Zenith - Academy Christophe Colomb Hurricane

Zenith - Academy Christophe Colomb Hurricane Limited Edition NEW

THE PINNACLE OF WATCHMAKING

For almost 150 years, Zenith has been proving that one can indeed combine authenticity with audacity in order to spark emotions. In this respect, the brand has contributed in the most exceptional possible way to demonstrating that a timepiece may be both a symbol of excellence and an object of desire. The brand with the star emblem was born from a subtly different approach to Fine Watchmaking, to precision and to reliability. Its name evokes the highest point in the sky, and it is precisely this level of expertise that the artisans of the Manufacture have been pursuing since 1865.
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Retracing the long and fascinating history of Zenith implies both confirming the durability of an enterprising company, as well as finding at each stage the heritage of its founder, Georges Favre-Jacot. In 1865, the latter gathered all the horological forms of expertise under a single roof, in Le Locle (Switzerland), at an address that has never changed since. These historical and geographical roots endow the brand’s products with authentic integrity and legitimacy. Guided by the founder’s pioneering spirit, the artisans create timekeeping instruments epitomising exceptional benchmarks.

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Right from the company’s origins, the men and women of Zenith have been loyal to their vocation as creative, hard-working artisans dedicated to developing and crafting prodigious new horological feats entirely in-house. On a daily basis they passionately cultivate their many talents, determined to swim against the tide of established conventions, and to thus ensure the enduring vibrancy of one of the rare true watch Manufactures. More than a mere functional necessity, watchmaking professions
are nurtured by a philosophy: passion and respect for fine workmanship, as well as a desire to embellish a model by the care lavished on even the smallest details.

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The combination of all the various crafts and the mastery of the various creative and production stages enables the brand to set itself apart, to break free of overly restrictive codes and to create peerless timepieces. Zenith makes complex timepieces meeting the highest Fine Watchmaking criteria. From the spectacular Christophe Colomb Hurricane to the iconic Tourbillon, all the major horological complications are part of the brand catalogue. Their complexity calls for spectacular virtuosity on the part of engineers, technicians, watchmakers, artists and artisans – to which an exceptionally broad product range bears eloquent witness.

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Over 300 patents represent breakthrough milestones in the measurement of time at Zenith, from onboard instruments to wristwatches through pocket-watches. Over 600 movement variations enrich the archives and testify to the brand’s impressive accumulated expertise. Zenith has in particular distinguished itself in the field of chronometry or precision timing, earning 2,333 Prizes in the process. Custodian of an impressive portion of modern watchmaking history, this exceptional chronograph houses an avant-garde mechanism: not only is it the first integrated automatic movement, but this calibre beats at the exceptional frequency of 36,000 vibrations per hour, enabling it to be accurate to the nearest 1/10th of a second. The evolved versions of this legendary chronograph movement are now part of a complete collection bearing its name.

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Since the creation of Zenith, Georges Favre-Jacot was always careful to steadily expand the facilities of the Manufacture, to buy new machinery and to develop new production techniques in order to constantly improve the quality and the reliability of the timepieces being manufactured. He thus developed the concepts of interchangeable parts and automated production, in parallel with the meticulous hand craftsmanship devoted to developing and finishing each watch. Today, Zenith pursues a course of perpetual renewal in order to forcefully combine ancient tradition with cutting-edge technologies. By the start of the 20th century, this pioneering spirit instilled by the founder had placed the brand among the three largest watch manufacturers with an international reach. The history of Zenith is a fundamental landmark in modern watchmaking and its artisans are its contemporary guardians.

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In an era of virtual reality and the internet, complex mechanisms continue to inspire dreams. As an authentic brand, Zenith contributes to the fantastic ongoing saga of Haute Horlogerie by creating watches equipped with a number of unusual complications and consistently combining noble horological traditions with a spirit of innovation, in harmony with the precepts upheld by Georges Favre-Jacot. An authentic reference in its field, the Manufacture displays an eclectic approach in order to be present in all segments of the watch market: from jewellery watches to sports models or classic watches, and of course complicated watches. It has established itself as one of the most inventive and daring brands of the 21st century – and will doubtless remain so for many generations to come. At Zenith, the past is merely a prologue, as almost 150 years of history eloquently testify.

