Zenith launches two new Limited Edition version of the brand’s celebrated Pilot Type 20 model with cigar brand manufacturer Cohiba at the 20th Cuban Habanos Festival: the 50-piece Pilot Type 20 Extra Special Cohiba Maduro 5 Edition in 18-carat rose gold and the 150-piece Pilot Type 20 Chronograph Cohiba Maduro 5 Edition in bronze.
With its virile bronze case, high-frequency El Primero ‘engine’ and black dial bearing green-emission SLN Arabic numerals, the Pilot Type 20 Chronograph is a natural heir to the onboard instruments developed by Zenith in the early years of aeronautics, known for their precision, sturdiness and outstanding legibility. Its counterpart, the Pilot Type 20 Extra Special, is powered by an automatic Zenith Elite 679 calibre. Featuring elegant hues and ideal proportions, it naturally lends itself to the most stylish vintage variations while never losing sight of the spirit of adventure that forged its legend.
Like mechanical watches, Habanos cigars have a long cultural history and are a quintessential expression of lifestyle. Aged, full-bodied and with the classic Cohiba finish, the Maduro 5 is no exception to this rule. Contrary to what one might assume, Maduro is not a type of leaf, but a colour shade achieved through an extra fermentation of the wrapper leaves harvested from the very top levels of the shade- grown tobacco plants and ageing longer time than is usual for standard wrapper leaves. The wrapper leaves used for Maduro 5 line belonging Cohiba brand are specially aged for five years. This well-aged wrapper yields the top-quality maduro colour and flavour quality that makes the distinct tasting Maduro 5 cigars.
Shared noble bearing and vintage patina
This year, the partnership launched in 2016 between the iconic Swiss watchmaker and Cuban flagship cigar brand on the occasion of the latter’s 50th anniversary lights up again. These two luxury cult brands have come together again, this time with a pair of timepieces distinguished by their shared noble bearing and vintage patina.
In tribute to these legendary and highly sought-after top-end cigars, Zenith has produced the Pilot Type 20 Extra Special Cohiba Maduro 5 Edition and Pilot Type 20 Chronograph Cohiba Maduro 5 Edition in warm tones of rose gold and bronze respectively. Water resistant to 10 ATM and endowed with a 50-hour power reserve, the trademark striking case, wide ratcheted easily adjustable crown (along with pushpieces in the case of the Pilot Type 20 Chronograph Cohiba Maduro 5 Edition), and oversized luminescent numerals of the Zenith/Cohiba Pilot watches proudly flaunt all the DNA of a line of airborne conquerors, while emulating the rich tones of the Maduro 5 wrapping.
Produced in a numbered edition of 50 for the Pilot Type 20 Chronograph Cohiba Maduro 5Edition and 150 in bronze for its Pilot Type 20 Cohiba Maduro 5 Edition counterpart, these magnificent timepieces display both the Zenith and the Cohiba logos on their sandblasted black dials. Both feature gold-plated hour and minute hands with a small seconds hand at 9 o’clock on the Pilot Type 20 Chronograph Cohiba Maduro 5 Edition, together with a central chrono hand and 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock. A special titanium caseback bearings the number of the piece in the series, along with the noble name ‘Cohiba Maduro 5’ atop an engraving of Cohiba’s “El Laguito” historical factory*. A brown oily nubuck strap with protective rubber lining, special stitching and titanium pin buckle on the Pilot Type 20 Chronograph Cohiba Maduro 5 Edition; and a brown alligator leather strap with protective rubber lining and matching 18-carat rose gold pin buckle on the Pilot Type 20 Extra Special Cohiba Maduro 5 Edition, set the perfect finishing touches to both these extraordinary collectors’ items.
While taste in any area is subjective, Maduro 5 connoisseurs have a very specific and highly desirable set of expectations and the same could be said of their watchmaking doppelgangers. United by a love of exceptional style and quality, aficionados of both fine Cuban cigars and magnificent timepieces are sure to be captivated by these latest spectacular embodiments of this unlikely, yet highly successful partnership between two totally unrelated but fully complementary industries.
Technical Specifications
PILOT TYPE 20 EXTRA SPECIAL COHIBA-MADURO 5 EDITION
Limited Edition of 50 units paying tribute to Cohiba’s high end collection (Maduro 5)
Reference: 18.2430.679/27.C721
MOVEMENT
Elite 679, Automatic
Calibre 11 ½“` (Diameter: 25.6 mm)
Movement thickness: 3.85 mm
Components: 126
Jewels: 27
Frequency: 28,800 VpH (4 Hz)
Power-reserve: min. 50 hours
Finishes: Oscillating weight with “Côtes de Genève” motif
FUNCTIONS
Hours and minutes in the centre
Central seconds hand
CASE, DIAL & HANDS
Material: 18-ct rose gold
Diameter: 45 mm
Dial-opening diameter: 37.80 mm
Thickness: 14.25 mm
Crystal: Domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment on both sides
Case-back: 18-ct rose gold engraved with “El Laguito” (Cohiba’s historical building)
Water-resistance: 10 ATM
Dial: Black adorned with Cohiba’s logo
Hour-markers: Arabic numerals in Super-LumiNova® SLN C1
Hands: gold-plated, faceted and coated with Super-LumiNova® SLN C1
STRAPS & BUCKLES
Strap reference: 27.00.2321.721
Brown alligator leather strap with protective rubber lining
Buckle reference: 27.18.0021.001
18-ct rose gold pin buckle
PILOT TYPE 20 EXTRA SPECIAL CHRONOGRAPH COHIBA-MADURO 5 EDITION
Limited Edition of 150 units paying tribute to Cohiba’s high end collection (Maduro 5)
Reference: 29.2432.4069/27.C794
MOVEMENT
El Primero 4069, Automatic
Calibre 13 ¼ “` (Diameter: 30 mm)
Movement thickness: 6.60 mm
Components: 254
Jewels: 35
Frequency: 36,000 VpH (5 Hz)
Power-reserve: min. 50 hours
Finishes: Oscillating weight with “Côtes de Genève” motif
FUNCTIONS
Hours and minutes in the centre
Small second at 9 o’clock
Chronograph :
Central chrono hand
30-min counter at 3 o’clock
CASE, DIAL & HANDS
Material: Bronze
Diameter: 45 mm
Dial-opening diameter: 37.80 mm
Thickness: 14.25 mm
Crystal: Domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment on both sides
Case-back: Titanium case-back engraved with “El Laguito” (Cohiba’s historical building)
Water-resistance: 10 ATM
Dial: Black adorned with Cohiba’s logo
Hour-markers: Arabic numerals in Super-LumiNova® SLN C1
Hands: gold-plated, faceted and coated with Super-LumiNova® SLN C1
STRAPS & BUCKLES
Strap reference: 27.00.2321.794
Brown oily nubuck strap with protective rubber lining
Buckle reference: 27.95.0021.001
Titanium pin buckle
