Today we review Zenith's GMT version of a classic pilot's watch, the Type 20. While there are a variety of Zenith Type 20s to choose from, this one is probably my favorite, in part due to the limited edition's blue dial, but in part due to its super-simple GMT complication. Whichever version you choose, however, reading this watch at any time, day or night, is about as easy as it can get.
The Type 20 is less a watch and more a collection of watches (and, if you go far back enough, plane instruments). Today we're looking at two very specific models, namely the Type 20 GMTs.
Zenith's Pilot collection is virtually synonymous with the Type 20, with a wide variety of vintage-pilot inspired options, including massive models, chronographs, annual calendars and even tourbillons, but the GMT models are definitely my favorite.
That's for a few reasons. For one thing, a GMT complication just makes great sense in a pilot's watch, far more than (otherwise very cool) chronographs or annual calendars. But subjectively, I just think it looks better. I really like the basic Type 20 as well, for its extreme simplicity, but I'm not in love with the way the seconds subdial cuts into the numbers, which is not a problem for the GMT models. But the GMT complication itself looks very cool with its bright red GMT hand. The second best looking Type 20s are probably the Extra Special and the new Ton-Up, but for me, this is where it's at.
It's a very unapologetic love letter to their vintage tool watches. It has a very large size at 48mm, but this is outclassed by its even more enormous onion crown, which was designed to allow pilots wearing gloves to easily operate the watch.
The other important aspect of the tool watch equation is its unbelievable legibility. It's a big watch, and Zenith has used every millimeter of space to use huge, bold numerals and hands.
If anything, it gets even easier to read at night with some of the brightest lume I've ever seen, including on divers.
The movement is sourced from the Elite collection, like almost all non-chronograph movements in Zenith's lineup. It's an extremely thin Elite 693 (although you won't appreciate that dimension in this case) with a nice 50-hour power reserve, or about 10 more than you get in most watches. Sadly, since we can't see the movement here, a review of the movement will have to wait until I have a better view.
The dial is, in a word, awesome, especially this blue one. Those colors look strikingly similar to another amazing, indeed genius, watch I recently saw.
The non-limited edition looks great too, particularly if you're a fan of an all-business look. This is the more deadly serious of the two.
I think the first thing to appreciate about either of these is their numerals. These are absolutely massive. On close inspection, the thick luminous paint appears to actually rise far above the dial despite apparently being set inside some sort of cutout. I think that this very tall stack of luminous paint is how they're able to get it so bright. Blessedly, none of the numerals are cut off in the Type 20 GMT.
These are a match for the equally massive cathedral hands. In tool watches, legibility is king, and that means that even at a quick glance in adverse conditions you shouldn't confuse the hands. That won't be a problem here. If I were to offer a minor quibble, although I love how the GMT hand looks, the lack of lume feels a bit out of place in such an otherwise well-lit watch.
The seconds hand takes a bit of a backseat in the Type 20, which ultimately allows greater emphasis on the other hands. Personally, I like its off-centered look, and few brands, if any, do quirky things like this better than Zenith.
Here are the operative GMT components, the GMT hand and pusher. It's an extremely simple setup. The pusher just moves the GMT hand one hour clockwise. It'd be hard to think of an easier to use GMT complication. While the GMT hand can be difficult to read at night, it's probably the easiest to read in the day, thanks to the red tip.
The other version's dial differs only in color. The dial is a very even matte black with sand colored accents (namely the GMT numerals around the perimeter). Although the hands appear to be identical, they can be slightly harder to find when they reflect a black surface against the black background.
Although on a color level it's a little less fun, it's probably the more versatile of the two (if either can be said to be versatile). It's definitely the more classic tool watch, a segment that historically shuns wild color schemes.
As I mentioned in the introduction, the lume is just incredible. More so, it's applied so precisely that it remains impressive on close inspection. The numerals look a lot more like applied markers with perfectly cut right angles in their huge chunks of luminous paint. This is probably the best freestanding application of lume I've ever seen.
The case on the Type 20 GMT is actually extremely interesting, and not just because of its large size.
The massive onion crown is perhaps the surest hint of its vintage origins. At one time this had a very practical use, namely for pilots wearing gloves.
It's still useful today, however. It's a screw down crown, and although the watch is automatic, you'll still have to set the time every now and then. The large crown makes this very easy.
I love the blued screws on this little name plate, which is on both this limited edition and the full production model. Of course, one can't ignore the thickness of the watch, but then, it's a 48mm vintage-inspired tool watch. It's going to be big.
The cases are actually the biggest difference between the two watches. They're different colors, obviously, the limited edition possessing a black DLC finish, but the composition is also different, being made from titanium as opposed to the polished steel in the other version. I'm not personally a fan of super light watches, but at this size of watch, the titanium is very much appreciated. Furthermore, unlike most watches, the titanium model comes with a small and not at all unreasonable markup over the steel. In my opinion, the advantage goes to titanium here.
It is quite large at 48mm, frankly, too big for my own personal use, but at least none of that space is wasted. The numerals and hands are huge, and I specifically like that the hands reach their appropriate targets perfectly. Fans of this look can get a much smaller watch in the ordinary (non-GMT) Type 20 as well, so there's something for everyone.
Both of these Type 20 GMTs come with a nicely decorated back. I haven't seen it myself yet, but Zenith does offer a transparent back version with the limited edition 95.2430.693/51.C751.
The Type 20 GMT is a wonderful option for fans of aviation watches and not just because it's made really, really well.
It's because, while fliegers are very cool in their own right, they've come to dominate the mechanical pilot watch market. Zenith's vision of a pilot watch is closely based on their historic models, but it's also a pleasant bit of differentiation in this crowded segment.
But regardless of the Type 20's place in the overall market, it does stand as something not only very aesthetically pleasing, but also as something extremely well made.
In addition to its in-house movement, the precision I'm seeing at high levels of magnification on the dial is impressive, particularly on the numerals. It's a very finely crafted watch and it really earns its price point.
Actually, I'd like to suggest an unlikely collector for this model. While it's no doubt targeted at successful 30-somethings who want an edgy and functional mechanical watch, I think there's a real argument to be made that this would be an excellent choice or gift for older watch fans. It's extremely easy to read, its crown is very easy to use, it has amazingly powerful lume and the GMT complication doesn't take a vice grip to operate. In short, for those with less than stellar vision (I'm among these) or with arthritis, this could be a very practical watch.
As a fairly average-sized 5'10 guy, it probably goes without saying that 48mm is a bit large for me, so I'm hardly an ideal wrist model. Still, I think it stops short of being cartoonishly large. This steel model looks terrific, and against almost any other aviation-inspired watch, I'd probably pick it.
But that Type 20 GMT isn't against just any other aviation inspired watch--it's against another Type 20 GMT, this limited edition blue dial model. And here, that's certainly the one I'd pick. I'm not a big fan of black watches, and in most reviews where they're compared I opt for the uncoated versions, but for whatever reason it just works here. The coup de grâce, however, is the dark, matte blue dial with red accents which, while muted, is somehow also quite stunning. It doesn't hurt that the price increase for the titanium and DLC limited edition is so small either.