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THE EXPERTISE OF ADVENTURE

This is the realm of world-changing visions. Audacity and a taste for exploration are the watchwords. It’s about taking a different view. Beyond any existing boundaries. Beyond the present. The spirit of true visionaries because there are still so many possibilities waiting to be explored.
This is a domain reaching new heights of cutting-edge techniques. Time counts here, considered perhaps more than anywhere else on earth as the ultimate precious commodity. It is expressed through the purity of peerless horological innovation.
This is a field brimming with intelligence nurtured by the spirit of discovery, tirelessly aspiring to progress and literally boundless. Independent and unafraid of change, it is built on enthusiasm and goes well beyond knowledge and skills to forge its ambitious, exclusive and consistently forward-looking path.

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The legendary watch brand Zenith has released a new limited edition watch Academy Christophe Colomb Hurricane (Réf. 18.2210.8805/01.C713), which will be officially presented at the international annual exhibition of jewelry and watches BaselWorld 2013.

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This model has no equivalent in the field of Fine Watchmaking. With its gyroscopic module that enables the regulating organ to remain constantly horizontal – however the watch itself is positioned – and thus to protect the mechanism from the effect of earthly gravity, the line of Christophe Colomb models is truly unique.

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This principle ensures enhanced regularity of the escapement, without the position of the watch interfering with the rate of the movement – an approach that thereby improves precision. By also incorporating a fusée and chain escapement that regulates the torque transmitted to the gear trains, the Christophe Colomb Hurricane model offers an impressive combination of advanced features.

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Technical Specifications

Ref. - 18.2210.8805/01.C713
25-piece limited edition

Movement    :    El Primero 8805, manual
Unique Gyroscopic system that ensures perfect horizontal positioning of the regulating organ
Calibre    :    161⁄2 ``` (diameter: 37 mm)
Thickness    :    5.85 mm
Components    :    354
Gyroscopic module    :    942 parts components
Jewels    :    53
Frequency    :    36,000 vph – (5 hz)
Power-reserve    :    Min. 50 hours
Functions    :    Hours and minutes excentred at 12 o’clock
                          Self-regulating gravity control module at 6 o’clock
                          Ssmall seconds display at 9 o’clock
                          Power-reserve indicator at 3 o’clock
                          Fusée-chain transmission under the hours/minutes dial
Case    :    18-carat rose gold
Diameter    :    45 mm
Thickness    :    14.35 mm
                         21.40 mm (with domed sapphire crystal)
Crystal & case-back    :    Box-shaped sapphire crystal with anti-reflection treatment on both sides and excrescent domes that cover the christophe colomb module
Water-resistance    :    3 Atm
Dial    :    Gold with hand-crafted guilloché motif hour-markers: black lacquered
Hands    :    Blued steel
Strap    :    Alligator Brown alligator leather with protective rubber lining
Buckle    :    18-carat gold triple folding clasp rose gold


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Jaeger-LeCoultre - Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon 3 Jubilee

Jaeger-LeCoultre – Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon 3 Jubilee Platinum Limited Edition NEW

Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon 3 Jubilee
A new pinnacle of the watchmaking art

In 2013, Jaeger-LeCoultre celebrates its 180th Anniversary and presents the Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbilon 3, the tenth work in the Hybris Mechanica series dedicated to the Grande Complication models from the Manufacture.

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The Jaeger-LeCoultre gyrotourbillon is an authentic 21st century horological sensation that now appears for the first time with a flying tourbillon, a blued gold balance and a spherical-shaped balance-spring. The Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon 3 also achieves another feat by combining the prodigious precision of the spherical tourbillon with the first instantaneous digital-display chronograph presented within a Grande Complication watch.

As the masterpiece of the “Tribute to Antoine LeCoultre” Jubilee trilogy, this new timepiece combines the extreme technical sophistication of the Manufacture and the finishes characteristic of time-honoured watchmaking art with an aesthetic directly inspired by the pocket watches produced by the Manufacture during the 19th century.

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The gyrotourbillon scales new peaks of perfection
The enhanced compensation for positional errors due to the influence of gravity is rendered especially fascinating by this meticulously synchronised double rotation. The spherical tourbillon immediately catches the eye at first glimpse of the face of this Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon 3 Jubilee model. Nonetheless, even for certain devotees of horological innovation who have already attempted to probe the secrets of the first two spherical tourbillons developed by the Manufacture, this mechanism appears in an entirely new light: for the very first time, the absence of an upper bridge invites the gaze to wander freely through this entrancing miniature universe.

