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Zenith Polishes its Defy Extreme 

Zenith adds a highly reflective mirror finish to a new model in its Defy Extreme collection.

The new Zenith Defy Extreme Mirror.

The very contemporary Defy Extreme Mirror reflects all colors with its fully mirror-polished metal exterior, familiar Defy angular case and polished integrated bracelet. The stark combination offers a dramatic, monochromatic option within the watchmaker’s rugged Defy chronograph collection.

Without colors, the new watch seems to blend with its environment. Zenith pairs the mirror-finish with an equally dramatic multi-layered open dial that features a sapphire center, finished to be both translucent and reflective.

The watch’s 1/100th-of-a-second chronograph scale features satin-brushed metallic elements, which retains the Defy’s easy-to-read dial, despite the watch’s metal-head theme.

Inside the watch the wearer will see an El Primero 9004 high-frequency chronograph movement, found in all the Defy Extreme models. The movement offers 1/100th-of-a -second time measurements with two independent escapements. One beats at 5Hz (36,000 VpH) for timekeeping while the second vibrates at 50Hz (360,000 VpH) to activate the chronograph function.

Zenith customizes each model in the Defy Extreme collection with a specially decorated rotor. On the Defy Extreme Mirror, the star-shaped winding rotor is finished in a silvery-grey metallic tone to match the case and dial elements.

Zenith attaches the new watch to the wrist with a black Velcro strap and a rubber strap, which can be easily swapped with the steel bracelet using the quick strap-change mechanism on the back of the case.

Price: $26,100.

Specifications: Zenith Defy Extreme Mirror 

Movement: Zenith El Primero 9004 with a frequency of 36,000 VpH (watch) and 360,000 VpH (Chronograph). 

Power reserves: 50 hours (watch) and approx. 50 min (chronograph).

Functions: Hours and minutes in the center,  small seconds at 9 o’clock. 1/100th of a second chronograph with a central chronograph hand that makes one turn each second, 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock, 60-second counter at 6 o’clock, Chronograph power-reserve indication at 12 o’clock. Special oscillating weight with satined finishings.

Case: 45mm polished steel, water resistant to 200 meters, flat sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment on both sides, caseback with transparent sapphire crystal.

Dial: Mirror tinted sapphire with three silver-colored counters, hands and markers are rhodium-plated, faceted and coated with SuperLuminova SLN C1.

Bracelet: Full interchangeable strap system. Full polished metal bracelet with folding clasp. Two straps included: 1 Rubber with folding buckle and 1 Velcro.

Price: $26,100. 

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The Watches

Breitling Adds Tourbillon to Top Time 

Breitling adds a tourbillon to three models in its Top Time Classic Cars Collection, the series of luxurious sporty chronographs that celebrate classic automobiles. The new models honor the legacies of the Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Corvette and Shelby Cobra, three famed cars Breitling has linked to existing watches in the collection.

The new Breitling B21 Top Time Ford Mustang.

The watchmaker combines the new tourbillon addition with a variety of case metals and dial treatments (including one with a walnut burl dial) meant to add some contemporary technology to the essentially retro-themed Top Time collection.

The new Breitling Top Time B21 Shelby Cobra

Breitling fits each watch with Caliber B21, the same movement Breitling developed with the movement maker Manufacture La Joux-Perret and the same caliber seen first inside last year’s Breitling Premier Tourbillon.

The new Breitling Top Time B21 Chevrolet Corvette.

The Caliber B21 has a column-wheel-controlled design with a horizontal clutch and is a COSC-certified chronometer with a skeletonized oscillating weight. The wearer can enjoy a view of the column wheel on each watch through the caseback.

Breitling first introduced the Top Time Collection in the 1960s and revived it in 2021 as a ‘modern retro’ series built with mushroom-style chronograph pushers and an up/down dial design. 

For the new models, Breitling places the tourbillon carriage at 12 o’clock with the chronograph minute counter at the 6 o’clock position, in part to recall the look of vintage automotive dashboard gauges. You’ll also find tachometer scale just inside the bezel of all three new models.

The Watches

One debut model, the Top Time B21 Ford Mustang, boasts a 43-mm bronze case with a titanium back and a green dial, colored to match the first-generation Ford Mustang (1964 to 1974.)

Breitling Top Time B21 Shelby Cobra

A second debut, the Top Time B21 Shelby Cobra, has a 44-mm black ceramic case with a titanium back, crown, pushers, and buckle. Its blue dial matches the color theme of 1962 model, famously developed by Le Mans winner Carroll Shelby.

Breitling Top Time B21 Chevrolet Corvette.

The third debut, the Top Time B21 Chevrolet Corvette, pairs its 44-mm black ceramic case with a titanium back, crown, pushers, and buckle. Its unusual walnut burl dial and perforated leather racing strap are an homage to the steering wheel and dashboard inlays of the legendary 1960s “Sting Ray” Chevy Corvette.

Price: $47,000.

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American Brands

Abingdon Launches Formula 1 Las Vegas Watch 

To celebrate the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix 2023, Las Vegas-based Abingdon Co. is launching a limited-edition Year 1 of Las Vegas Race Watch in partnership with Neiman Marcus.

The new Abingdon Year 1 of Las Vegas Race Watch.

