2025 has been a big year for Zenith. The brand has been celebrating its 160th anniversary, with a still fairly freshly-minted CEO at the helm, giving the brand a new direction, and of course, we can’t forget completing the Time+Tide Surfer trilogy with the White Surfer back in the summer. To make this year stand out for the brand, they chose a very specific shade of blue, and this cerulean colour was applied across all of its special anniversary pieces that were released this year at Watches and Wonders. This hue was used most effectively across the three ceramic chronographs that were released at the fair. This triumvirate truly set the tone for Zenith this year and acted as flagships for the rest of the year’s releases to fall in line with.
While the Defy Skyline Chronograph may have grabbed a lot of the headlines thanks to its striking integrated bracelet design, and the Chronomaster Sport will always garner attention thanks to its legendary status, I see the Pilot Big Date Flyback as the under-the-radar pick out of these three – but undeservedly so. This model bears the name of one of the oldest trademarks that Zenith secured, the name Pilot, and features one of the most underrated complications in the horological world, the big date. Let’s dive into why this blue beast deserves more attention and is bringing some of the oldest features at Zenith into the year 2025.
The current Pilot series may have been released in 2023, but its roots go back to 1888, when Zenith’s founder Georges Favre-Jacot trademarked the French term Pilote and then in 1904, he got the same word in English. This was just one year after the Wright brothers took to the skies in powered flight for the first time! That is a truly visionary move, and it means that Zenith is the only watch brand to put the word “pilot” on a watch dial.
But what is in a name? Let’s dig deeper into this model and find out why I’ve been so drawn to it. The combination of complications here is fascinating to me; having a high-frequency, flyback chronograph on top of a big date is not something we see very often, but is in fact an ideal combo for an on-the-go pilot.
Having an instantaneous flyback mechanism in your chronograph makes it endlessly more functional when you are using it for its intended function, and there are a number of things you can use it for when in the cockpit. And I don’t think I need to go on about the usefulness of a big date, but when you’re constantly on the move, just keeping track of the days can be tricky, and so to have it writ large on your wrist can be a real blessing.
But the functionality of this watch hasn’t changed in this new addition; what has is its coat. Gone are the steel and matte black ceramic cases, and instead, we have this rich, eye-catching blue tone that has become emblematic of Zenith in 2025. The blue ceramic case here makes this watch feel far more emotionally charged to me; it stands out much more, and when you pair it with the blue dial and the strong pops of white detail, the overall aesthetic feels satisfyingly complete.
The watch comes with two strap options, a blue or a white fabric, and while most of the images you will see of this watch will feature the blue, as it continues the blue theme of 2025, I feel this watch looks much stronger when on the white. It has far more wrist presence, and when you are wearing a fully blue ceramic watch that measures 41mm across and 14.25mm thick, you can’t be afraid of that, so you might as well lean into it. However, you can always swap these straps out extremely easily thanks to Zenith’s quick-change system.
Closing thoughts
In an anniversary year it’s important to focus on everything that has got you to where you are today. And the Pilot Big Date Flyback should not be a forgotten part of Zenith’s history, with a name that stretches back to 1888, and a functionality that remains just as cutting-edge today as it was in 2023 when it was introduced. This watch brings the best parts of the past, present, and future together for a true celebratory watch.
Both visually and technologically, this watch is about as modern as they come. The blue palette that is punctuated with white goes perfectly with the highly developed and complex movement inside and makes me think that while this watch may be celebrating a 160-year anniversary, it is far more forward-looking than that may suggest. Given the rich history that Zenith has with pilot’s watches and aeronautical instruments, I certainly hope this watch is acting as a statement of intent of what is to come, rather than a retrospective of what they have achieved so far.
Zenith Pilot Big Date Flyback 160th Anniversary Edition pricing and availability
The Pilot Big Date Flyback 160th anniversary from Zenith is limited to just 160 pieces and available now. Price: CHF 15,400/US$15,500/€16,500
Brand
Zenith
Model
Pilot Big Date Flyback 160th Anniversary
Reference Number
49.4002.3652/51.I009
Case Dimensions
41mm (D) x 14.25mm (T) x 52mm (LTL)
Case Material
Blue ceramic
Water Resistance
100 metres
Crystal(s)
Sapphire front and back
Dial
Blue with horizontal grooves
Bracelet
White or blue Cordura-effect with steel folding clasp
Movement
El Primero 3652, in-house, automatic
Power Reserve
60 hours
Functions
Hours, minutes, seconds, big date, flyback chronograph
Availability
Limited edition of 160 pieces
Price
CHF 15,400
€16,500
US$15,500