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It is composed of two carriages, respectively rotating in one minute and 24 seconds – meaning 2.5 times a minute – and does not owe its existence exclusively to the inventiveness of the engineers and watchmakers of the Manufacture, but also to the use of cutting-edge equipment such as the five-axis machining centre. Finally, it takes nothing less than ultra-light materials such as aluminium to achieve an authentic micromechanical feat by creating an ensemble composed of around one hundred parts and yet weighing less than one gram.
 
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The Jaeger-LeCoultre engineers and watchmakers have combined technical inventiveness with a degree of refinement demonstrating a mastery of all aspects of the watchmaking art: the aluminium carriage of the gyrotourbillon has undergone a surface treatment that enhances its ability to reflect the light. The lightness and sturdiness of aluminium generally result in diminished radiance that considerably reduces the reflection of light rays. In this case, the material boasts reflective properties that enable light to stream into the very heart of the spherical tourbillon.

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Within this construction, a distinctive new element also naturally draws attention. In association with a 14-carat blued gold balance, the movements of the balance-spring create a surprising three-dimensional effect. After the cylindrical balance-spring of the Gyrotourbillon 2, the watchmakers of the Manufacture have developed a spherical balance-spring fitted with two terminal curves guaranteeing the best possible ‘chronometric’ or precision-timing performances.

In the Valley of Complications, the quest for precision is destined to continue unabated, and the dexterity of the Jaeger-LeCoultre watchmakers reaches new heights with this new creation.

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The new movement – Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 176
The latest of the 1,242 calibres built by the Grande Maison in the Vallée de Joux is named Calibre 176. Developed, crafted and assembled in the Grande Complication workshops of the Manufacture, it combines the gyrotoubillon with a chronograph function.

Jaeger-LeCoultre has developed an instantaneous digital-display chronograph boasting extraordinary precision that destine it to become a new watchmaking legend, since it is the first chronograph to be associated with a flying spherical tourbillon. Once again, the essence of this model – the perfection of the function – is clothed in pure beauty beautifully expressed on its round dial. The latter is swept over by a single seconds hand that begins running as soon as the chronograph is activated, and of which the tip, when it stops, points to the subdivisions on a classic 0 to 60 scale bearing 10-second numerals for enhanced clarity. Nonetheless, rather than counting its rotations on a subdial, the Jaeger-LeCoultre watchmakers have opted for an instantaneous digital display, composed of two generously sized apertures appearing side by side at 3 o’clock on the dial of the chronograph.

It is also worth noting that the chronograph function of the Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon 3 Jubilee is of the single push-piece type, an historical feature reflecting that characteristic of late 19th century models.
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The epitome of horological tradition

The tenth creation in the Hybris Mechanica series is distinguished by the presence of three independent dials. Each bears a traditional Fine Watchmaking finish intended to reveal its singular nature. The hours and minutes dial is characterised by its traditional opaline silvered decoration. It is swept over by new Dauphine-type hands entirely in harmony with the other features of this timepiece. Meanwhile, the chronograph display has a sunray rhodium-plated finish endowed with a classic aesthetic entirely dedicated to ensuring immediate readability; while the dial displaying the day/night indication features a hand-punched background and the night section has been coated with a translucent blue lacquer. The mainplate has been patiently manually hammered, according to an ancient technique rediscovered and meticulously applied in the workshops of the Manufacture. These skills requiring peerless dexterity and constancy are inspired by a pocket-watch made in 1898 by Jacques-David LeCoultre in order to celebrate his admission into the select circle of exceptional watchmakers who have gone down in history as the masters of their art. This remarkably complex work already combined a number of functions including a perpetual calendar, a moon-phase display and a minute repeater equipped with a silent governor. The latter innovative device, which earned one of the 400 patents awarded to the Manufacture since its founding, is still used to this day.

The dial centre bears the Jaeger-LeCoultre logo and signature, as well as the mention of the date 1833, a reminder of the historic year when Antoine LeCoultre opened his watchmaking workshop in the Vallée de Joux.

