Zenith Defy Skyline Tourbillon "Felipe Pantone Edition" automatic grey dial steel bracelet 41 mm

A third collaboration!

Contemporary art and cutting-edge watchmaking meet in perfect harmony. After dressing the Manufacture's historic façade in a bespoke tarpaulin in 2020, ZENITH and Valencia-based optical art designer Felipe Pantone have already unveiled several watch creations: a limited edition DEFY 21 immediately sold out in 2021, a unique DEFY 21 Double Tourbillon piece housed in a sapphire case, setting an all-time record for ZENITH at the Only Watch 2021 charity auction, as well as a much-anticipated series in 2022 with the DEFY Extreme Felipe Pantone. Today, their collaboration continues with a new dimension. For the first time, the artist's canvas is applied to a DEFY Skyline, in this case the DEFY Skyline Tourbillon. The result, dense and versatile, brings together many of the intricate and original details characteristic of the collaboration between ZENITH and Felipe Pantone.

The artist Felipe Pantone

Who doesn't know the vibrant, hypnotic works of Felipe Pantone? Do we really need to introduce this contemporary Argentinian-Spanish artist? At the crossroads of graffiti and digital art, he creates vibrant, dynamic compositions that explore themes of transformation, speed and the digital revolution. Drawing inspiration from kinetic artists and using 3D modeling software, Pantone creates works that seem to vibrate and evolve according to the viewer's point of view. His monumental murals, sculptures and installations transform urban spaces into veritable sensory experiences, inviting the public to reflect on our relationship to image and technology in the contemporary world.

The model

Designed in a 41 mm octagonal stainless steel case, the DEFY Skyline Tourbillon Felipe Pantone displays a geometric, angular silhouette that frames a veritable work of art in motion. With its alternating satin and polished finishes, as well as an easily interchangeable steel bracelet and black rubber strap supplied as extras, particular attention has been paid to the ergonomics and visual impact of this unisex creation. Sliced sides and delicately polished contours, enhanced by a dodecagonal bezel, offer a striking play of light. Continuing with previous ZENITH X Felipe Pantone collaborations, the case is engraved on all four corners with the inscription “FPT1”, for Felipe Pantone Tourbillon #1.

At first glance, the central element of the DEFY Skyline Tourbillon Felipe Pantone catches the eye. The tourbillon, visible through the opening at 6 o'clock and performing a complete rotation every 60 seconds, drives the watch at all times. Expressly for this special edition, the tourbillon bridge takes the form of a lightning bolt, a recurring element in Felipe Pantone's work. Finished in a gradient of rainbow metallic tones, a pioneering technique introduced during their first collaboration in 2021, the tourbillon bridge and cage, in the shape of a four-pointed star, further emphasize the artist's distinctive aesthetic.

In contrast to previous ZENITH X Felipe Pantone creations, the DEFY Skyline Tourbillon Felipe Pantone features an entirely iridescent dial: the micro-engraving of concentric circles on a sapphire disk reproduces the moiré effect omnipresent in Pantone's work. On the reverse side of the sapphire dial, a reflective metallic layer is applied which, combined with the micro-engraving, produces a striking CD-like interplay of colors. The vignette effect, with darkened edges, creates even more depth and adds a retro touch to the dial. The combination of a sapphire crystal with a reflective back, a micro-engraved pattern and a vignette effect is an unprecedented technical and visual feat.

The hour hands and appliques are equally complex and captivating. To reproduce the visual distortion characteristic of Felipe Pantone, the hands and hour markers (with the exception of the cardinal markers at 3, 9 and 12 o'clock) are distorted in the middle, with a kind of graphic deviation. On the surface, the rainbow colors recall the finish of the tourbillon at 6 o'clock.

The latest chapter in the ZENITH X Felipe Pantone collaboration comes in a customized case, with iridescent decoration, designed in the artist's inimitable style, inside and out.

A high-frequency tourbillon caliber

This Zenith is powered by an El Primero 3630, echoing the architecture of the caliber 3620 used in the Defy Skyline Seconde Foudroyante range. This Felipe Pantone tourbillon incorporates the artist's chromatic signature right down to the movement: the star-shaped oscillating weight sports a rainbow PVD finish, as do the tourbillon cage and bridge and the other metal elements on the dial side.

The tourbillon rotates continuously around its axis, making one revolution every 60 seconds. Ensuring infallible performance and precision, the escapement beats at the high frequency of 5 Hz, a rare occurrence in the world of tourbillons! It's also worth noting that the Manufacture has optimized the exceptional performance of its caliber to the maximum, as the El Primero 3630 features a lightweight (0.25 g) openworked tourbillon cage, allowing friction to be kept to a minimum.

But this new caliber isn't just ultra-technical, it's also beautifully crafted! Indeed, echoing the decoration emanating from the tourbillon on the dial side, the côtes de Genève on the bridges are arranged in rays that seem to spring from the tourbillon.

To conclude, Zenith once again proves that this manufacture is unique and different. Its star, a symbol of its desire to reach the highest summits, is once again demonstrated to us by its remarkable mastery of high frequency!