Zenith takes on GPHG 2019 with 5 seriously hot watches
James RobinsonIt isn’t hard to imagine that Zenith is probably feeling pretty darn confident about being given more than one award at this year’s Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. Not least for the fact that five of the Swiss marque’s timepieces have been given the nod by the prestigious event’s judges across no fewer than five different categories.
This is a seriously big deal for Zenith, especially when you consider that in the eyes of many, the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève is the Swiss watch industry’s most revered awards event, though we mustn’t compare GPHG to a certain Hollywood-based awards night.
Anyway, here are all five of Zenith’s chosen watches and the categories they’ve been nominated for:
Men’s Complication – Zenith Defy El Primero Double Tourbillon
Made from solid 950 platinum and limited to just 10 pieces, the Zenith Defy El Primero Double Tourbillon is a truly impressive and multifaceted timepiece. Featuring Zenith’s El Primero 9020 calibre movement, this double-barrel wonder offers 60 hours of power reserve, a chronograph and a power reserve complication. The large 46mm case is 14.5mm thick and is water resistant to 100 metres.
Iconic – Zenith El Primero A384 Revival
An incredibly faithful modern interpretation of the original Zenith El Primero A384, the Revival has got to be one of my favourite watches of 2019. Featuring a gorgeous 37mm tonneau-shaped case that’s just 12.6mm thick, the A384 houses the Swiss watchmaker’s fabled self-winding El Primero 400 movement which offers 50 hours of power reserve and a date and chronograph complication.
Chronometry – Zenith Defy Inventor
If we’re talking about genuine innovation and creativity, then the Zenith Defy Inventor could definitely take the cake, thanks to a patented, groundbreaking piece of design by Zenith, which sees the watch’s movement ditch the traditional sprung balance in favour of something that the manufacturer calls a “Zenith Oscillator”. Add this to a lightweight 44mm case made of titanium and something called Aeronith and you’ve got a watch that breaks all the rules, in the best possible ways.
Chronograph – Zenith Defy El Primero 21 Carbon
It’s pretty easy to understand why the judges have nominated the Zenith Defy El Primero 21 Carbon for the chronograph category … I mean, just look at it! Positively menacing with its dark and brooding bare carbon aesthetic, the Defy Carbon is a tough-looking watch, and something that you’d probably expect to find Jason Statham wearing on the set of The Mechanic. Featuring a 44mm case that beautifully shows off the timepiece’s open-worked dial, the Defy Carbon offers 50 hours of power and dizzyingly high levels of wrist presence.
“Petite Aiguille” – Zenith Type 20 Silver
“Petite Aiguille” — or as it translates to English: “Small Needle” — is the category for watches priced between 4000 and 10,000 CHF (roughly $6000 – 15,000 AUD). Zenith’s Type 20 Silver well and truly falls into this category, and that’s a good thing, because it’s a pretty handsome watch. Powered by Zenith’s self-winding Elite 679 movement, the Type 20 Silver’s case is made of just that – solid 925 silver, and is limited to just 250 pieces worldwide.
So, there you have it, Zenith’s five best hopes of taking home a prize at this year’s GPHG. My money’s on the Zenith El Primero A384 Revival, but we’ll have to wait until November 7 to find out.