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The Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon 3 Jubilee comes in a new extra-white platinum case measuring 43.5 millimetres in diameter and 15.5 millimetres thick. The superbly elegant bezel and lugs are adorned with a polished finish creating a delicate contrast with the satin-brushed case sides.
The breathtaking beauty of the Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon 3 Jubilee stems from this unique alliance between historical inspiration and cutting-edge technical innovation. It is fitted with a white gold folding clasp comprising a device enabling millimetre-accurate length adjustment according to the temperature and the humidity rate in order to guarantee a perfectly comfortable fit in all circumstances. Nonetheless, a mere description of this distinctive feature does not do justice to the work accomplished by the Jaeger-LeCoultre engineers, whose inventiveness is not confined to the technical watchmaking aspects of their timepieces. In actual fact, the additional mechanism incorporated within the folding clasp to enable perfect adjustment forms a complex construction made up of around one hundred parts. All of which serves to confirm that comfort, an essential feature of any timepiece destined to encircle the wrist, is also a matter of precision.
This model in the “Tribute to Antoine LeCoultre” Jubilee collection will be produced in a limited edition of 75.
 
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The roots of inventiveness
Like all watches in the Hybris Mechanica series, the Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon 3 Jubilee was conceived, developed and crafted on the very spot where Antoine LeCoultre opened a watchmaking workshop exactly 180 years ago. Nonetheless, however historically remote it may now seem, the work of this brilliant pioneer maintains direct ties with the contemporary creations form the Manufacture, notably by means of an invention that led to an authentic revolution in watchmaking production. In 1844, the ambitious watchmaker invented a device that he named the Millionometer. It was the first instrument enabling measurements accurate to within one thousandth of a millimetre. This extraordinary breakthrough in the field of precision empowered the Manufacture in the Vallée de Joux to extend its production range by introducing the first series-made complicated movements. Their parts could be easily replaced, while strict controls already guaranteed their quality. Thanks to Antoine LeCoultre, pocket-watches were enriched with new and with functions that were ever more accurate, useful and fascinating. Today, the Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon 3 Jubilee pays tribute to this first golden age with its unique face reminiscent of the exceptional 19th century horological creations.

As part of the Hybris Mechanica collection, exclusively composed of Grande Complication models, this new timepiece joins other major horological achievements ranging from the Grande Sonnerie to the Reverso à triptyque – the former embodying innovation in the field of striking mechanisms and the latter representing the first wristwatch to feature three dials showing civil and sidereal time as well as a perpetual calendar. Like the nine other members of this prestigious lineage, the Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon is composed of an innovative combination of prestigious horological complications.

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Contemporary technology meets the genius of the great 19th century inventors in the Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon 3. Their visionary spirit is more vibrantly alive than ever in the Vallée de Joux – a reality vividly confirmed by a careful observation of the spherical tourbillon. Its regular “breathing” bears an uncanny resemblance to that a living creature, steadily beating at the heart of a spherical tourbillon which appears to be floating weightless in space.

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TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Model: Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon 3 Jubilee

Reference: 503 64 20, limited edition of 75

Movement:
Mechanical manually-wound movement,
Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 176, crafted, assembled and decorated by hand
Frequency: 21,600 vph (3 Hz)
Two barrels
48-hour power reserve
592 parts
92 jewels
11.15 mm thick
Flying spherical tourbillon:
Rotation speeds

• Outer carriage in extra-bright aluminium: 1 rotation/minute

• Inner carriage in extra-bright aluminium: 2.5 rotations/minute

Blued spherical balance-spring
Blued 14-carat gold balance
Number of parts: 11
Weight: 0.43 grams
3 ii ndependent dials: 
Hour-minute dial: opaline silver-toned
Chronograph dial: sunray rhodiumed
Day/night dial:
-  Hand-punched
-  Night section coated with a translucent blue lacquer
Hands: 
Hours and Minutes: blued Dauphine-type
Chronograph second hand: blued baton-type
Functions:
Hour, minute
Flying gyrotourbillon
Instantaneous digital-display chronograph activated by a single push-piece at 2 o’clock

• Digital display of the minutes (from 00 to 59)

• Pointer-type indication of the chronograph seconds

Day/Night & 24-hour indication
Case:
Extra-white platinum
43.5 mm in diameter
15.5 mm thick
Polished lugs and satin-brushed case middle
Water resistance: 5 atm
Strap:
Jaeger-LeCoultre blue high-end alligator leather strap,
white gold adjustable folding clasp

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