Available exclusively at the Neiman Marcus Fashion Show Mall in Las Vegas, the watch is a tribute to the Las Vegas-based brand’s deep-rooted connection to the city and its support of racing. The watch will be available as a limited edition of forty pieces, each numbered. 

“The Year 1 of Las Vegas Race Watch is a passion project for me,” says founder and CEO Abingdon Mullin. “For collectors, enthusiasts, and hobbyists,  I hope this timepiece preserves wonderful memories of an incredibly magical week in Las Vegas.”

The 40mm steel watch is powered by a reliable Seiko Epson YM12 quartz movement and is set with a black leather strap with rally-inspired detailing and red stitching. 

The watch proudly proclaims ‘Las Vegas’ on its bezel and on its caseback, which features a ‘Let’s Race in Fabulous Las Vegas’ engraving.

Abingdon will make forty Year 1 of Las Vegas Race Watches available for purchase at the Abingdon Co. pop-up at the Neiman Marcus Fashion Show Mall during race week (through November 18th.)

Each limited-edition timepiece is priced at $1,499 and will be displayed in a custom racing helmet watch box, echoing the racing equipment worn by the Formula 1 drivers just outside the doors of store.

New Jordan Watches 

In addition to offering the special Formula 1 watch, Abingdon adds five new colors to its Jordan collection, the watch company’s best-selling motoring watch, the Jordan.

As part of the launch, the new in the Jordan collection watch are also upgraded with the latest six-hand Seiko Epson YM12 quartz movement.

The new iteration adds a longer, easy to read tachymeter seconds hand, which is perfect for tracking lap times during a race.

Each watch also features a tachymeter bezel, a second-time zone and a 60-minute stopwatch.

Each watch also  includes an interchangeable matching genuine leather band with race stripe detailing. 

Prices: $650 to $750. 

Source: Abingdon Co.

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The Watches

Briston Squares the Circle with Clubmaster 

 

By Gary Girdvainis 

It will come as no surprise to any fashionista that the retro-chic design of the Briston Clubmaster is a child of a Franco-Italian collaboration – in this case with a bit of Brit influence mixed in for good measure.

The Briston Clubmaster Sport

Crafted in cellulose acetate supplied by the sixth-generation-owned Italian manufacturer Mazzucchelli 1849, the watch has Briston making a case for a watch case in the form of a “squircle”. What’s a squircle you say? It’s actually a portmanteau of “square” and “circle” and really best describes the softened corners and flowing lines of this Briston case out of round.

Emulating the style of both luxury eyewear and fine writing instruments originally crafted in tortoise shell (a misnomer as most often sea turtle shell was used), the main body of the Briston Clubmaster case is sensually smooth and soft to the touch, hypo-allergenic, and even recyclable.

Variegated patterns evoke the tortoise-shell effect of its biological predecessor, and like natural shell, the man-made acetate versions will vary with no two cases being exactly alike. Unlike the original shell, the cellulose acetate can be brought to life in an amazing array of colors beyond the amber and cognacs of the original – including solid tone colors crafted in the same material.

In our Ice Blue Briston Clubmaster sample, the steel lugs spaced 20mm apart seamlessly emerge from the semi translucent case, while a threaded steel back and domed sapphire crystal protect the inner workings and lume-enhanced dial and hands.

Various colors are available in a 40mm x 40mm three-hand model as well as a 42mm x 42mm chronograph with day/night indicator at 3 o’clock. All are water resistant to 10atm and powered by Miyota quartz movements.

For smaller wrists there are also options in 36mm and 24mm in a variety of cool case colors and matching dials. 

Lightweight and stylish, Briston watches are an easy purchase with prices ranging from $195 to $440 at www.briston-watches.com 

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The Watches

Video: Zenith and Aaron Rodgers Team for New Chronomaster Sport 

 

By Gary Girdvainis 

Since it first launched, Zenith’s Chronomaster Sport has seen a variety of cases, dials, sizes and colors. Today, Zenith is releasing a collaboration on a new Chronomaster Sport with brand ambassador Aaron Rodgers, four-time NFL MVP and future football Hall of Fame quarterback.

The new Zenith Chronometer Sport developed with Aaron Rodgers.

Taking on the New York Jets team color, “Gotham” Green (pantone – PMS 7484 C), Zenith’s newest member of the Chronomaster Sport series keeps all the quality points and construction of its 41mm predecessors – this time in the affiliated garb of the brand’s favorite pigskin protagonist.

The El Primero Striking Tenth, which Zenith debuted in 2011, elevated the chronograph function to a logical zenith in human-actuated interval timekeeping. Zenith did this by taking the already high-speed El Primero movement beating at ten beats per second and adding a center chronograph seconds hand that moves along in 1/10th seconds intervals when actuated.

This finite timing, which breaks the second into tenths, is really at the very peak of human reaction time and represents both technical prowess and logical functionality. Of course there are mechanical watches that divide the second into hundredths, or even thousands, but when the best human reaction times to stimuli are at about .15 seconds, dividing the second into such small increments is more an example of technical achievement than actual useful functionality.

In addition to sporting the Gotham Green dial and bezel, this limited edition also has Aaron Rodgers’ logo engraved on the sapphire crystal back. Price: $12,800. 

See www.zenith-watches.com for more details. 

Here’s my take on the new watch:

 

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