Well I was on the hunt for a 1930's era Pilot watch was looking on Ebay at Helvetia the one with the propeller on the dial but they all look like junk for double what they were worth due to condition. Then remembered a web site of a seller in the Czech Republic and saw a Zenith Special in great condition there is dial damage at the eleven well it's a porcelain dial but you all most miss it. I had to use google translator and then do the payment with bank wire a pain. Well it's now on the way to my house. I knew some one from another forum who bought from him so knew it was a safe deal but he did a face to face deal. Here is a link with info about this model and a photo of the watch from the seller I bought. Will post more when I get it. I like the movement and how it has a see through back with crystal after you remove the first case back. and cool regulator. First time I had some thing to post in the Zenith section here.

http://ninanet.net/watches/others10/Mediums/mzenithmil.html

 

I know nothing about these, except that I like how the knurled bezel matches the knurled crown. Very cool.

 

Nice looking piece.

 

Awesome piece. I love onion crowns. makes it look like magic to me.

 

Well it's here and she is running like a top. From the serial number she was made in 1930.

 

Hi here is my Prima form 1926-28 using the limited release of the type 20 leather band, superb watches , unusual to see and working like a charm, enjoy it

 

Have you a movement shot. I just sent for a archive letter Zenith was easy compared to Omega for us who live in the USA. Dam went to the Zenith home page went to archive typed in Case and movement serial number and had to do a crappy photo from the cell phone my good photo's had to many pixels and done. Long story how I got a archive letter for a Omega SHOM a original one not a watchco one some one in England helped me and got me one. Have you ever thought of getting one for yours. And is your dial porcelain like mine ?

 

That is just Epic, Congratulations. The crown is a bit Scary!! A+++ To you Sir.

 

A few more photo's

Thought this gunny leather NATO would look good on it.

Side case view with original beveled crystal and knuckled bezel that still turns and works.

Case back still in great shape but does show some wear.


Some better movement photo's of this 15 jewel with snail cam regulator with crystal see through back when you remove the metal case back. One cool watch. You can imagine it on a pilots wrist in a biplane and the pilot in a open cockpit back in the 1920's-1930's. This watch is were all Zenith Pilot watches get there DNA from. One reason I started collecting vintage watches mainly military is the history you can have on the wrist every time you wear one. Modern watches have not earned that yet.

 

Very nice watch!

 

Good evening everyone,

Newbie here with 1st post. Still amazed with the amount of information and help that is provided in this forum. I have to say I was also surprised to find vintage zenith specials so similar to mine (pics attached). Surely it must be a rare watch.

I have tried finding out a little bit more and from some tables I believe this could be from around 1917? What intrigues me most is that I still haven't found one where the calibre is marked with founder's name on it "Georges Favres Jacot".

Can anyone provide any info? I am thinking an extract from the zenith archives could be interesting...

Thanks!

 

Last week I got a email back from Zenith about a extract from there archives I ordered they wanted more photo's on there site when you order one you need to send photo's and movement and case serial numbers but low pixel count for the photo so sent a crappy cell phone photo due to many pixels in my better photo's that there site would not take. So with the email from Zenith I was able to send better photo's. I thought mine was from 1930 from some of the serial number look up stuff for dating zenith watches on the net. But with that email they mentioned it mite be from 1931 so you can't trust those dating tables on the net I will post the archive letter when I get it. I did ask for copies of any advertisements they mite have on these when I sent the photo's I have never seen any will post that if they send me any. They said they should be done with doing the work on the archive letter this week. There is only three things I found on the net about these like you say not much info on these.

 

Well got the archive letter from Zenith




A little info on the movement

A new leather NATO strap for it. If any other member has a vintage Zenith Special in there collection feel free to ad it to this thread and any thing you learned about it.

 

That looks superb. Who makes the strap?

 

I bought a strap for a WW1 perishing dial WW1 Elgin from the same seller and was thinking that type but he suggested the NATO and it was a better choice
http://www.vintagewatchstraps.com/trenchwatches.php
http://www.vintagewatchstraps.com/NATOG10.php