ZENITH – DEFY Sapphire Tourbillon Editions 2021

 

ZENITH – DEFY Zero-G Sapphire & DEFY 21 Double Tourbillon Sapphire Limited Editions 2021

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 ZENITH ELEVATES THE ART OF CONTEMPORARY HAUTE HORLOGERIE WITH TWO STELLAR CREATIONS: THE DEFY ZERO-G AND DEFY DOUBLE TOURBILLON IN TRANSPARENT SAPPHIRE

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A new expression of haute horlogerie, the Zenith way. The Manufacture has reimagined two of its most extraordinary movements through contemporary architecture and finishing techniques that can be admired through luminous and transparent sapphire cases. Just like Georges-Favre Jacot who named his Manufacture after the highest point in the sky reached by a heavenly body in the sky, Zenith’s watchmakers and designers sought inspiration from the endless universe beyond our horizon for its grandest and most ingenious haute horlogerie creations.

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Zenith has reinterpreted two of its most cutting-edge haute horlogerie calibres in a way that could only be admired through the transparency of a sapphire case. These two creations place Zenith’s uniquely futuristic and evocative aesthetic centre-stage, using novel and previously unheard-of decoration methods for a stellar result.

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First, all the movement’s components are treated with blue PVD. The inscriptions as well as decorative elements like miniature stars are then carefully engraved onto the bridges, after which the chamfered edges of the bridges are precisely finished with a rhodium-coloured PVD; a specially developed technique that provides a striking contrast and adds even more visual depth to an already intricately layered movement with its futuristic form. 

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Framed by totally transparent sapphire cases, the movements shine in a light of their own – and from all angles.

DEFY Zero-G

Overcoming the effects of gravity on chronometric precision has long been watchmakers’ ultimate goal. Zenith accomplished precisely this with its Gravity Control mechanism, where the regulating organ is fixed to a gimbal that always remains in a flat position regardless of how the watch is rotated.   

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Today, the Manufacture has completely redesigned the entire movement with a new architecture to enable a more open and exhibitive display, encapsulated in a transparent sapphire case that allows the singular mechanism to be admired from all angles: a first for the Manufacture.  

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Like an object suspended in space and free from the effects of gravity, the off-centred dial of the DEFY Zero-G Sapphire combines several traditional crafts in a contemporary execution, handcrafted in a mosaic of meteorite, aventurine glass and grand feu enamel on a gold base. It depicts our neighbouring red planet Mars on the small seconds, partially eclipsed by the hour and minute dial. A special touch that can only be seen when the watch is overhead is the back of the gyroscopic module, fashioned with a cratered texture mimicking the moon. 

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The entire main plate and bridges of the movement are finished in a blue tone with contrasting grey rhodium chamfers, speckled with white stars of varying sizes. This astronomically inspired finish extends to the movement’s cylindrical container, which can also be viewed through the sides of the case.

DEFY 21 DOUBLE TOURBILLON

For the latest execution of the fastest tourbillon chronograph around - equipped with two independent tourbillons completing rotations in 60 seconds for the time-keeping tourbillon and 5 seconds for the chronograph’s tourbillon – Zenith took its evocative “starry sky” aesthetic to new cosmic heights in the DEFY 21 Double Tourbillon Sapphire, with a nod to the universe and space exploration.

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Visible for all to admire through the crystalline case, the DEFY 21 Double Tourbillon’s exceptional chronograph movement is rendered in a stellar and futuristic aesthetic. The main plate of the movement is finished in a striking blue PVD tone, and in a first for Zenith, some of the dial-side bridges are engraved with stars, like a distant galaxy of micro-mechanics in perpetual motion. Truly at the summit of precision, the 1/00th of a second chronograph moves at incredible speed, juxtaposed against a still, starry backdrop.

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The DEFY 21 Double Tourbillon Sapphire and DEFY Zero-G Sapphire will be produced as a limited edition of 10 pieces each.

AN EXCLUSIVE GRAVITY-DEFYING EXPERIENCE

For the 20 owners of the DEFY Zero-G Sapphire and DEFY 21 Double Tourbillon Sapphire limited editions, Zenith is offering the opportunity to live an unforgettable experience: a parabolic zero-gravity flight. Scheduled to take place in February 2022, Zenith has partnered with Novespace, a subsidiary of the French National Space Center, to offer the experience of weightlessness.

