ZENITH | Christopher Columbus

ZENITH

A Tourbillon Model of Originality, Challenging Ultimate Precision with a New Mechanism

ZENITH declares the revival of traditional style. At Baselworld, they unveiled new creations that inherited and evolved past traditions, and even now, they continue to demonstrate an ambitious development stance.

By Yasuto Shibuya

Christophe Colomb

Marine chronometers for navigation are one of ZENITH's historical masterpieces. By supporting the entire watch with two Cardan universal joints, the mechanism was kept horizontal to the earth even in rough seas, maintaining ultimate precision for its time. Inspired by this mechanism, the "Christophe Colomb" features a sphericalTourbillona "gyroscopic" carriage that always remains horizontal to the earth, powered by a newly developed movement.
The sapphire crystal, designed to house this gyroscopic "Gravity-Defying Tourbillon," has spherical bulges on both the front and back, and was crafted by carving from a spherical sapphire crystal. One can endlessly admire the operation of this exquisite mechanism from both the front and back of the case. Furthermore, the Gravity-Defying Tourbillon mechanism itself is designed to be extremely compact, so it feels natural when worn on the wrist.

This model was not announced at Baselworld but was unveiled for the first time this June. For watch enthusiasts, especially those who love complex mechanisms like the tourbillon, this is an absolutely unmissable, exquisite model.

Hand-wound, rose gold case, crocodile strap, 45mm case diameter, limited to 25 pieces worldwide, ¥17,745,000 (estimated price), scheduled for September release. A white gold case version (limited to 25 pieces worldwide) is also available.

BRAND HISTORY
ZENITH is an exceptionally rare brand in the watchmaking world, handling all processes from movement to watch assembly with a completely in-house, integrated system.

Its predecessor was Manufacture d'Horlogerie SA, founded in 1865 by Georges Favre-Jacot. The company manufactured high-quality, cost-effective movements and, in 1900, developed a groundbreaking pocket watch movement with a crown-winding mechanism.

Watches equipped with this movement were named "ZENITH," meaning "zenith" in Esperanto, and won a gold medal at the Paris Exposition Universelle. The same name was then adopted as the company name, and the company was renamed Fabrique des Montres Zenith SA.

In the 1940s, ZENITH developed the Cal.135, still renowned as a masterpiece today, for submission to the Swiss Neuchâtel Observatory's precision competition. After setting a new record for high precision at the competition held in 1945, the company also introduced its first automatic movement in 1948. At that time, ZENITH's technical capabilities had reached the highest level in Switzerland.

And in 1969, they developed the masterpiece movement "El Primero," which propelled ZENITH's name to global fame. This high-frequency automaticchronographmovement, boasting the world's fastest beat rate of 36,000 vibrations per hour, remains a long-seller manufactured as the company's flagship movement even today.

Since 1999, ZENITH has been part of the LVMH Group, and the quality of its entire lineup has been enhanced. The influence of Thierry Nataf, who was appointed as the new CEO, was particularly significant, and his excellent leadership profoundly changed ZENITH's subsequent trajectory.

In 2003, they released the mega-hit "Open." Furthermore, in 2006, they introduced the "Defy" sports collection to the market, successfully establishing a new image for ZENITH that showcases not only its mechanisms but also its design. ZENITH's creations, possessing both talent and beauty, are now experiencing rapid development and soaring success.

Year Founded: 1865
Place of Founding: Le Locle, Switzerland
Main Series Names: Chronomaster, Class, Port Royal, Defy
Inquiries: LVMH Watch & Jewelry Japan ZENITH 03-3263-9620
Official Website: http://www.zenith-watches.com/