place with the colour theme of the rest of the watch. I personally think it could’ve been better executed with a green (perhaps lighter shade) or even white to match the large hour indices. It would’ve made the watch stand out much better, which is what they were going for with this timepiece after all.

The distinctive flat-top round bezel is also made exclusively from khaki ceramic, with also a matte finish like the case. The lack of polishing on the case and bezel gives the watch a rugged look, which is perfect since it is made for the outdoors and travelling!

Dial Design:

The core concept of the PILOT series when it was first unveiled was to provide easy readability of the dial, then functionality. This is why the previous versions of the PILOT model featured large dials with large hour indices and hands, with these elements contrasting nicely against the dial colours to provide a dial that stands out and is easy to read.

This new generation of Zenith Pilot Big Date Flyback Chronograph timepeices hasn’t lost this concept, even with the reduction in case size and changes to the design of the indices and hands. The PILOT Big Date Flyback Chronograph can seem compacted in design, however, thanks to the colour choices, the reliability of the dial isn’t hindered. The block-style hour indices are filled with SuperLumi-Nova, which makes them stand out beautifully against the khaki dial. Using a different colour for the hands and sub-counter hands is a great choice, as having them in white would have made the dial too messy, in my opinion, with the white overlapping each other too many times.

We don’t often see orange elements on watches, and I, for one, am very much on board with the Big Pilot Flyback Porter dial! The orange works really well against the green, a colour combination that wouldn’t have been my first choice, that’s for sure! The chronograph 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock features alternating orange and white outlines, which makes it easier for the wearer to distinguish the 5-minute intervals. Both the chronograph counters have orange hands, which, as stated previously, helps to distinguish the counter readings immediately.

Underneath the 12 o’clock is the Zenith logo, along with the brand’s iconic 5-pointed star. What’s different about this logo is that it has a polished finish, which, even though it’s a small detail in the overall dial, makes it stand out among the surrounding colourful elements. Sitting underneath the Zenith logo is the Porter inscription, signifying the other half of this collaboration. It’s done in Porter’s signature font, and while it looks stylish by itself, I think it gives too “font” styles. Between the block Arabic hour indices, the “Zenith” logo, the “Pilot” inscription at the bottom of the dial and the “Portor” inscription, its four varying font styles on the dials. These are, of course, minor design details; however, if I’m being picky, it gives an off-balance look.

As I mentioned earlier, one of the big changes Zenith implemented into the design of their new PILOT collection is the horizontal groove pattern. First seen on the black dials of the Watches & Wonders 2023 release, Zenith has added a variety of different colours which makes this groove pattern stand out. This green khaki is no different. The matte finish of the green adds to the character of the dial, while also making the groove pattern resemble corrugated metal sheets.

Another new addition to the revamped ZENITH PILOT dial is the big date window above 6 o’clock. The date window is close to being colour-matched to the dial, albeit being a bit darker that more closely resembles the khaki green of the ceramic case. Giving the date wheel a similar green colour means that the dial becomes less busy and doesn’t detract attention from the large block hour indices. I also like how Zenith has retained the 6 o’clock hour marker with just a horizontal index, complete with SuperLumi-Nova, instead of using a small vertical marker.

Movement:

The engine sitting inside these new PILOT Big Date Flyback Chronograph models is Zenith’s in-house El Primero 3652 movement. The specs of the movement are it features a column-wheel chronograph with a flyback function and, as mentioned, Zenith’s patented Big date at 6 o’clock. The movement is able to operate at a very high frequency (which Zenith’s El Primero is known for) of 36,000 VpH (5Hz), while also delivering a decent power reserve of 60 hours. The transparent sapphire case back of the timepiece features the Portor logo, but underneath, we can see the special “Pilot artificial horizon” black oscillating weight. The “artificial horizon”, also known as the attitude indicator (AI), is a flight instrument that shows an aircraft’s orientation relative to the horizon.

Zenith states in regards to the patented Big date display that “The oversized date display with white numerals on khaki disks is operated by a cutting-edge patented compliant mechanism, which advances and stabilizes both of the Big Date’s wheels in less than 0.03 seconds.” The result of this mechanism is that the date “snap jumps” in 0.07 seconds!

