News august 2007

Chronomaster Open ~ Chronomaster Open Venice ~ Chronomaster Open Concept ~ Chronomaster Open T

Chronomaster Open

Chronomaster does not belong to any era or any style:
it has its own unique style

The Watch Quote™ - August 17th, 2007

Chronomaster does not belong to any era or any style: it has its own unique style. It has become what is known as a « classic », an icon, the signature of ZENITH Manufacture. From the characteristic double gaudron of the case to the guilloche on the dials – an authentic “grain d’orge” pattern – everything evokes the great tradition of watchmaking revisited. Yet at the same time, the opening in the dial over the heart of the movement, the titanium for the Concept model and the smile-shaped power reserve are so many knowing touches of modernity.

It may have become as timeless as a Leonardo da Vinci sketch or a Mozart sonata, but the Chronomaster collection is not perfection at a standstill: this year it is enriched by some novel features that strengthen its roots as well as its contemporary characteristics. Thus, the Chronomaster Open El Primero Venice, a limited edition, is reminiscent of the splendours of the Italian Renaissance, whilst the Chronomaster Open Concept explores the avenues of technological design.

Chronomaster Open Venice

“Veni, Vidi, Vici” — Julius Cæsar

Above the mist, the winged Lion dominates St Mark’s Square, testimony to the splendours of the past and symbol of “La Serenissima”. Its mysterious origins – Assyrian according to some, Etruscan or even Chinese according to others – are what one would expect of a magical and cosmopolitan city, birthplace of many talents: diplomatic and commercial, artistic and political.

« I wanted to pay tribute to the people of the lagoon, who, confined to a few tiny islands, lit up the Renaissance and are still fascinating today. That is why I created a limited series of 100 watches, featuring a dial worked in gold thread and representing the lion in St Mark’s Square» says Thierry Nataf, President and Artistic Director of ZENITH International. Guarding the mythical El Primero as it does the famous city of Venice, the outline of the griffin is embossed across the whole of the dial, alongside the Arab numerals; furthermore, this finely sculptured figure in front of the opening for the escapement also celebrates the 36,000 oscillations of the chronograph.

This timepiece, dedicated to the Queen of the Adriatic, is thus the diva of all the rose gold models in the Chronomaster collection: retrograde date, ‘grande date’, or simply Open. From the detail of the execution to the prowess of the high-speed caliber, this aristocratic and refined collection has rewritten a traditional score to a modern tune.

Zenith Chronomaster Open Venice

Zenith Grande ChronoMaster Open Venice

Caliber	:	El Primero 4021 Automatic chronograph movement 13''' caliber. Diameter : 30.50 mm. Height : 7.75 mm. 248 components. 36’000 vibrations per hour Power reserve over 50 hours 39 jewels Measures short time intervals to a 10th of a second Automatic winding in both directions Central rotor on ball bearings 22-carat rose gold oscillating weight

Functions	:	Hours and minutes in the center Small seconds-hand at 9 o’clock with a 3-branched hand Chronograph: • Central seconds-hand • 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock Power reserve indicator from hour axis

Case	:	18-carat rose gold case 18-carat rose gold ZENITH push buttons and crown Diameter : 45 mm / Diameter opening : 35 mm Curved sapphire glass with anti-reflection treatment on both sides Transparent sapphire case back Water-resistance up to 30 meters

Dial	:	Solid 18-carat gold dial with “sundial” guilloché pattern Open dial at 10 o’clock showing the heart of El Primero adorned with handmade rose gold “Venice Lion” strand. 18-carat rose gold hand-mounted applique arabic numerals & indexes

Hands	:	18-carat rose gold faceted hands Power reserve in black varnish

Strap	:	Handmade brown alligator leather strap lined with silky Alzavel calfskin

Buckle	:	18-carat rose gold ChronoMaster triple folding buckle

LIMITED AND NUMBERED EDITIONS : 100 PIECES ONLY

Chronomaster Open Concept

“Love is blind” — William Shakespeare

Using the codes of the past and projecting them into the future, the Chronomaster Open Concept combines a century and a half of watchmaking know-how with futuristic materials: the case is made of natural or black titanium, a metal with three times the tensile strength of stainless steel but with only half the weight; the carbon fibre strap can withstand traction of up to 300 kg; the dial is made of TR90, a transparent material resulting from space research, translucent and unbreakable, on which the numerals appear to float. Beyond it, the pearly plate of the 4021J movement can be seen. Sealed for shock resistance, it can be regulated from the outside thanks to the raised cobalt screw.

