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Zenith Adds a Tourbillon to Defy Skyline

Since its debut two years ago, the Defy Skyline collection has become one of Zenith’s best-sellers. Now, Zenith adds a tourbillon to the collection to create two 41mm Defy Skyline Tourbillon models, one in steel and the other in black ceramic. 

The new Zenith Defy Skyline Tourbillon, here in black ceramic. A second model is cased in steel.

Zenith’s own high-frequency movement houses an open-worked tourbillon with a cage shaped to mimic the Zenith star logo. The new debuts maintain the signature sunray pattern metallic dial found throughout the Defy Skyline series. Zenith places the tourbillon within an aperture on the lower portion of the dial.

The tourbillon design is notably open with a prominent mirror-polished bridge. On the black ceramic model, the bridge’s gold-plated hue matches the dial’s markers and hands.

On the steel edition, the markers and hands are rhodium plated to match the case finish.

Each dial features a pattern of engraved four-pointed stars that appear to radiate away from the tourbillon, expanding as they reach the dial’s edge.

As noted, Zenith’s new El Primero 3630 automatic high-frequency caliber powers both models, offering generous power reserve of sixty hours. The movement’s open star-shaped rotor offers the owner a nice view of the very modern movement.

Zenith fits the Defy Skyline Tourbillon on either a stainless steel or black ceramic bracelet, depending on the model, and adds a second strap in blue or black rubber. The strap can be quickly changed by the owner using the caseback’s quick strap-change mechanism.

Prices: $57,100 (steel) and $67,400 (black ceramic) 

 

 

Specifications: Zenith Defy Skyline Tourbillon 

Steel: 

Reference: 03.9300.3630/51.I001

Key points: Automatic high frequency tourbillon. Starry sky pattern on the dial that starts from tourbillon. Screwed-in crown. Full interchangeable strap system.

Movement: El Primero 3630 automatic.

Frequency: 36,000 VpH – 5Hz

Power reserve: approx. 60 hours

Functions: Hours and minutes in the center tourbillon: The carriage is positioned at 6 o’clock; it makes one turn per minute; tourbillon cage with 56 components.

Finishes: Special oscillating weight with satined finishings

Material: Stainless steel

Water resistance: 10 ATM

Case: 41mm

Dial: Blue-toned sunray-patterned

Hour markers: Rhodium-plated, faceted and coated with SuperLuminova SLN C1

Hands: Rhodium-plated, faceted and coated with SuperLuminova SLN C1

Bracelet & Buckle: Stainless steel bracelet with folding clasp. 2nd strap included: blue rubber with folding clasp.

Price: $57,100.

 

Black Ceramic:

Reference: 49.9300.3630/21.I001

Key points: Automatic high-frequency tourbillon. Starry sky pattern on the dial that starts from tourbillon. Screwed-in crown. Full interchangeable strap system.

Movement: El Primero 3630 automatic

Frequency: 36,000 VpH – 5Hz

Power reserve: approx. 60 hours

Functions: Hours and minutes in the center tourbillon: The carriage is positioned at 6 o’clock; it makes one turn per minute; tourbillon cage with 56 components.

Finishes: Special oscillating weight with satined finishings

Material: Black ceramic

Water resistance: 10 ATM

Case: 41mm

Dial: Black-toned sunray pattern.

Hour markers: Gold-plated, faceted and coated with SuperLuminova SLN C1

Hands: Gold-plated, faceted and coated with SuperLuminova SLN C1

Bracelet & Buckle: Black ceramic bracelet with folding clasp. 2nd strap included: black rubber with steel black PVD folding clasp.

Price: $67,400

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The Watches

Hublot and Depeche Mode Team for Charities

Hublot teams once again with the British band Depeche Mode, launching the new Spirit of Big Bang Depeche Mode watch in support of a new album, a world tour and to raise funds for several charities.

The new the new Spirit of Big Bang Depeche Mode watch.

The new watch, a limited-edition Spirit of Big Bang 42mm tonneau-shaped black ceramic watch, depicts a skull-and-hourglass motif on its dial.

The Swiss watchmaker first partnered with the band fourteen years ago to raise awareness and funds for environmental and humanitarian causes. Since that time, the ongoing partnership has raised more than $2.3 million for the Teenage Cancer Trust and Charity:Water.

With the new watches, Hublot is assisting the band as it raises funds and awareness for Conservation Collective, a global charity that unites a network of regional philanthropic foundations working to protect, conserve and restore natural environments.

Taking a cue from the title of the new Depeche Model release called Memento Mori, Latin for ‘remember you must die’ and intended to prompt reflection on the transience of life, Hublot filled portions of the dial’s skull design with small black ceramic spheres that symbolically flow back and forth as the wrist moves.

Depeche Mode initials DM appear at the bottom of the dial while the indexes are pyramid-shaped studs made to mimic the pattern Hublot has etched the watch’s black ceramic bezel. The caseback, pictured above, offers logos of the band and of the Conservation Collective.

Hublot’s Spirit of Big Bang case measures 42 mm across and is constructed of sand-blasted and polished black ceramic. Inside Hublot fits its superb automatic HUB1710SD movement with a 50-hour power reserve.

For this model Hublot offers two straps, each interchangeable. One strap is made of Velcro and recycled materials to echo the Conservation Collective’s plastic pollution initiatives.