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Guests will arrive at the Novespace facility in Bordeaux, France, where they will meet with their instructors. French astronaut Jean-François Clervoy will also be present at the pre-flight conference. The flight itself will consist of 15 parabolas, where the airplane ascends than plunges in a freefall to reproduces the effect of floating in weightlessness in a perceived absence of gravity.  

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TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Model: DEFY ZERO G Sapphire Tourbillon Edition

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Reference: 04.9000.8812/00.R920

Key points:

Full sapphire case. Entirely skeletonised movement : El Primero 8812 S. 
"Gravity Control" gyroscopic module that ensures horizontal positioning of the regulating organ. 
Now occupies only 30% of its initial volume. 
Inspired by the legendary marine chronometers.
Openworked dial. 
Limited edition of 10 pieces.

Movement
Calibre El Primero 8812 S manual
Frequency 36,000 VpH (5 Hz)
Power reserve approx. 50 hours
Functions : 
Hours and minutes excentred at 12 o'clock. 
Small seconds at 9 o'clock
Self-regulating Gravity Control module at 6 o'clock. 
Power-reserve indication at 2 o'clock
Finishes: Exclusive bicolor signature on plates and bridges. Starry Sky finishing.
Case : 46mm
Material: Sapphire
Water resistance: 3 ATM
Dial
Openworked with meteorite & Aventurine hour & minute dial
Hour markers: Rhodium-plated, faceted and coated with SuperLuminova SLN C1
Hands: Rhodium-plated and faceted gold, coated with SuperLuminova SLN C1
Bracelet & Buckle
Black rubber with blue "cordura effect" fabric & grey stitching.

Titanium double folding clasp.

Price 160.900 CHF

Limited edition: 10 pieces

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Model: DEFY 21 Double Tourbillon Sapphire Edition

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 Reference: 04.9000.9020/00.R920

Key points: 

Full sapphire case. 
1/100th of a second Double Tourbillon Chronograph movement
1 Tourbillon escapement for the Watch (36,000 VpH - 5 Hz) ; 
1 Tourbillon escapement for the Chronograph (360,000 VpH - 50 Hz). 
Exclusive dynamic signature of one rotation per second for the
Chrono hand. Certified Chronometer. 
Limited edition 10 pieces.

Movement
Calibre El Primero 9020 automatic
1/100th of a second Double Tourbillon Chronograph movement
1 Tourbillon escapement for the Watch (36,000 VpH – 5 Hz)
1Tourbillon escapement for the Chronograph (360,000 VpH – 50 Hz)
Exclusive dynamic signature of one rotation per second for the Chrono hand
Certified Chronometer
Frequency: 36,000 VpH (5 Hz)
Power reserve: approx. 50 hours
Functions :
Hours and minutes in the centre
Double Tourbillon1 escapement for the Watch (36,000 VpH / 5 Hz – cage makes a turn in 60 seconds)
1 escapement for the Chronograph (360,000 VpH / 50 Hz – cage makes a turn in 5 seconds)
1/100th of a second Chronograph: Central chronograph hand that makes one turn each second, 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock, 60-second counter at 6 o’clock, Chronograph power-reserve indication at 12 o’clock
Case
Material: Sapphire
Diameter: 46mm
Domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment on both sides
Water resistance: 3 ATM
Dial
Open-worked
Hour markers: Rhodium-plated, faceted and coated with Super-Luminova® SLN C1
Hands: Rhodium-plated, faceted and coated with Super-Luminova® SLN C1
Bracelet & Buckle
Black rubber with blue “cordura effect” fabric & grey stitching
Titanium double folding clasp

Limited edition 10 pieces

Price  180,000 CHF

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Press Release - 2021
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ZENITH | Swiss Watch Manufacture Since 1865
Rue des Billodes 34-36 | CH-2400 Le Locle
Minh-Tan-Bui
Tel. +41 32 930 65 59
Mobile +41 79 515 47 54
Email: minh-tan.bui@zenith-watches.com

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www.Zenith-Watches.com

Patek Philippe – Ref. 5235 COMPLICATIONS Annual Calendar Regulator

 

Patek Philippe – Ref. 5235 COMPLICATIONS Annual Calendar Regulator White Gold Automatic 2021

Patek Philippe’s new Ref. 5235 Annual Calendar Regulator embodies a number of novel facets never before featured in the manufacture’s collection. It is the first Patek Philippe wristwatch with a regulator dial, characterized by a sweep minute hand, a subsidiary hour dial at 12 o’clock and a seconds subdial at 6 o’clock. The heart of the watch is the new caliber 31-260 REG QA, the first ultra-thin self-winding Patek Philippe movement with a mini-rotor that displays the subsidiary seconds at 6 o’clock. It is also the very first totally new basic movement designed to accommodate Silinvar® components: The escape wheel and the lever of the Pulsomax® escapement as well as the Spiromax® balance spring are made of the innovative silicon-based material. The new wristwatch is endowed with an Annual Calendar that displays the month, day, and date in apertures and ranks among Patek Philippe’s most popular complications.

