Harry Winston

foversta
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The romantic watch: the Lady Zalium

I was not supposed to write a review about this watch this week-end but actually, Andrew gave me the idea with his topic dedicated to Ladies watches. In this topic, I wrote that one of my fav Ladies watches was the Lady Zalium: I would like to explain you why with more details. It is not an easy task, after all, this watch is dedicated to women! But even as a guy, I was really seduced  by this Harry Winston timepiece... imagining it on the wrist of a Lady.

First of all, I remind you that the Lady Zalium is not the first Ladies watch within the Zalium collection: it was preceded by the Lady Z (presented in 2008 in a LE of 300 pieces) which was a watch with similar functions: Hours & Minutes display on the upper side of the dial, Shuriken (second display) and Moonphases indicator on the lower side. But if the Lady Z was using a system with two moonphases (one black, one white) with an elliptical opening which gave a symetric design to the watch, the Lady Zalium offers a different dial layout which brings it a lot of charm and of originality.

In the Turquoise version, you will notice the subtle use of the blue colour:





I have to tell you that I had very positive feelings about the Lady Z even before having been able to see it: I love watches with moonphases indicator and without the date display: for example, the 1815 Emil Lange or the old IWC Portofino Moonphase (the ref. 5251) are amongst my all time favourite watches. So I was very happy to read the press release from Harry Winston when the Lady Zalium was unveiled in 2010. There is something magic about these watches: without the date display, the moonphase becomes the main point of interest... and, I don't know how to describe it exactly... but these watches have a different relationship with time. When you don't know the date, you look at the watch and you don't find the answer... but you get the moonphase instead. The poetic touch, the special atmosphere  are enhanced by the totally useless feature of this complication.

The Shuriken partially enters the Moonphase sector: this mix between fast and slow displays is one of the nice details of the Lady Zalium:





When we look at the Lady Zalium, it is obvious that its roots come from the Lady Z: the case diameter is similar (36mm) and as I said before, the dial is clearly horizontally separated into two parts. But the change of dial layout makes the Lady Zalium totally different from the Lady Z. What are these differences?

- First difference is that the excentered time display is clearly limited by a subdial. It gives a neat touch to the dial.
- Second difference is the Moonphase indicator system by itself: with the Lady Zalium, it becomes more classic but with a vertical display and a nice constellation of stars. The dial becomes asymetric.
- Third difference is the Shuriken. The Lady Z was using the usual and quite sharp shuriken. The Lady Zalium uses a softer one which looks like a flower: Thanks to its design, it is perfectly integrated on the dial and contributes to the peaceful atmosphere produced by the watch. I really like this detail.
- Fourth difference is the presence on the dial of a curved Harry Winston applied logo: its shape combined with the two rows of diamonds on the dial makes the overall design more dynamic.

The curved Harry Winston applied logo is located on the right side of the dial. You will notice the single diamond as a signature:





With the Lady Zalium, we find all what we look for in a Harry Winston Ocean watch:
- Great dial finishings (look at the figures, the applied logo, the sunburst guillochage)
- Flawless gems setting
- the classic case shape of the Ocean collection with the parts around the crown inspired by the main entrance of the NY boutique.

In fact, while I'm writing this review, I understand why I like this watch: it is because Harry Winston didn't make it easy.

The watch has an automatic caliber and it would have been so easier to create a Ladies watch with a quartz movement: but here, the movement (a GP 3100 base + a Harry Winston module with a power reserve of 42 hours) is totally coherent with the spirit of the Lady Zalium.

The GP 3100 base:





The Moonphase complication and the absence of the date display make the watch a more difficult territory to enter... but once you understand its spirit, the charm operates. The Lady Zalium is a watch which requires efforts from the potential owner to be understood.

The work on the gems setting is far from being a simple task due to the case shape.

All these details are for me the ingredients which make the Lady Zalium so original, so poetic... so romantic I would say!

I was not going to use my own wrist to do a wristshot with a Lady Zalium! Thanks a lot to the Lady for the help!





As usual with an Ocean case, be careful with the size of the watch. Even if the case diameter is 36mm, the Lady Zalium, due to the case and lugs shapes is bigger on the wrist than you may think at first glance. You have to test it to check if you are comfortable with. But it would be a pity not to enjoy the beauty of this watch which combines a flawless artistic approach with an interesting horological content. The Lady Z is available with 4 different dial variations: coral, lilac, fuchsia or turquoise.

I would like to thank a lot the Harry Winston team at the 2010 Salon Belles Montres in Paris for the warm welcome.

Fr.Xavier