Ornatus-Mundi
[Zenith]
7136
Oliver's and Magnus' conclusion on the first batch if Zenith novelties
Following Art's excellent and wittily written impressions we would like to submit to you our first hand experiences and opinions, which might well differ from Art's.
In most cases, quite successfully so. We would like to spend a bit of time on the Captain collection. If you want,. you can group them into two categories: The first, comprising of the Power Reserve and the Big Date/Moonphase, where subtle enhancements were made to emphasise the structure of the dial:
What has been criticised by Art, namely the (to him) odd shaped date aperture on the latter watch is actually a consistent theme in both of them. It serves to 'triangularise' the elements of the dial, again a common theme.
That this can't play with the remaining two watches, and thus was not implemented there, is another token for the care Zenith applied in advancing and improving this entry collection.
Speaking of which, let's have a look at the other two watches, the Central Seconds and the Annual Calendar:
Both of them sport already highly balanced dials, one with a plain one and the other with quite some elements. Emphasising a single one here would be counter-intuitive in both cases. Consequently Zenith opted for a design which imbues elegance and quietness.
As for the other watches, we liked the El Primero Chronomaster Grande Date for its magnificent colour pattern:
As watch we considered almost problematic was the Type 20:
With its fake vintage appearance is just - too obvious fake! We have no clue what they were thinking, and this is quite bothersome to us. This goes in line with the emerging feeling we have that Zenith is trying to milk a cash-cow here. The public reaction to the original Type 20 was overwhelming, and this might have - understandably! - induced the brand to create more and more variations of the theme.
We just would hope that Zenith is aware of the dangers of overdoing a concept. There are ample examples of brands succumbing to the allure of flooding the market with countless (limited or not) editions. This is quickly done but does nothing to sustainably and sensibly developing a collection with a long term view.
Overall: we liked a lot what we were seeing (with few exceptions)!
Best,
Magnus & Oliver
P.S.: 2 THUMBS UP for Art for stepping in to relieve a bit of the reporting burden from our shoulders - it was a fun exercise and certainly an entreating one for all of us!
More posts:
Magnus and Oliver's Zenith Pre-BaselWorld 2014 report . . .
Magnus and Oliver took a small detour from the SIHH to meet with Zenith for a relaxed preview on some of this year's Basel novelties. The result is presented as a collaboration of Purists, separated by an ocean, eight time zones, and something less than s...
El Primero Chronomaster Grande Date . . .
. . . with concentric moon . . . g . . . and sun phase indicator. This particular watch is based upon a limited edition exclusively created for the Austrian market, showcasing a fine two-tone treatment with gold pushers, crown, and dial highlights. Wrist ...
Captain Central Seconds . . .
. . . boutique edition, with applied Arabic indices. I can tell the two liked this one by the number of wrist shots they took! First on Magnus'... … then on Oliver's wrist: Not a hint of excess; most tasteful. Thumbs up. ...
Captain Power Reserve . . .
. . . is a case study in successful refinement. The less ornate portrayal of the power reserve indicator and date aperture in comparison with previous incarnations projects elegance, subtly enhanced by the absence of engraving. In this instance . . . . ....
Captain Moonphase . . .
. . . has been given the same treatment as the Power Reserve: removal of all dial engraving and flourishes. The effect, though . . . g . . . isn't quite the same; starker rather than simplified. My sense is there's now a palpable incongruity between the m...
El Primero Chronomaster Power Reserve . . .
. . . appears to embody the silicon technology developed for the Striking 10th, as witnessed by the purple escape wheel and anchor. Magnus or Oliver will have to confirm whether this is a new development in this particular movement; to the best of my reco...
Captain Winsor Annual Calendar . . .
. . . boutique edition, with similar applied Arabic indices as the Captain Central Seconds. The genius of Oechslin's and Gerber's efforts were put to good use by applying the techniques developed for the MIH to the El Primero. I have to admit to ambivalen...
El Primero 410 . . .
. . . truly, the name says it all. The cal 410 is one of the most celebrated incarnations of the El Primero; a full calendar with moonphase, implemented with tastefully placed apertures. Zenith revived a legend by bringing this reference back. There ar...
Pilot Type 20 GMT 1903 . . .
. . . reminds me of the title of a James Brown song*. Its massive presence, prominent features, and vintage attitude fairly leap off the page. How's this . . . . . . for making a statement? Phew! Oliver, you're a braver man than I. Seriously, even though ...
You should do it
this way all the time Marvelous reporting Art you are writing under some pseudo in real life earning big bucks Sincerely Damjan
I wish that was the case, Damjan . . .
. . . but no, all my efforts are devoted here on PPro. (Actually, it was Magnus and Oliver that performed the real work - I'm just the interpreter!)
Good interpreter
makes good story even better Thank you for sharing your talent unselfishly with us all this years Sincerely yours Damjan
Oliver's and Magnus' conclusion on the first batch if Zenith novelties
Following Art's excellent and wittily written impressions we would like to submit to you our first hand experiences and opinions, which might well differ from Art's. What we have seen so far were interesting developments and advancements on the existing Z...
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