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Zenith Pilot Type 20 Rescue 45MM Stainless Steel 03.2434.679/20.I010
Ref. 03.2434.679/20.1010
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Stepping up in Zenith's range
The Rescue arrived in 2020 as Zenith's deliberate return to the instrument watches that preceded the brand's formal pilot collections — oversized, unambiguous, built to be read in a cockpit rather than consulted at a desk. The slate-grey sunray dial carries that brief through: the Arabic numerals are cut from solid blocks of Super-LumiNova rather than applied as a coating, so the figures hold their geometry under load and glow with real depth in darkness. The oversized onion crown, a direct reference to gloved-hand operation, sits at three o'clock with enough grip to find without looking. The Elite 679 beneath the caseback is Zenith's own work, a movement the brand introduced in 1994 and has refined steadily since. At 4 Hz it runs with a precision appropriate to something marketed as an instrument, and its 50-hour reserve means a weekend off the wrist is not a problem on Monday morning. The caseback carries the flying instruments engraving rather than an exhibition window, which suits the tool-watch character better than a movement display would. The riveted calfskin strap with its titanium pin buckle completes a coherent period reference — practical, adjustable, nothing to overthink.
- Reference
- 03.2434.679/20.1010
- Brand
- Zenith
- Collection
- Pilot
- Case size
- 45mm
- Case thickness
- 14.25mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Grey
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- Elite 679
- Water resistance
- 100m
- Bracelet / strap
- Leather strap
- Strap colour
- Black
- Clasp
- Buckle
- Lume
- Super-LumiNova
- Condition
- Pre-owned
- Retailer
- Mappin & Webb
Additional specifications
- Power reserve
- 50 hours
Learn more about Zenith
Georges Favre-Jacot founded Zenith in Le Locle in 1865, aged twenty-two, with an idea that was radical for the Swiss industry: bring every trade needed to make a watch — movement, case, dial, hands — under one roof and one management. The integrated manufacture was largely his invention, and the Le Locle site he built is still in use.
The approach produced results at observatory trials, where Zenith accumulated more precision awards than any other manufacture. The name itself came from a calibre Favre-Jacot considered the summit of his work.
Its defining achievement is the El Primero of 1969, developed over seven years and announced in the same year as the Heuer-Breitling consortium's Calibre 11 and Seiko's 6139. It was an integrated automatic chronograph beating at 36,000 vibrations per hour, allowing measurement to a tenth of a second — a frequency almost nothing else matched for decades.
It nearly did not survive. When American owners ordered the mechanical tooling scrapped during the quartz crisis, a watchmaker named Charles Vermot hid the plans, presses, and cams in a walled-off attic. When demand for mechanical chronographs returned, Zenith could restart production because of him. Rolex used the El Primero in the Daytona from 1988 to 2000.
LVMH acquired Zenith in 1999.
- 1865
- Georges Favre-Jacot founds the integrated manufacture at Le Locle.
- 1969
- The El Primero automatic chronograph debuts at 36,000 vph.
- 1975
- Charles Vermot hides the El Primero tooling from destruction.
- 1988
- Rolex adopts the El Primero for the Daytona.
- 1999
- Acquired by LVMH.
Also in 6 collections
This watch appears in Back in Stock (4,868), Stainless Steel Watches (3,133), Automatic Watches (1,750), Leather Strap Watches (1,037), Watches 44mm and Over (802) and Sports Watches (800).
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- 100m water resistance covers swimming and watersports
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- Sits in the lower half of Zenith's range as we list it
Worth knowing
- 45mm is a large watch with real presence
- 14.25mm thick, so it will not disappear under a cuff
- Leather does not suit regular contact with water
Zenith Pilot Type 20 Rescue alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 03.2434.679/20.1010 | 04220000484 | R32022305 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £4,995 | £5,495 | £3,450 |
| Case size | 45mm | 46mm | 45mm |
| Water resistance | 100m | 100m | 100m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Leather strap | Rubber strap | Leather strap |
| Power reserve | 50 hours | 48 hours | 45 hours |
| This watch | Closely matched |
|
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Yes. At 100m it is rated for swimming and snorkelling, though not for diving.
Water resistance explainedWill the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Sapphire, mineral and acrylic comparedDoes it need a battery?
No. It is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedHow long does it run for when it's not worn?
About 50 hours fully wound — enough to survive a night off the wrist, but not a full weekend.
Is it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's.
Cheapest place to buy
Mappin & Webb is the only UK retailer we track stocking this reference, so there is nothing to compare it against today.
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