Zenith Pilot Montre d'Aeronef Type 20 GMT watch hands-on In the Zenith Pilot Montre d'Aeronef Type 20 watch (this title is so long that I'm already afraid of having to type it multiple times in this article) is GMT. Luckily, you'll never forget the watch's name because Zenith kindly put it under their name on the dial - they thought of it. The GMT already has at least two limited editions, including the Red Baron and 1903, but more on that later, and is probably one of the clearest and most accessible dual time zone watches around.

We first discussed the Zenith Pilot Montre d'Aeronef Type 20 GMT watch here in 2013 when it was first introduced. It was one of two "smaller" 48mm wide Zenith Pilot watches introduced that year. The other is the Pilot Montre d'Aeronef Type 20 Annual Calendar (hands on here), another great piece. When I say smaller, I mean the "original" Hyundai Zenith Pilot Montre d'Aeronef Type 20 watch from 2012 (hands-on here) is a whopping 57.5mm wide. You can now see why the 2013 Pilot watch is "smaller" at 48mm wide. In fact, Zenith also launched a 40mm wide version (simple three-pin).

While I really like the annual calendar model, with the El Primero chronograph movement and very simple mechanics (a good thing), Ludwig Oeschlin designed the annual calendar system, I think this GMT model is a purer pilot's watch. On the one hand, the dial is much simpler - it doesn't even have a date display. Second, the GMT complication is arguably more like a traditional "pilot complication". So for me, the Pilot Montre d'Aeronef Type 20 GMT was the obvious choice for this bold collection of pilot timepieces.

The base GMT model has a 48mm-wide steel case, which is, in a sense, really heavy. It has a mix of brushed and polished finishes and is water resistant to 100 meters. Even a large crown is a thing of beauty and feels comfortable in your fingers. Being so large makes operating and reading the watch so easy. I've said it before and will comment again - the Pilot Montre d'Aeronef Type 20 series thing is so big it's almost cartoonish. That's not necessarily a bad thing, although a piece like this is likely to typify the hatred of collectors who don't particularly like "big watches." On the other hand, if you like big watches, this will most likely be on your wish list.

Honestly, for a big watch, it wears just fine. The 48mm width and around 16mm thickness can't be disguised, but the watch fits well, and the short lugs are curved for maximum comfort. Even though I have smaller wrists, I'd happily pull off something like this on a regular basis. Maybe not as everyday wear, but a timepiece like this is a case in itself that combines style and utility. The dial is perhaps the Pilot Montre d'Aeronef Type 20 GMT's forte. Excellent contrast and easy-to-read numerals and hands make reading a breeze. Zenith – consistently a producer of high-quality hands – uses a brushed polish for the right-sized hands and fills them with luminous. So not only do you have a dial with ideal proportions, but you also have a dial that does not reflect light due to the lack of reflective surfaces. Allow me to implore watchmakers again; please stop putting inappropriately reflective surfaces on watch dials.