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The Patek Philippe Ref. 5235 Annual Calendar Regulator clearly affirms the manufacture’s philosophy according to which the paramount purpose of a watch is to keep the time as accurately and reliably as possible. The dial with the unusual arrangement – large sweep minute hand combined with subsidiary hours at 12 o’clock and subsidiary seconds at 6 o’clock – pays tribute to the prominent free-standing precision pendulum clocks that for more than 200 years kept the precise time in watchmaking workshops and observatories until they were finally superseded by quartz- and radio-controlled reference instruments. When adjusting their timepieces, watchmakers needed an unobstructed view of the seconds hand, which is why the hour display was moved to an off-center location where it would not sweep over and thus partially cover the seconds dial for several hours in the course of a day. One of the finest examples of this type of freestanding precision clocks is the Patek Philippe & Co. regulator built at the beginning of the last century. For many years it has been keeping the time unperturbed – second by second – in the office of Philippe Stern, the company’s honorary president. 

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To configure the face of a regulator clock with three separate displays for the hours, minutes, and seconds in a wristwatch format was a totally new venture in the Patek Philippe cosmos, not just from a design point of view. The plan was to set the stage for further innovations based on this novel layout. The legendary caliber 240 would have been the ideal choice for the assignment which called for a very thin self-winding movement, but most unconventionally, its subsidiary seconds dial is positioned at 5 instead of 6 o’clock. 

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Launched in 1977 and featuring a 22K gold mini-rotor recessed in the main plate, the 240 movement is only 2.53 mm high; it still ranks among the thinnest self-winding calibers on the market and thus provided valuable inspiration for the new development. With the assets of its dependable predecessor and several trailblazing innovations, Patek Philippe’s new self-winding caliber 31-260 REG QA has everything it takes to define a new benchmark. Squarely centered between the middle of the movement and its outermost circumference, the size of the seconds subdial at 6 o’clock was maximized for optimum legibility – another homage to Patek Philippe’s philosophy as regards the equilibrium of timekeeping indications.

Innovation N° 1:
The oscillator in Silinvar®  

For the first time in the history of Patek Philippe, a movement was designed from the very beginning to accommodate oscillator components crafted from Silinvar®, a high-tech material derived from silicon. One of them is the Spiromax® balance spring that is flat yet breathes absolutely concentrically thanks to its exclusive and patented geometry with the Patek Philippe terminal curve. It controls the division of time by the Pulsomax® escapement whose Silinvar® lever and escape wheel also feature totally new geometries developed by Patek Philippe and for which patent applications have been filed.  

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The enhanced isochronism delivered by the Spiromax® hairspring and the improved energy efficiency provided by the Pulsomax® escapement contribute significantly to higher rate accuracy and long-term dependability. Additionally, Silinvar® components are totally anti-magnetic, remarkably shock-resistant, non-corroding, and require no lubrication.

Innovation N° 2:
A new going train – tooth by tooth 

But Patek Philippe’s engineers wanted more than a new oscillator. They totally revamped the going train, the wheels and pinions between the mainspring barrel and the escape wheel. The shapes of the wheel teeth and the leaves of the pinions were analyzed in-depth, recalculated, and individually redesigned for the center wheel, the third wheel, and the fourth wheel with their respective pinions.  

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These new profiles improve the meshing of wheel teeth and pinion leaves, reduce friction, increase the tolerance range for varying axis distances, and boost the efficiency of energy transmission from the spring barrel to the escape wheel. The result is a perceptible improvement of energy conversion efficiency with a concurrent reduction of wear.

Innovation N° 3:
An unusual frequency of 3.2 hertz  

The innovative efficiency-boosting and isochronism-improving technologies of the new regulator caliber 31-260 REG QA entail further positive consequences. While the classic self-winding caliber 240 beats at a rate of 21,600 semi-oscillations per hour, the frequency of the new movement was increased by nearly 10% to 23,040 vph, equivalent to 3.2 Hz, and at the same time, its power reserve was increased. In turn, a higher frequency makes it possible to more easily adjust the rate accuracy to - 3/+2 seconds per 24 hours as stipulated by the Patek Philippe Seal. 

