The subject of this auction is a truly rare piece of military watch history: an original Zenith Special early pilot's watch of the Reichsluftwaffe with a rotating bezel and arrow index from around 1930, the forerunner of the military chronograph as described in detail by Konrad Knirim in the "Bible of Military Watches."
The Zenith Special, with its caliber NVSI15 with swan-neck fine adjustment, is, alongside the Omega and the Natalis, the most technically sophisticated, one of the rarest and most valuable of this piece of military watch history known only to experts, and with a mighty 41mm diameter without crown, also one of the largest of this genre
The Zenith Special is considered the most famous and the "queen of early pilot's watches" because it was the first model to feature the typical features of this chronograph predecessor: curved, fixed lugs, a knurled bezel with arrow index, and an indirect second hand on the black dial. It is also the model that was produced the least frequently – because the major Swiss and German manufacturers immediately followed suit and, not least of all, pushed their way into the market through price.
In addition, the Zenith Special is the only watch of this era of early pilot's watches to have a high-quality swan-neck fine adjustment built into its caliber NVSI15
With a 41mm case diameter—the later size of the legendary Wehrmacht chronographs and B-Uhren—significantly larger than "normal" service watches, these early pilot's watches of the Reichsluftwaffe, lacking chronograph functions for precise measurement and display of flight duration, were generally equipped with a rotating, knurled bezel and index markings. Wide, curved lugs and lugs, extending far back, which became a distinguishing feature of these early pilot's watches, allowed them to be worn on a long strap over the pilot's overalls.
All models of this period already possessed the typical features that later became standard for all Wehrmacht service watches: indirect second at the "6", black dial, radium-filled hands and Arabic numerals.
Early pilot's watches, all issued unmarked because, according to the Treaty of Versailles, there was no Reichswehr, let alone an air force in Germany, were produced by practically all renowned brands such as Omega, Longines, Zenith, IWC (caliber 83), Breitling, Titus, Helvetia, Tissot, Roamer, Lanco, Rellum as well as the small manufacturers Natalis and Wagner and delivered to the Reichsluftwaffe.
As can be seen from the photos of this offer, these pieces were/are traded between Euro 2500,- and Euro 5000,- according to the "Armbanduhren Klassik Katalog" by Muser Horlbeck or achieved corresponding prices at the auction house Muser/Horlbeck
The super rare example of this offer has with exactly 41mm case diameter without crown exactly the authentic and known size
Deep black, flawless dial with indirect second, Arabic numerals and circumferential early tachymeter scale, hands absolutely original (see photos), high-quality screwed case back
Runs and functions flawlessly – accuracy not tested – it's fitted with a Zenith-signed caliber NVSI15 movement with 15 jewels and an early fine adjustment. The radium filling in the original hands is completely intact, and the crystal is presumably still original.
EZ: 1 - 2: functional, good collector's condition with usual and recognizable signs of wear, dial unrestored in excellent condition, radium-filled Arabic numerals are perfectly preserved, presumably still original, very thick protective plexiglass in good condition
