Zenith

The El Primero Lightweight , an hi-tech, ultra-light watch engraved Spindrift Racing, is available in a limited edition (250 pieces) to celebrate the partnership (as Official Timekeeper) with Spindrift, a top-level French sailing team dedicated to multihulls founded in late 2011. More here !

The key objective of the specifications was the focus on shearing off any excess weight, while making no compromises on precision, sturdiness and reliability – just as one optimises an engine intended for competition. These demands naturally called for the use of high-tech materials. 

This is a watch - like the El Primero Lightweight 10th  of last year - which demonstrates Zenith's capabilities to create cutting edge technical watches - on several levels:

First, the openworked dial provides something like a 'bird’s eye' view of the legendary skeleton-worked El Primero calibre. The transparency of the central part makes it even lighter. Unlike many other manufactures Zenith did a great job in ensuring the legibility of the subdials in that they opted for full disks in a classic colour scheme. The disc-type date display is also both light and efficient thanks to cut-out stencil-style numerals standing out against a red dot at 6 o’clock. The generously hollowed-out facetted hour-markers bear a luminescent coating.

Second, the new El Primero Lightweight has a 'superleggera' case with an original and complex construction already known from the Striking 10h: a combination of carbon (outside) and aluminium (inner case) with titanium push pieces and crown. There is lot to tell about this case (which I reserve for later) so for the time being a simple image shall suffice:

Last, the watches features a tuned-up version of the El Primero movement: Based on its latest research in the domain of new materials, Zenith chose titanium – a light and highly resistant metal widely used in aeronautics – to make the main parts of the movements which are the heaviest when they are made in brass: namely the mainplate and five bridges (barrel bridge, balance bridge, lever-bridge, lever-wheel bridge and chronograph bridge). 

The Manufacture also opted to use silicon, with the lever and escape- wheel made from this high-tech, anti-magnetic material that is three and a half times lighter than classic alloys, harder than steel and a guarantee of excellent efficiency. 

Overall: The result is a 25% lighter weight. 

Sporty, contemporary and decidedly masculine, the new El Primero Lightweight gives a new breath of life to the Zenith collection, while confirming the innovative capacities and creative daring of the Manufacture:

The strap btw is made of leather with a Nomex fabric surface (Nomex is a flame-resistant meta-aramid material). 

Our impressions:

Tech-oriented ultra-light and durable 45mm timepiece advancing the historically proven position of the El Primero movement with very sensible - almost classic - tuning measures (advances in engineering and materials):

- silicon escapement

- titanium movement bridges

- carbon and aluminium case with titanium pushpieces and crow

More posts: El PrimeroEl Primero Lightweight

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