Ornatus-Mundi[Zenith]
7136
Hands-on with the Zenith Autumn novelties 2015: a quick overview
Nov 01, 2015,07:30 AM
It's autumn already. Not only the leaves are getting colourful before they fall, also watchworld is dressing up a last time before the two great shows in spring.
Zenith is no different and presents a bouquet full of
autumn novelties for us to marvel at.
Here's a quick (but live and hands-on) overview:
1) Zenith Academy Christophe Colomb Hurricane Georges Favre-Jacot:
The artistic masterpiece of the four. Based upon the already well-known Academy Christophe Colomb Hurricane watches, endowed with a El Primero Cal. 8805 movement, sporting an equally ingenious, magical and original gyrospcopic suspension of the entire escapement combined with a fusée et chaine constant force mechanism, the focus lies entirely on the decorative arts and crafts of the trade:
Well, the 'justification' (if needed to start with...) is all found on the backside: The watch is part of the anniversary run to celebrate the venerable brand's
150th anniversary this year. The very apropos dedication is to
Zenith's founder, George Favre-Jacot, and also to one of its most lasting innovations: the Integrated Manufacture
Idiosyncratic icons of the manufacture's main bulding still today located at Billodes 34, 2400 Le Locle NE, Switzerland, several typical construction elements and other details are finely represented in masterfully executed engraving and enamelling artwork:
2) Zenith Academy El Primero Georges Favre-Jacot Titanium:
The modernist masterpiece of the four. Again, technically nothing new to those who already are familiar with the extremely well-received Zenith El Primero Academy Georges Favre-Jacot - a handwound El Primero time-only piece with an astounding implementation of the same fusée et chaine constant force mechanism found in its more complicated big brother: Christophe Colomb.
The novelty lies here in the overal decidedly modernist design concept, founded on very technical colours (engineering-like) and materials alike. The dominating theme here is titanium, durable but lightweight.
My personal impression is that Zenith did a flawless job in dressing up traditional mechanisms in a very contemporary attire.
Did you ever imagines a constant force could look that high-tech?
Lightweight is not just the material, it takes over also to the case design. Unnecessary weight is taken off where possible without impacting on the regiditiy of the construction.
The semi-hollow lugs are a perfect example here:
Also the
Cal. El Primero 4810 C comes along quite modern: Blackened bridges with a kevlar-type pattern, open-worked, with rather straight lines. I like the finish, but it exposes also the fact that here is
'much room for improvement' on this movement, in orther words, there is amply unused space between the wheels ... ;-)
3 ) Zenith El Primero Tourbillon Titanium:
Cleary coming from the same stable, the Zenith El Primero Tourbillon in Titanium clads similar clothes over the turbocharged El Primero 4035 D automatic movement. The result is a well-done rejuvenation of the Zenith collection, and I think this way bears great potential to attract a new clientele. It would equally well serve as a pacemaker for new technologies in the future, without upsetting more classically minded collectors.
One of the greatly overlooked features of this movement is the combined tourbillon/constant seconds/date display at 11 o'clock.
The design language of the case is identical to the exclusive Academy Titanium model. If the pushers are equally well designed as with other Zeniths featuring rectangular ones, then I assume the pusher feel will be excellently precise and supple. I need to verify this with a production piece, though.
4 .) Zenith El Primero Tourbillon:
The evolutionary masterpiece of the four. I will not expose here what has changed with this watch (no, it is not the dial or the movement...). It is a little, unassuming detail (which you cannot see here and otherwise won't even notice at first sight), but it is a detail that attests to the seriousness of a true manufacture which listens to customers and whic has a longer term horizon.
In a way this is one of the most promising novelites of 2015 - really!
That is it for the time being. Through November, I will post separate, detailed presentations of each of the watches.
All I would like to say now and here is that particularly with these novelties, Zenith demonstrated real watchmaking competence, in the sense that this terms comprises so much more that just creating impressive movements.
Its the attention to the details as well as the ability to build and modernise upon a considerable degree of tradition, but at the same time being able to institute innovation such that the 'spirit' (or in managerial tongue - 'DNA') of your brand is preserved.
This is much more easily spoken than implemented!
Thanks for reading,
Magnus
This message has been edited by Ornatus-Mundi on 2015-11-01 07:31:43