Playing with light and shadows, this unusual timepiece is a new alchemy of tradition and modernity. The watchmaker’s hand adjusting the angle of a movement or fitting a sword-shaped hand are as much a part of it as the post-modern vibrations of futuristic technology.

Zenith Chronomaster Open Concept

Zenith ChronoMaster Open Concept

Caliber	:	El Primero 4021 J1 (T size) / 4021 J2 (XXT size) Automatic chronograph movement 13''' caliber. Diameter : 30.50 mm. Height : 7.75 mm. 248 components. 36’000 vibrations per hour Power reserve over 50 hours 39 jewels Measures short time intervals to a 10th of a second Automatic winding in both directions Central rotor on ball bearings Heavy metal oscillating weight with “Côtes de Genève” guilloché pattern

Functions	:	Hours and minutes in the center Small seconds-hand at 9 o’clock with a 3-branched hand Chronograph: • Central seconds-hand • 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock Power reserve indicator from hour axis

Case	:	Ti 2 Black Titanium case Ti 2 Black Titanium push-buttons and crown XXT version: Diameter: 45 mm / Diameter opening : 35 mm T version: Diameter : 40 mm / Diameter opening : 29.9 mm Curved sapphire glass with anti-reflection treatment on both sides Transparent sapphire case back Water-resistance up to 30 meters

Dial	:	Transparent dial in TR90, Open at 10 o’clock & showing the heart of EL PRIMERO Transferred numerals, applied indexes and ZENITH Star

Hands	:	Hours and Minutes hands in black varnish 18-carat rose gold power-reserve

Strap	:	Handmade 3K Carbon fiber integrated strap

Buckle	:	Ti 2 Black Titanium ChronoMaster triple folded buckle

Chronomaster Open T

“His Watch… for Her”

Parce que la collection Chronomaster existe en deux tailles -45mm ou 40mm- et parce que les femmes d’aujourd’hui adorent détourner à leur profit des objets destinés initialement aux hommes, la Manufacture ZENITH leur propose de s’approprier cette gamme pourtant typiquement masculine, et justement précisément à cause de cela. Désormais, de New York à Paris, de Milan à Moscou, on peut donc croiser des élégantes qui arborent fièrement une Chronomaster, qu’il s’agisse d’une Open sur acier avec cadran argent, gris, brun ZENITH ou noir, ou même d’une Concept. Et pour que la montre s’ajuste sur un poignet fin, la Manufacture a prévu des bracelets noirs, gris, marrons ou blancs plus étroits et des boucles déployantes plus légères.

Une vision moderne du luxe, qui joue avec les paradoxes, manie avec brio les codes de la féminité et la charte de la virilité, se moque de la frontière des genres et propose à la belle élégante l’alter ego de son credo. Une preuve de plus que la Manufacture ZENITH sait capter l’air du temps et initier les tendances.

Zenith Chronomaster Open T

Zenith ChronoMaster Open T

Caliber	:	El Primero 4021 Automatic chronograph movement 13''' caliber. Diameter: 30 mm. Height: 7.75 mm. 248 components. 36’000 vibrations per hour Power reserve over 50 hours 39 jewels Measures short time intervals to a 10th of a second Automatic winding in both directions Central rotor on ball bearings Bi-metal oscillating weight with “Côtes de Genève” pattern

Functions	:	Hours and minutes in the center Small seconds-hand at 9 o’clock with a 3-branched hand Chronograph: • Central seconds-hand • 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock Power reserve indicator from hour axis

Case	:	Stainless steel Stainless steel ZENITH push buttons and crown Diameter : 40 mm Diameter opening : 29.9 mm Curved sapphire glass with anti-reflection treatment on both sides Transparent sapphire case back Water-resistance up to 30 meters

Dial	:	Opened dial at 10 o’clock showing the heart of El Primero Plain black, silvered, or white dial Rhodium hand-mounted applique roman numerals

Hands	:	Rhodium or ruthenium faceted hands

Straps	:	White, brown or black alligator leather strap

Buckle	:	Stainless steel triple folding buckle stamped with the ZENITH star on the cap