Zenith - The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XIV Hong Kong Friday, May 27, 2022 | Phillips

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  • Manufacturer: Zenith
    Year: Circa 2016
    Reference No: 96.2438.693/23.C721
    Movement No: 480’198
    Case No: 327’548, 24/50
    Model Name: Montre d'Aéronef Type 20 GMT
    Material: DLC-coated Titanium
    Calibre: Automatic, cal. Elite 693, 26 jewels
    Bracelet/Strap: Leather
    Clasp/Buckle: Stainless steel Zenith pin buckle
    Dimensions: 48mm diameter
    Signed: Case, dial, movement and buckle signed
    Accessories: Accompanied by Zenith warranty stamped by retailer Watch Town dated 2016, leather wallet, instruction manual, fitted presentation box and outer packaging.

  • Catalogue Essay

    A vibrant tribute to the free-flying spirit of the airborne pioneers, the Pilot Montre d'Aéronef Type 20 echoes the finest hours in the early 20th century conquest of the skies. Inspired by the legendary Zenith aviation watches that dates back to its genesis in 1909, it is the year when French aviator Louis Blériot became the first person to fly across the English Channel, and on his wrist was a Zenith timepiece. Taking design codes from its heritage with the oversized 48mm case as well as the onion shaped winding crown, the model is treated with a DLC coating on titanium with modernized durability and weight. The present Heritage Pilot Type 20 GMT belongs to a rarer breed where it was made in a limited edition of 50 pieces only with a scarcely seen Eastern Arabic numeral dial. Fitted with an attractive black appeal with red accents on the periphery of the railway track, the GMT function indicated by a bold red tip of the skeletonized hand allows the wearer to adjust the GMT hour with ease by its dedicated pusher at 10 o’clock. Turing the timepiece over reveals a caseback reveals adorned with detailed engraving of the Zenith aircraft. Numbered 24 from the limited edition and preserved in excellent condition, the present timepiece is also accompanied with its original warranty and accessories.

  • Artist Biography

    Zenith

    Swiss • 1865

    Since Zenith's beginnings, founder George Favre-Jacot sought to manufacture precision timepieces, realizing quality control was best maintained when production was housed under one roof. Zenith remains one of the few Swiss manufacturers to produce their own in-house movements to this day.

    Today, the brand is best known for the "El Primero," the firm's most successful automatic chronograph movement. In an interesting twist of fate, the company that owned Zenith during the 1970s decided to move on to quartz movements and therefore sought to destroy the parts and tools necessary to make mechanical movements. One watchmaker realized this folly and hid the tools and parts before they were destroyed. In 1984, he returned them to Zenith so they could once again make the El Primero movement.

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895

Ref. 96.2438.693/23.C721
A rare, large and attractive limited edition dual-time DLC-coated titanium wristwatch with Eastern Arabic numerals, small seconds, warranty and presentation box, numbered 24 of a limited edition of 50 pieces

Circa 2016
48mm diameter
Case, dial, movement and buckle signed

Estimate
HK$15,000 - 30,000 
€1,900-3,800
$1,900-3,800

Sold for HK$88,200

Contact Specialist

Thomas Perazzi
Head of Watches, Asia 
+852 2318 2001
WatchesHK@phillips.com

The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XIV

Hong Kong Auction 27 - 28 May 2022