Re: Zenith
Δημοσιεύτηκε: Πέμ Μαρ 29, 2012 5:04 pm
Baselworld 2012: Zenith
IWC and Zenith have a common point this year: 2012 will be under the Pilot's sign! But they don't choose the same approach. Zenith is very faithful to the strategy implemented by Jean-Frédéric Dufour based on the historical roots and complications taking advantage of the rich past of the Manufacture.
But if we sum up the 2012 offer only with the Pilot collection, we would bring a wrong feeling: it is much broader than expected and proposes a new 3 hands nugget: the Espada.
I propose to browse these novelties I had the chance to see and to handle during my appointment at Baselworld.
The new Pilot collection contains all the ingredients of Zenith strategy but with a little pinch of something else: the use of a historical movement.
I often wrote here that I regretted that these was no true handwind movement in current Zenith catalogue. With the Pilot Aeronef Type 20, Zenith found a provisional solution through a LE of 250 pieces: right back from the past, this impressive (in any meaning of the word) watch houses the famous pocket watch movement, the 5011. Obviously using a pocket watch movement in a context of a wristwatch is not piece of cake: the watch has to be large enough to host it... especially when the movement by itself has a 50mm diameter. So we get a very bulky timepiece with a 57,5mm case but which is totally justified by the pleasure to see the 5011 back to life.
The Pilot Aeronef Type 20 is excessive, almost unwearable... but it is not a problem here: the watch is dedicated to the lovers of the brand who wish to enjoy the pleasure to wind and to observe the 5011. The 5011 is a typical movement dedicated to chronometry: large balance wheel, fine adjustment, low frequency, large mainspring to reach 48 hours of power reserve. More than its beauty, it is the feeling of depth which is impressive. With its 10mm height, we have the sensation to observe a pit when we look at the balance wheel. Zenith had the good idea to preserve the decoration style and avoid the X-Mas tree effect. Beauty of the movement comes from its architecture not from its sober finishings.
To improve the comfort on the wrist, Zenith took the decision to use titanium for the case. A bit surprising for the coherence but understandable in a pure efficiency oriented strategy.
I was less convinced by the dial. I don't like the way the second subdial cuts the figures and the red hand of the power reserve which brings too much contrast.
The Pilot Aeronef Type 20 is mainly dedicated to collectorsd or Zenith fans and they won't be disappointed by it. Excess is a part of the magic of this timepiece.
http://zenith.watchprosite.com/show-for ... 82138/s-0/
IWC and Zenith have a common point this year: 2012 will be under the Pilot's sign! But they don't choose the same approach. Zenith is very faithful to the strategy implemented by Jean-Frédéric Dufour based on the historical roots and complications taking advantage of the rich past of the Manufacture.
But if we sum up the 2012 offer only with the Pilot collection, we would bring a wrong feeling: it is much broader than expected and proposes a new 3 hands nugget: the Espada.
I propose to browse these novelties I had the chance to see and to handle during my appointment at Baselworld.
The new Pilot collection contains all the ingredients of Zenith strategy but with a little pinch of something else: the use of a historical movement.
I often wrote here that I regretted that these was no true handwind movement in current Zenith catalogue. With the Pilot Aeronef Type 20, Zenith found a provisional solution through a LE of 250 pieces: right back from the past, this impressive (in any meaning of the word) watch houses the famous pocket watch movement, the 5011. Obviously using a pocket watch movement in a context of a wristwatch is not piece of cake: the watch has to be large enough to host it... especially when the movement by itself has a 50mm diameter. So we get a very bulky timepiece with a 57,5mm case but which is totally justified by the pleasure to see the 5011 back to life.
The Pilot Aeronef Type 20 is excessive, almost unwearable... but it is not a problem here: the watch is dedicated to the lovers of the brand who wish to enjoy the pleasure to wind and to observe the 5011. The 5011 is a typical movement dedicated to chronometry: large balance wheel, fine adjustment, low frequency, large mainspring to reach 48 hours of power reserve. More than its beauty, it is the feeling of depth which is impressive. With its 10mm height, we have the sensation to observe a pit when we look at the balance wheel. Zenith had the good idea to preserve the decoration style and avoid the X-Mas tree effect. Beauty of the movement comes from its architecture not from its sober finishings.
To improve the comfort on the wrist, Zenith took the decision to use titanium for the case. A bit surprising for the coherence but understandable in a pure efficiency oriented strategy.
I was less convinced by the dial. I don't like the way the second subdial cuts the figures and the red hand of the power reserve which brings too much contrast.
The Pilot Aeronef Type 20 is mainly dedicated to collectorsd or Zenith fans and they won't be disappointed by it. Excess is a part of the magic of this timepiece.
http://zenith.watchprosite.com/show-for ... 82138/s-0/