The 30-minute chronograph comes equipped with a column wheel and lateral clutch, which is essentially the “flyback” function of the chronograph, whereby you can start and reset the chronograph without ever stopping the 30-minute counter. It’s useful for events where you need to measure multiple time intervals or activities that require split-second accuracy. The watch’s flyback chronograph function is activated firstly by pressing the 2 o’clock pusher to get the timer started. Then, if you want to reset the chronograph without resetting the “timer”, press the pusher at 4 o’clock.

How It Wears:

One of the standout features of the Zenith X Porter PILOT Big Date Flyback Chronograph is the velcro strap. The velcro strap was created and supplied by Porter, which you can see from their logo on the side of the strap. The velcro strap has been well thought out, with the outer surface colour matching the case and dial nicely. The inner lining of the strap is done in orange, which matches the orange accents on the dial. The hook of the velcro runs for a portion of the strap, which offers decent adjustability to cater for the different wrist sizes.

I say decent adjustability because, for me, the velcro strap offered a mixed experience when it came to wearability. As someone with slimmer wrists (mine is 16.5cm), I found the design of the velcro strap to be cumbersome. The main issue I had with the strap was that the hook didn’t go far enough on the strap, which meant that the loop would stick out. To negate this issue, I pulled the loop part of the strap back to line up with the hook; however, that resulted in the strap having a larger “curvature” on the other end (as can be seen from the photo above!). This disrupts the watch’s streamlined aesthetic and comfort.

This isn’t a big issue for me overall, as I generally don’t wear watches with velcro straps. Fortunately, Zenith has a green rubber strap as a secondary strap, which would negate the above issues quite easily. The velcro strap wouldn’t be an issue for larger wrists, either. Matt tried it on his wrist, and it fit perfectly fine, with barely any protrusions.

The watch was easy to operate while still on the wrist. I’m sure we’ve all faced the issue in the past that adjusting the crown while still on the wrist was not, in fact, possible. Zenith PILOT Big Date Flyback Chronograph doesn’t have that issue with the purpose-built large onion crown being easy to pull out and adjust the time and date with. The chronograph pushers also provide great feedback, with a crisp click to engage the timer and reset the chronograph.

Final Thoughts:

Zenith’s latest collaboration with the Japanese bag brand Porter by Yoshida & Company is a testament to how a collaboration can give a fresh new take to a heritage-inspired timepiece. Bringing together Zenith’s storied aviation history with Porter’s modern design culture, the Zenith X Porter PILOT Big Date Flyback Chronograph, with its bold look, is a stand-out piece in the watchmaker’s new PILOT collection.

While the timepiece retains the functionality and mechanical mastery of the PILOT Big Date Flyback Chronograph, the vibrant colours of khaki green, orange and white accents on the dial, bring forth a fresh contemporary look that gives collectors and enthusiasts something fun and daring from the standard colour schemes we are used to. I didn’t think orange and green would go so well together, but this was a case in point: “Never judge before you see”.

That being said, however, the design of the velcro strap may polarize opinions, especially if you have slimmer wrists like mine. While the design doesn’t detract from the timepiece’s undeniable charm, the secondary rubber strap will negate this issue quite easily, while also making it more practical for everyday wear! The Zenith x Porter Bit Pilot Flyback is a strong contender for anyone who appreciates aviation-inspired watches with a modern twist.

Reference: 49.4001.3652/63.I001

Specifications:

• Dimensions: 42.5mm, 51.4mm lug-to-lug & 14.3mm thick
• Case Material: Khaki green ceramic
• Case back: Black PVD with transparent sapphire crystal
• Dial: Khaki green dial with orange accents. Horizontal grooves and patented Big date window at 6 ‘oclock.
• Crystal: Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment
• Water resistance: 100m / 10bar
• Movement: Calibre El Primero 3652 movement beating at 5Hz / 36,000 VpH
• Power reserve: Approx. 60 Hours
• Strap: Khaki “Cordura” effect rubber strap with black PVD steel folding buckle and khaki in durable nylon fabric by PORTER.

Australian Recommended Retail Price: AUD $23,900

Availability: Limited To 500 models worldwide.

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