June 2014 137 www.bahrainthismonth.com Zenith El Primero celebrates the relaunch of the maxi trimaran Spindrift 2, the largest racing trimaran in the world with a brand-new limited edition watch that captures the cutting-edge workmanship of the boat. Optimised for the demanding North Atlantic, Spridrift 2 has a shorter mast, new sails, a new centreboard and auto pilots. It is much lighter and features a modified deck plan and fittings. At the grand unveiling of this ambitious boatbuilding project, Zenith presented a modern, ultra-light watch engraved with Spindrift Racing in a strictly limited edition set of only 250 pieces. The watch is completely inspired by the redesigned Spindrift 2 trimaran. The engineers and watchmakers have certainly succeeded in creating a light watch with a sporty design, while preserving the inimitable El Primero qualities of precision, sturdiness and reliability. The weight of the watch has been reduced by removing any excessive elements. Movement bridges are now made of titanium, a feather-light material widely used in aeronautics. The case is made from carbon, which further contributes to the 25 per cent lighter weight. The openworked dial shows the legendary El Primero movement, making the watch appear even lighter and more airy. With its cut-out stencil-style numerals, the disc-type date display follows the same line of inspiration and so do the hollowedout facetted hour-markers that bear a luminescent coating. At 45mm in diameter and 13.2mm thick, the watch features a transparent sapphire case-back, hours and minutes in the centre, small seconds hand at 9 o’clock, and a date indicator at 6 o’clock. The chronograph function includes a central seconds hand, 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock, and a 12-hour counter at 6 o’clock. The El Primero 400B automatic titanium movement is made from 328 components and 31 jewels. It beats at 36,000 vibrations per hour and provides around 50 hours of power reserve. The model, as well as bringing a fresh reinforcement to Zenith’s collection of luxury watches, deftly displays the innovative capacities and creative dare of the manufacturer. Mark of excellence Founded in Le Locle, Switzerland, in 1865 by a visionary watchmaker, Georges Favre-Jacot, the watches earned swift recognition for the precision of their chronometers. This design brought the manufacturers 2,333 chronometry prizes in a century and a half of existence — a record in terms of pocket watches, onboard timers and wristwatches. Another technological achievement was the legendary El Primerocalibre, an integrated automatic column-wheel chronograph with a frequency of 36,000 vibrations per hour that ensured short-time measurements accurate to the nearest one-tenth of a second. Zenith has since developed over 600 movement variations and currently stands at the exact spot where its founder built the first company workshop, thereby physically embodying a continuity that is a rarity in itself. i Call 17 535-344.
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