The latest novelty from the Zenith Academy series of watches represents this brand’s view on the future of haute horlogerie. It is called Zenith Academy Tourbillon Georges Favre-Jacot and it combines two exceptionally demanding complications: a tourbillion and a fuse and chain transmission system that provides constant force. Additionally, the timekeeper is set inside a modern ceramic housing and made with a skeleton dial that allows a complete view on its high-end movement which beats at the ultra-high rate of 5 Hz.
The novel watch from the Academy series is dubbed after the founder of the Swiss watchmaking brand. It comes as no surprise that the piece with such a name displays all the top qualities that the brand is capable of. Namely, it is the specific combination of some of the most intricate features in the world of watchmaking which are both strong innuendos of the highest quality. The presence of both of them is a rare, yet not an unprecedented mixture of features (for example, it is featured in Breguet Tradition Reference 7047BR).
Moreover, the tourbillion with a rotational period of one minute and a fuse and chain mechanism that are used to provide the constant force from the barrel throughout the state of power reserve are coupled with the unusually high frequency of 36,600 vph, which is typical for El Primero movement that the brand has been producing since 1969.
In this instance, the specific caliber used for the watch is El Primero 4805. It is a hand-wound mechanical movement which consists of as much as 807 components. Such a large number of parts is heavily influenced with the presence of the constant force mechanism, especially its chain. The high-frequency caliber has the power reserve that lasts for at least 50 hours. As for its dimensions, the caliber is pretty wide with the diameter of 16 ½ lignes (37 mm), while its flat profile measures to just 5.9 mm.
Zenith Academy Tourbillon Georges Favre-Jacot is placed inside a round housing made of black ceramic. It has the diameter of 45 mm and the thickness of 14.65 mm. Surrounded with a fixed bezel lays a domed sapphire crystal with a glare-proofed treatment on both of its sides. The same material is used once again on the rear side of the housing which supports water resistance to 50 meters.
The novelty that bears the name of the Zenith’s founder features a skeletonized movement with blackened bridges so it would show off its technical strength as much as it is possible. That way one can admire the supported fuse and chain mechanism on the top of the watch’s face (between ten and two o’clock positions), as well as the tourbillion cage on the opposite, lower section. The remaining function, a power reserve display with high/low indications is placed on the five o’clock position and indicated via the pointer with a red color tip.
Zenith Academy Tourbillon Georges Favre-Jacot Watch – Fusee and Chain Mechanism Detail
Since the movement is skeletonized, the dial of the watch is practically non-existent. It is reserved to a chapter ring with a ruthenium-plated, faceted and super-luminova coated hour markers. There are likewise two skeletonized central hands that are made in the same manner as the hour markers.
Zenith Academy Georges Favre-Jacot is paired with a black rubber strap which fastens with a triple folding clasp made of black PVD coated titanium. It is important to note that the watch with the reference 49.2520.4805/98.R576 is made in the limited edition of 150 pieces. As the brand announced, the additional red gold restricted series with the same number of copies is soon to follow.
