Zenith holds no punches this year for Baselworld 2018. Expanding on its recent and technically unchallenged in its price-point DEFY collection, Zenith unveils one of the coolest Grand Complication models I’ve seen in a while with the Zenith Defy Zero G – a gravity defying (heh) watch that features a patented gyroscopic “Gravity Control” module that maintains the escapement and balance wheel in a horizontal position – thus, as Zenith claims, negates the effects of gravity on the accuracy of the watch – don’t fret, we’ll get to that claim.
Specifications
Brand: Zenith
Model: Zenith Defy Zero G
Dimensions: 44mm x 14.85mm
Case Material: Brushed Titanium or Pink Gold
Crystal/Lens: Domed Sapphire
Movement: El Primero 8812 S
Frequency: 5Hz
Power Reserve: 50 hours
Strap/Bracelet: Bracelet in desired metal or blue alligator strap with rubber lining
Price & Availability: TBD – but likely approaching or surpassing 6 figures
Analysis
Gyroscope Tourbillons (because let’s be honest, that’s technically what this is) aren’t new to the industry, and are most prominently known in the Jaeger-LeCoultre Gyrotourbillon I and II and the Girard-Perregaux Tri-Axial Tourbillon. In fact, it’s not even Zenith’s first “Gravity Control System” as it is featured in their earlier Christophe Colomb Collection. So what makes this watch important? If you remember Zenith’s previous iterations, you’ll remember the sapphire “zit” on the face of the watch protruding up to a whopping 22mm in thickness for some models and presenting an unsightly (for a lot of enthusiasts) wrist presence that made the watch more suitable for a secure glass case than on a wrist.
In the Zenith Defy Zero G, the complication has been scaled down by 30% to fit within the two flat sapphire crystals by only adding a fraction of a millimeter to the size versus previous iterations. This makes the watch infinitely more wearable and attractive without losing the seriously beautiful 139 component gyrotourbillon. Additionally, the modern El Primero case gives a modern update to a complication that has been most known for dressier albeit no less complicated watches. Although the transparent dial may affect legibility, these models are captivating, and likely won’t have a hard time seducing buyers with deep pockets and a desire for a recognizable and complicated modern wrist presence… Or, a tasty piece of candy for someone’s safe.
Summary
These are beautiful watches. The blue matches both the Pink Gold and Titanium models beautifully, and honestly, I’m partial to the Pink Gold and Leather over the bracelet models – and that’s typically a rare occurrence. The war over whether tourbillons actually neutralize the effects of gravity will continue to rage but I have no doubt that will be a factor to these potential buyers whether it’s in the literature or not. Price for the watch has yet to be announced (and we will update when we get the info), but I would be surprised if this isn’t approaching the 6-figure mark. zenith-watches.com
