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A look back at history
The 356 PILOT Classic Anniversary model is a fine example of how every watch –
or chronograph – tells a unique story. This timepiece, too, stands on the shoulders
of an entire generation of successful watches from the 356 series.
It's worth taking a look back at history. At the very beginning, there was a
special edition in an exclusive range of 300 pieces. Made especially for the
Japanese market, we developed an elegant and slimmer version of our 256 pilot
chronograph without a rotating bezel in 1996: the 356 with the characteristic
"FLIEGER" imprint on a matte black dial, bead-blasted stainless-steel case and
shock-resistant acrylic glass. This first model was equipped with the Valjoux 7760
hand-wound movement.
Classically elegant appearance
The great success of this watch on the Japanese market prompted us to include
the chronograph in our collection. In December 1998, the time had come: as
expected, the 356 PILOT, now featuring an automatic movement, bead-blasted
casing, acrylic glass and a solid back, was very popular. The fact that this watch
is still one of our most popular chronographs worldwide shows how timeless it
is. These first chronographs also defined the parameters that characterise this
model series to this day: classically elegant, with a clear, aesthetic appearance,
where nothing distracts you from the essentials, because form and design are
subordinate to the reliable reading of the time and the stop times determined by
the chronograph.
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The 356 model with the characteristic "FLIEGER" imprint on a matte black dial. This first timepiece
was equipped with the Valjoux 7760 hand-wound movement, a bead-blasted stainless-steel case
and acrylic glass, specially crafted for the Japanese market. The special edition, at the time still
labelled "T SWISS MADE T", was introduced in February 1996 limited to 300 pieces.
The 256 pilot chronograph. Starting from this
model, the basic idea was to create a more
elegant pilot watch.
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