Zenith

April 11, 2012

Zenith Pilot Doublematic Worldtimer Alarm

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Unveiled at Baselworld, the Zenith Doublematic Pilot is an all new El Primero equipped timepiece. It not only boasts a chronograph (like the majority of El Primeo timepieces), it also has a 24 city worldtimer and a mechanical alarm.

The Doublematic Pilot caliber 4046 is an El Primero in-house movement with world time and alarm functions. It includes double power barrels, one dedicated to powering the alarm and the other powering all other functions. The hand decorated self-winding movement consists of 439 parts, 41 jewels, a frequency of 36,000 vph (5Hz) and a 50-hour power reserve. Functions include hours, minutes, seconds, alarm, 24 time zone worldtimer, chronograph, big date and alarm power reserve.

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February 29, 2012

Baselworld 2012: Zenith El Primero 1969 Chronomaster (preview)

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Zenith will introduce the new vintage inspired El Primero Chronomaster 1969 next week at Baselworld. Housed in a 42 mm stainless steel case, the Chronomaster features an opening in the dial that allows a view of the balance and gear train. Inside is a new self-winding movement, El Primero caliber 4061, with 31 jewels, 282 parts, a frequency of 36,000 vph (5Hz) and a 50-hour power reserve.

The dial features a silvered sunburst finish. Indexes and hands are rhodium-plated and coated with Superluminova. Functions include hours, minutes, small seconds and chronograph. Domed double sided anti-reflective crystal. Sapphire caseback. Oscillating weight with "Côtes de Genève" motif. Black alligator strap with rubber lining and steel buckle or triple folding clasp. Water-resistance is 100 meters.

Retail TBD


September 28, 2011

Zenith Captain Winsor Annual Calendar Chronograph

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In collaboration with Musée International d'Horlogerie (MIH), Zenith introduces the Captain Winsor Annual Calendar Chronograph. The Captain Winsor features Zenith's famous El Primero chronograph caliber, with the addition of new complication, the annual calendar. An annual calendar displays the date, day of the week and month with only one adjustment required per year.

The exclusive 29-jewel El Primero 4054 automatic movement runs at 5 Hz (36,000 vph) and has a power reserve of 50 hours. Functions include hours, minutes, seconds, chronograph, annual calendar (date, day month).

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November 21, 2010

New Classic Zenith Tourbillons

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Under the careful direction of their new CEO, Jean-Frédéric Dufour, Zenith has focused heavily on the El Primero movement, and traditional aesthetics. We will not see any of the contemporary designs that have plagued the brand in recent years. We will, however, see Zenith flexing their watchmaking skills and know how, and this new collection, is a perfect example of this.

Last year, at Baselworld, you could already see a new sense of excitement around the brand, and their newly developed timepieces. Especially, the hot new EL Primero Striking seconds chronograph, which was introduced prior to the start of the show. This year, the brand will introduce even more new models, and the excitement around the brand should grow even more, and regain much of the traction they lost under Nataf.

Zenith has already introduced the new Christophe Columb, which will be one of their halo pieces over the next few years. But instead of stopping there, they have decided to preview another upcoming model, the new Zenith El Primero Tourbillon Chronograph. It is the only tourbillon in the world to operate at the high frequency of 36,000 VPH. Constructing a tourbillon is difficult by itself, but doing so with such a high frequency movement was not as easy task. And do not forget that it also has a calendar and chronograph function. All of these elements would cause most watches to quickly lose their power reserve, but Zenith has found away to do all of this, with a full 50-hour power reserve.

Aesthetically, the classic look of the Zenith El Primero Tourbillon Chronograph is subtle and attractive, especially in comparison to some of the audacious designs the came about under the outgoing CEO Theirry Nataf. Technically, it is appealing as well, as it is the first tourbillon equipped movement to operate at the high frequency of the El Primero, 36,000 vph. This combination of classic elegance and technical expertise is more in line with what Zenith buyers are looking for, and proof that Dufour is successfully implementing the brand's new product strategy.

Press Release PDF

Retail TBD

Source: Zenith


November 3, 2010

Zenith Christophe Colomb

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UPDATE: I didn't catch this earlier, and the press release left out this information, but this movement appears to be derived from the Zero-G Multi-Dimensional Tourbillon that was introduced at Baselworld 2008.

Zenith recently announced a new wristwatch based on the design of a marine chronometer - the Christopher Columbus. By housing the regulating organ and escapement in a self-regulating gyroscopic module they can guarantee flat positioning, and therefore reduce rate variations. Tourbillons fix rate variations based on the average of 4 to 6 positions, and inclined and gyrotourbillons average even more positions, but this is still not as accurate, according to Zenith. Zenith's new patented 0G system keeps the escapement in a constant horizontal position, and therefore further minimizes rate variations.

Zenith Press Release

"Given the well-known fact that keeping the regulating organ in a horizontal position generates the best possible amplitude of the balance and thus considerably enhances timing precision, Manufacture Zenith decided to ensure that the regulating organ and the escapement were indeed permanently kept in this position.

