Nick
62
Zenith Defy Inventor
Starting a conversation since no one else has on this latest release from Zenith. It's very similar to the Defy Lab released in 2017, but beats 3 Hertz faster. They are also making hundreds of them v. 10 at 2/3's the price.
The ocillator, which replaces 30 components, or pretty much the entire escapement and regulator (except the escape wheel). It is completely made of silicone. Its inventions is credited to Guy Sémon of the Tag Heuer institute.
I personally think it's far too similar to the oscilator Parmagiani released a prototype of in 2016 to call it an entirely original work. Pierre Genequand invented an escapement also made out of silicone with a very similar operation to the Zenith Defy lab/Zenith Defy Inventor. However Parmagiani hasn't released any follow up work on the escapement I'm aware of since 2016, so I'm in part glad Zenith has taken up the slack.
You can read about the Parmagiani Senfire here www.hodinkee.com
Zenith claimed the Defy Lab had only a +/-.5 second deviation every 48 hours. They have no yet made claims about the accuracy of this movement, but with it beating 3 Hertz faster maybe there is an improvement. It seems to be the most accurate wristwatch currently available on the market.
All of that said its expansive use of silicone really brings up it's own questions as to what makes a mechanical watch a mechanical watch. Similar to the Grand Seiko spring drive a major group of components needs to be replaced at servicing.
Aside from that question this watch is extremely exciting. The progression of Genequands ocelator in three short years from limited editions to serially produced is impressive and could mark the beginning of a new way of doing things in the mechanical watch industry!
Zenith Defy Inventor
