Breitling chief executive Georges Kern takes the same role at Universal, but the managing director will be Gregory Bruttin, a two-decade veteran of Roger Dubuis who was its longtime head of product. An engineer and constructor by training, Mr Bruttin will oversee the development of Universal’s new collection of watches.
A once-storied brand founded in 1894, Universal has been dormant for a decade or more. While its historical timepieces like the Tri-Compax and A. Cairelli split-seconds are desirable, the brand has not launched a hit product in a long time.
The Tri-Compax
Mr Bruttin has no doubt been tasked to fix that. His technical credentials are impeccable – he led the creation of an impressive stable of in-house movements at Roger Dubuis, though his past work was far from the heritage-focused brand that Universal will be.
While challenging, Mr Bruttin’s job will be made easier by the fact that Breitling has its own manufacture and corresponding in-house chronograph calibres.
The 1950s split-seconds chronograph made for the Italian air force
While the launch of the rebooted brand’s first collection is still two years away, Universal is embarking on an immediate plan of brand building. In November the brand will mark the 70th anniversary of the Polerouter with a flight from Switzerland to Norway in a vintage plane, a nod to the history of the model that was first created for Scandinavian airline SAS.
The Universal website will also tell the story of the brand. The site will be the home of UG Magazine, an online periodical dedicated to its history.
Porter, a Japanese cult brand famous for its functional nylon bags, has lent its signature colours to Zenith to create the Pilot Central Automatic Porter and the Pilot Big Date Flyback Chronograph Porter. The new Pilot duo retain the familiar aviation-inspired design, but in green with orange accents, including for the first time a case in khaki green ceramic. Both models are delivered with two straps: a conventional Cordura-effect rubber strap and a green nylon strap made by Porter.
Initial thoughts
While the Pilot Porter isn’t an iconic classic like Zenith’s El Primero, it is a unique take on the traditional aviator’s watch that is different but still functional, not unlike Porter bags that are popular for their no-frills quality. The green and orange livery is appealing and avoids the usual pilot’s watch look, but remains entirely legible and utilitarian.
Priced at US$11,300 for the time-only variant and US$15,500 for the chronograph, the Pilot Porter is priced comparably to the equivalent regular-production Pilot models. Though both are more expensive than Zenith’s offerings in steel, they are priced reasonably enough considering the material and movement, as well as the competition.
Khaki green
Porter is the most famous label owned by Yoshida & Co., a Japanese maker of luggage and bags. Usually in dark-coloured nylon with contrast-colour lining, Porter bags are multi-pocketed and useful (and also quite pricey for nylon bags).
The Pilot Porter models adopt the khaki green and orange livery offered by Porter, which makes bags in low-key military green but with orange lining.
The Pilot time-only model sports a 40-mm-diameter khaki ceramic case in the trademark Pilot’s design with a flat-top round bezel and broad lugs. The ceramic case is entirely matte and features an oversized black-coated steel crown.
The dial is in matching dark green and stamped with a relief horizontal pattern that’s inspired by the corrugated aluminium bodies of vintage aircraft. It features applied Arabic numerals with steel surrounds, along with a horizontal baton marker at six that’s meant to evoke the attitude indicator on a plane’s instrument panel that displays the horizon. Along with the black and orange hands, the dial bears the Porter logo under 12 o’clock. Notably, the date disc is a matching olive green background.
The black-coated steel case back features a sapphire crystal with the Porter logo printed on its underside. Inside is the self-winding El Primero 3620, a high-frequency calibre that runs at 36,000 beats per hour (5 Hz) and has 60 hours of power reserve. It’s fitted with a black-coated rotor that takes the shape of an attitude indicator.
The flyback chronograph retains the same aesthetic, but in a larger, more complicated format, with the green ceramic case measuring 42.5 mm. Also in khaki green with orange accents, the dial has a 30-minute sub-dial with an alternating orange and white border.
The chronograph is powered by the El Primero 3652, which has 60 hours of power reserve and beats at 5 Hz.
It incorporates a patented oversized date that advances in less than 0.3 seconds, along with a flyback function that allows the wearer to reset and restart the chronograph by pushing the reset button while the chronograph is running, a feature traditionally associated with aviator’s chronographs.
Key facts and price
Zenith Pilot Central Automatic Porter Ref. 49.4001.3620/63.I001
Diameter: 40 mm Height: Unavailable Material: Ceramic Crystal: Sapphire Water resistance: 100 m
Movement: El Primero 3620 Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, and date Frequency: 36,000 beats per hour (5 Hz) Winding: Automatic Power reserve: 60 hours
Strap: Porter khaki nylon Velcro strap; Cordura-effect rubber strap with a black PVD steel folding buckle.
Limited edition: 500 pieces Availability: Now at Zenith boutiques and retailers Price: US$11,300
Zenith Pilot Big Date Flyback Porter Ref. 49.4001.3652/63.I001
Diameter: 42.5 mm Height: Unavailable Material: Ceramic Crystal: Sapphire Water resistance: 100 m
Movement: El Primero 3652 Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, big date and fly-back chronograph Winding: Automatic Power reserve: 60 hours
Strap: Porter khaki nylon Velcro strap; Cordura-effect rubber strap with a black PVD steel folding buckle.
Limited edition: 500 pieces Availability: Now at Zenith boutiques and retailers Price: US$15,500