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Concurrently, thanks to the greater energy efficiency of the going train and escapement, it was possible to reduce the tension of the mainspring and thus the shear forces to which the wheels are exposed. This diminishes friction between the fine wheel pivots and the bearing jewels, further enhancing longevity and reliability. These two aspects are crucial for compliance with the Patek Philippe Seal and essential prerequisites for a watch that will be cherished by family members across generations.

Innovation N° 4:
An extra-long mainspring for power to spare 

Thanks to the energy efficiency of the caliber, it proved possible to choose a softer but also longer mainspring. So despite its increased frequency and the deployment of only one mainspring barrel, the new caliber 31-260 REG QA has a power reserve of up to 60 hours as opposed to a maximum of 48 hours for the caliber 240.  

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The extended length of the mainspring has another advantage: its torque curve stays much flatter as it relaxes, so the amplitude of the balance and thus its rate remain stable most of the time between the fully wound and the fully unwound states. The result: greater rate accuracy for a longer period of time. And the option to set the watch aside for an entire weekend without having to readjust the time and the calendar on Monday morning.

Further significant innovations

Patek Philippe introduced further innovations to maximize the life and long-term reliability of the new Annual Calendar Regulator. Like all self-winding Patek Philippe movements, the caliber 31-260 REG QA can also be manually wound. However, the manual winding mechanism is always automatically uncoupled as long as the self-winding mode is active. 

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This increases its winding power and reduces wear. In addition, the crown wheel of the manual winding mechanism was upgraded with a new toothing mechanism that reduces wear, improves efficiency, and optimizes the suppleness of the winding process. Moreover, the 22K gold mini-rotor recessed in the plate is 0.3 mm thicker than the one in the caliber 240 movement, which increases its mass and winding power. Decorated with Geneva circular graining, it is also a miniature masterpiece from the aesthetic point of view.

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In comparison with the meanwhile 34-year-old caliber 240, the new caliber 31-260 REG QA beats at a 10% higher frequency and has 25% higher power reserve, which adds up to an efficiency increase of about 30%. This performance emphasizes the ample potential of mechanical watches and in times of global energy debates serves as a role model because it proves that even in traditional disciplines such as classical mechanics, substantial efficiency gains are still realistic.

Self-winding Annual Calendar with aperture displays

The new Ref. 5235 Annual Calendar Regulator measures time with an accuracy of seconds, but it also correctly displays larger intervals of time. The new basic caliber incorporates an Annual Calendar mechanism that has been one of the manufacture’s bestsellers since it had its debut 15 years ago. This useful complication that displays the day, month, and date in three large apertures automatically recognizes 30-day and 31-day months and only needs to be corrected once a year: on March 1.  

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On account of this calendar cadrature, the caliber designation is 31-260 REG QA; the movement consists of 320 parts (basic caliber 181, Annual Calendar 139), measures 5.08 mm in height (basic caliber 2.60 mm, Annual Calendar 2.48 mm), and has a diameter of 33 mm (basic caliber 31.74 mm, Annual Calendar 33.00 mm). The dimensions are ideal for a wristwatch conceived to be timelessly elegant.

New regulator face with a classic Calatrava personality

Despite the unusual regulator layout of the dial, the new Patek Philippe wristwatch is as fetchingly graceful as all the timepieces crafted in the workshops in Geneva. Its case features the classic Calatrava silhouette that has defined the quintessential round wristwatch for nearly 70 years. Thanks to the ultra-thin movement, its height is a mere 11 mm, astonishing for a self-winding watch with an Annual Calendar.  

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With a diameter of 40.5 mm, it is endearingly poised and tastefully contemporary. The classic three-part case ensemble with the bezel, the band, and the back in 18K white gold is a prime example of the Bauhaus philosophy expressed by the adage "form follows function." The bezel is gently chamfered and the caseband is decorated with straight graining – a perfect match with the satin-finished dial. The slightly sloped lugs extend the bezel’s chamfer, optimizing the contour of the watch for a snug fit on the wrist. It is worn on a precious hand-stitched night-blue alligator strap with square scales. The classic 18K white-gold prong buckle that secures the strap is engraved with the Patek Philippe signature. The display back of the case allows the owner to admire the movement with its exclusive components and lavish decorations: the new oscillator assembly with the Pulsomax® escapement and the Spiromax® balance spring as well as the mini-rotor decorated with Geneva circular graining, the Geneva striping on the beveled bridges, and the gold-filled engravings.