The second, a ‘rock and roll’ strap (pictured below), is made of black rubber with a black titanium folding clasp and the same pyramid-shaped studs seen on the bezel and dial.

Each watch in this 100-piece limited edition is shipped with a 10” vinyl single of Depeche Mode’s 2023 song Wagging Tongue. The single, produced using green energy and recycled PVC, is only available as part of this package.

Price: $34,100. 

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The Watches

Corum Adds Ceramic Cases to Admiral 42 

Corum adds five ceramic-cased models to its nautically themed Admiral Automatic collection. 

The Admiral, with its twelve-sided case and pennant-markers, is one of Corum’s top-sellers and is usually fashioned from steel, titanium or precious metal. The new ceramic case option adds a contemporary option within the watchmaker’s Admiral offerings.

One of the new ceramic-cased Admiral 42mm offerings, here with a rose gold bezel.

Corum adds the ceramic option specifically to its 42mm Admiral series, the mid-sized watches set between Corum’s 38mm and 45mm Admiral offerings. Three white-cased models and two black-cased newcomers (one of which is a limited edition) mark the debut.

Two of the white ceramic models also sport a rose gold bezel, as does one black edition. 

The two variations arrive with a matching rubber strap and gold-colored accents while two additional versions in each color sport artistic dials with pop-art markers and accents.

Of these two art-dialed options, the black ceramic model is a limited edition (of 50 pieces, pictured below) and features a luminous ‘Corum’ logo in graffiti-style across its dark dial.

The two white-ceramic pop-art version feature indexes and hands adorned with multicolored paint. One of these two white ceramic options also comes with a rose-gold bezel.

All the new Admiral watches are water resistant to fifty meters and are powered by CO 395, an ETA-based automatic movement. 

Prices: CHF 14,800 (with ceramic bezel), CHF 18,000 (gold bezel) and CHF 18,500 (white ceramic artistic dial with gold bezel).

 

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The Watches

Hublot Celebrates Bucherer Partnership with New Duo 

Hublot and watch retailer Bucherer 1888 celebrate their partnership with the launch of two new limited edition Big Bang Unico watches. The duo is the third exclusive Bucherer model made by Hublot since the partnership commenced in 2008.

The New Hublot Big Bang Unico Bucherer Exclusive Titanium.

One model, the Big Bang Unico Bucherer Exclusive Titanium, shines with a polished 42mm titanium case that Hublot contrasts with a clear sapphire bezel, and the collection’s familiar skeletonized dial. A white rubber strap adds a sporty touch.

The second debut, the Big Bang Unico Bucherer Exclusive Ceramic, combines a 42mm micro-blasted black ceramic case with a polished black sapphire bezel and skeletonized dial. Here, a darker rubber strap matches the case.

The new Hublot Big Bang Unico Bucherer Exclusive Ceramic.

Hublot powers both watches with its excellent in-house, almost fully exposed Unico HUB1280 movement endowed with a seventy-two hour power reserve.

Each watch is a limited edition of thirty pieces to be offered in selected Bucherer boutiques and online in the United Kingdom, Germany, France and the United States. Prices: $43,900 (black ceramic) and $42,000 (titanium). 

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Girard-Perregaux Goes Green with Aston Martin 

For its latest collaboration with Aston Martin, Girard-Perregaux unveils the Laureato Green Ceramic Aston Martin Edition, a Laureato with the British Racing Green color favored by Aston Martin front and center.

The watch marks the first time Girard-Perregaux has fashioned its Laureato using a green ceramic case and a green ceramic bracelet.

The new Girard-Perregaux Laureato Green Ceramic Aston Martin Edition. The watch will be offered in 38mm and 42mm case sizes.

Girard-Perregaux will make the Laureato Green Ceramic Aston Martin Edition in two case sizes: 38mm and 42mm. The 42mm model is fitted with the Caliber GP01800, while the 38mm version is equipped with the Caliber GP03300.

Both are in-house movements that are visible through the watch’s see-through sapphire case-back on which Girard-Perregaux has engraved the Aston Martin logo.

On the back of the movement, Girard-Perregaux has applied straight Côtes de Genève and has embellished the oscillating weight with circular Côtes de Genève. These movements offer a power reserve of at least 46 hours (38mm) and 54 hours (42mm).

In addition to the green coloring, the dial itself marks an homage to Aston Martin. There you’ll see a cross-hatch, diamond-like pattern that the automaker used on its logo in the 1920s. The pattern also matches the look of certain Aston Martin quilted seats.

While Girard-Perregaux famously made the first Laureato collections in steel in 1975, in recent years the manufacture has launched many editions of the octagonal-bezel series using a range of other materials, including precious metals, sapphire and ceramic.

To make the case and bracelet for the new Laureato Green Ceramic Aston Martin Edition, Girard-Perregaux employs ultra-modern ceramic, a lightweight material made with zirconium oxide and color-infused metallic oxides.

The watchmaker explains that its ceramic mixture is particularly hard (up to seven times harder than steel), making the watch highly scratch resistant. The material will also never fade as ceramic is unaffected by changes in ambient temperature.

Price: $25,000 (38mm, limited to 188 pieces) and $25,800 (42mm, limited to 388 pieces). 

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