A fusion of fine watchmaking and contemporary art in a limited edition
Zenith has once again collaborated with the famous contemporary artist Felipe Pantone to unveil its latest creation, the DEFY Skyline Tourbillon Felipe Pantone. This special edition of the watch continues the fusion between haute horlogerie and contemporary art, revealed with the 2021 and 2022 editions. Limited to just 100 pieces, this model will be available from 12 September 2024.
Pantone, known for its electrifying kinetic art that fuses dynamic colours with geometric patterns, first collaborated with Zenith in 2020, when it transformed the façade of the Le Locle-based manufacture with a specially designed canvas. Since then, this partnership has evolved, resulting in several watch projects, including the limited-edition Defy 21 in 2021, a unique piece for Only Watch 2021, and the Defy Extreme Felipe Pantone in 2022.
An artistic and functional watch
The 41 mm octagonal case of the Defy Skyline Tourbillon, in brushed and polished stainless steel, features exclusive engravings on each corner - ‘FPT1’ - which stands for Felipe Pantone Tourbillon #1. The dial of the Skyline Tourbillon is produced with a coloured sapphire disc and features micro-engraved concentric circles that create a visual moiré effect, similar to Pantone's artwork. The iridescent finish of the dial, combined with a vignette effect that darkens towards the edges, offers a creative display of colours, similar to the shimmering surface of a CD disc. Pantone's chromaticism continues on the hour indexes, in contrast to the technical rigour of the watch movement, with the tourbillon, visible at 6 o'clock, completing one rotation every minute. The lightning bolt shape of the tourbillon's bridge is finished off with a gentle gradient of rainbow tones.
In addition to its artistic interest, the DEFY Skyline Tourbillon Felipe Pantone is a technical piece of haute horlogerie. The El Primero 3630 movement operates at a high frequency of 36,000 vibrations per hour, providing a power reserve of 60 hours. The watch also features a fully interchangeable strap system, allowing the user to switch between the stainless steel strap and the included black rubber strap.
Technical specifications
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Case: 41 mm diameter - octagonal stainless steel case, brushed and polished - 12-sided bezel - screw-down crown with Zenith star logo - water resistance to 100 m
- Dial: tinted sapphire dial with mirror metallisation and iridescent laser texturing - rhodium-plated indexes and hands, faceted with PVD ‘Rainbow’ and SLN C1 coating
- Movement: El Primero 3630 high-frequency automatic tourbillon (El Primero 3620 base) - 5Hz / 36,000vph - 60h power reserve - 34 jewels - 56-part tourbillon cage - ‘Rainbow’ PVD-coated oscillating mass - hours, minutes, seconds with one-minute tourbillon
- Bracelet: stainless steel bracelet - additional black rubber bracelet with starry sky pattern - stainless steel folding clasp
- Reference: 03.9301.3630/49.I001
- Availability: limited edition of 100 pieces