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The sapphire-crystal glass protects the inimitable face of the new Patek Philippe Ref. 5235 with its characteristic sweep minute hand, the subsidiary hours dial at 12 o’clock, and the amply dimensioned subsidiary seconds dial at 6 o’clock. The large aperture displays of the Annual Calendar are arranged on a circle that is concentric with the bezel: the day of the week at 10 o’clock, the month at 2 o’clock, and the date at 6 o’clock. Engraved in the dial, the PATEK PHILIPPE GENEVE signature is aligned with the horizontal axis at 3 o’clock. Depending on the angle of the incident light, it changes in contrast from deep black to a silvery gray that seems to be just a gentle shadow on the textured dial.  

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Blue transfer-printed numerals, markers, and scales always assure excellent legibility of the time. The railway track minute scale as well as the subsidiary dials for the hours and seconds have a brighter silvery gray background that stands out against the darker silvery gray central portion of the dial with the short blue 5-minute markers. Crisp Arabic numerals, blued-steel baton-style hands and blue calendar indications on white backgrounds underscore the cool technical elegance of this 2011 wristwatch that salutes the ultra-precise freestanding regulator clocks of old. The two-tone silvery gray dial features a vertical satin finish, and the two subsidiary dials scintillate with circular graining.

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The new Patek Philippe Ref. 5235 Annual Calendar Regulator is yet another manifestation of how consummately the Geneva workshops master the amalgamation of avant-garde aesthetics with timeless elegance. The innovative personality of this watch is based on much more than appearances: it is derived from a mechanical heart that sets new standards in horology. Absolutely Patek Philippe-like.

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TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Collections: COMPLICATIONS

 Model:  Patek Philippe COMPLICATIONS Annual Calendar Regulator in 18K white gold

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Ref. 5235-50G-001

Movement
Caliber 31-260 REG QA
Ultra-thin self-winding mechanical movement,
Annual Calendar with aperture displays for month, day of week, and date.
Overall Diameter : 33 mm (basic caliber 31.74 mm, Annual Calendar 33.00 mm)
Height : 5.08 mm (basic caliber 2.60 mm, Annual Calendar 2.48 mm)
Number of parts : 320 (basic caliber 181, Annual Calendar 139)
Number of jewels : 29
Power reserve :    Max. 60 hours
Winding rotor :    22K gold minirotor, unidirectionally winding
Balance : Gyromax®
Frequency : 23,040 semi-oscillations per hour (3.2 Hz)
Balance spring : Spiromax®
Escapement : Pulsomax® (lever and escape wheel in Silinvar®)
Balance spring stud :  Adjustable
Functions : Two-position crown:
 – Pulled out: To set the time
 – Pushed in:  To wind the watch
Corrector push pieces :    
 – Date between 9 and 10 o'clock
 – Month at 10 o'clock
 – Day at 9 o'clock
Delivered with correction stylus in ebony and 18K white gold
Displays : Sweep minute hand
Subsidiary dials :    
 – Subsidiary seconds at 6 o'clock
 – Subsidiary hours at 12 o'clock
Apertures :   
 – Day at 10 o'clock and month at 2 o'clock
 – Date at 6 o'clock
Hallmark : Patek Philippe Seal
Case
18K white gold, sapphire-crystal display back
Water-resistant : to 30m
Diameter: 40.5 mm
Height:     10.65 mm
Width between lugs:    20mm
Dial
Two-tone silvery gray, vertical satin finish, blue transfer printed
Regulator displays
Hour, minute, and second hands in blued steel
Railway track minute scale on periphery, blue
Transfer printed PATEK PHILIPPE GENEVE engraving at 3 o'clock
Strap
Alligator leather with square scales, matt night-blue, hand-stitched,
16- mm prong buckle in 18K white gold with "Patek Philippe" engraving

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Price    US$ 53,000.


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Press Release - 2021
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PATEK PHILIPPE SA GENEVE
Chemin du Pont-du-Centenaire 141 – 1228 Plan-les-Ouates
P.O. Box 2654 – CH - 1211 Geneva 2 - Switzerland
Tel. + 41 22 884 20 20 – Fax + 41 22 884 25 47
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www.Patek.com