This was of course easier said than done however, especially when one considers the numerous challenges of keeping a wristwatch flat in various daily or sporting activities such as driving, golfing, or skippering a boat. Applying this to a movement beating at the exceptionally high rate of 10 vibrations per second further complicated matters, which does much to explain why a full five years of development have gone into presenting one of the major recent accomplishments in the watch industry. Even the numbers give an idea of the sheer complexity of the task, since this daring complication comprises 166 components, while a tourbillon has approximately 66. The result is the first wrist-worn timepiece in which the rate is completely independent of its wearers' movements.

The rating precision of a classic watch varies according to its position. Gravity attracts the escapement components, which do not operate in exactly the same way according to the direction in which they are attracted. The friction between the various components is also different and the amplitude of the balance may be disturbed, causing it to gain or lose. The best position for an escapement is the horizontal position which ensures the best amplitude for the balance and on which gravity is perpendicular to the components and does not therefore disturb their rotation.

The need to improve the precision of clocks for navigation led to the invention of marine chronometers, in which the entire movement is mounted on gimbals and remains horizontal despite the ship's movements. This was the only way of achieving chronometric precision enabling a reliable measurement of position when at sea by comparing local solar noon with Greenwich Mean Time for example. When it became important to make pocket-watches more accurate, the same means could not be used, because that would have involved placing in the pocket a large mechanism measuring 50 mm.

Working on the principle that a watch in a pocket remains in a vertical position and that only the stem leans to the left or the right, the tourbillon watch was invented. This system does not prevent the position-related flaw from occurring, but instead averages out the flaw over the 4 vertical axes every minute. Since the watch does not move very much, it is adjusted to this particular average. However, as mentioned earlier, the constant vertical position of the balance is not the most favorable.

With the arrival of wristwatches, the positions of the watch were diversified by adding positions with the horizontal dial pointing downward or upward. Classic tourbillons continue to correct 4 positions out of 6 and already enhance precision, although only partially. Inclined tourbillons or gyrotourbillons average out more positions, but this is still the average of several errors, and they are only briefly in a horizontal position. The ultimate step thus lay in adapting the best solution, that of the constant horizontal escapement, to the wristwatch.

To avoid making a huge mechanism, only the part most sensitive to variations in position is mounted on gimbals and thus benefits from a more or less constant horizontal position - as well as a slightly gyroscopic stabilising effect of the balance. It was however necessary to find a system that enabled the two parts of the movement - the one that follows the position on the wrist and the one mounted on gimbals - to remain perfectly coordinated.

This perfect coordination is achieved in an extremely elegant manner by Zenith's patented 0G system. In this system, a gear system harnesses the rotations of the axes of the carriage and a reverser differential gear instantly compensates for all the relative movements of the various elements.

The cadence of the operation of the gear train indicating the time on the part connected to the wrist movements is imparted by the escapement situated in the carriage, which constantly seeks to find its point of equilibrium determined by gravity. If the watch is moved in such a way as to set the carriage spinning on its axis, the coordination system compensates for this rotation and the hands continue imperturbably indicating the correct time, whatever the speed of the direction of this rotation.

For all these reasons, Manufacture Zenith considers this system to be the ultimate evolution in comparison to the existing tourbillon systems."

The movement is a manually wound calibre Academy 8804. It has 45 jewels and operates at 36,000 vph (5hz), with a 50 hour power reserve. The case is 45 mm in diameter and comes in either rose, white or yellow 18k gold (limited edition of 25 pieces per variation). Water-resistance is 30 meters.

Zenith calls this timepiece a "Grande complication", which is not necessarily true. A "Grand complication" has a set of requirements that this timepiece does not meet. It is, however, an extremely complicated timepiece that with the help of the gyroscopic module, can keep the rate consistent, even with changes in the position of the timepiece. This is the first wristwatch to feature this type of function, and that by itself is meritorious. However, I do question how comfortable the round glass cage feels protruding through the caseback (at least 5 mm) - directly into your wrist.

References: 27.00.2218.630 Yellow Gold, References: 27.17.0003.940 Rose Gold, References: 27.31.0003.940 White Gold

Retail $209,000

Source: Zenith


June 1, 2010

Zenith El Primero Saga & Striking 10th

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At Baselworld 2010, I had a chance to view the new Zenith El Primero Striking 10th timepiece, in gold. In recent years Zenith has gotten away from their core, which is more traditional timepieces. Under the direction of their new CEO, Jean-Frédéric Dufour, they are getting back to basics. And this, of course, includes their famous EL Primero movement. Below are some photos of the new El Primero collection, with the cool Striking 10th feature (shown in gold) and the new El Primero Sage (shown in stainless steel).

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April 7, 2009

Baselworld 2009- Zenith


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December 3, 2008

ZENITH Academy Tourbillon El Primero Concept

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[ via Zenith ]

The Academy Tourbillon El Primero Concept is a fascinating replenishment of the Academy collection by Zenith. This timepiece utilizes transparent sapphire for the dial to give a revealing perspective on the finely decorated mechanism, and impart a uniquely contemporary aesthetic identity.

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