2022 Zenith Defy Extreme Felipe Pantone Edition
Ref: 03.9100.9004/49.I210

Points of Mention

This watch is sold with its original Zenith box and paperwork. The watch comes paired with its Zenith original fitted on an integrated quick-release transparent blue rubber strap, included in the box is a fully polished steel bracelet, a black Velcro strap, a set of Zenith white gloves, and a Zenith double folding clasp. The watch is from November 2022 and is in fantastic condition, worn a handful of times at most. The watch comes with its Manufacturer's Warranty.

The Watch

Here we have a 2022 Zenith Defy Extreme Felipe Pantone Edition limited to 100 pieces and made in collaboration with optical artist Felipe Pantone an Argentinian-Spanish artist based in Spain who uses software to create a combination of prisms of neon colour gradients, geometric shapes, optical patterns, and jagged grids which he makes into frescoes, murals, paintings, and sculptures. The 45mm case is made from polished Stainless Steel & transparent Blue YAS, a crystalline glass similar to synthetic sapphire. Angular bevel-edged sides lead to stubby straight-ended lugs, a lug-to-lug length of 50.5mm and a case thickness of 15mm give the watch an impressive wrist presence. Down the right side, we have the angular chronograph pushers embedded in transparent Blue YAS, and in the centre a signed screw-down crown with deep knurling for extra grip. The top of the case has engraved FP#1 in each corner, shorthand for “Felipe Pantone El Primero”, and a moulded twelve-sided transparent Blue YAS plinth holds a smooth brushed and polished bezel holding a flat sapphire crystal above a stunning Felipe Pantone signature chromatic Iridescent PVD sapphire, micro-engraved skeletonised dial. An outer 1/100th of a second chapter ring surrounds applied baton hour markers coated in Super-LumiNova, at 3 o’clock a 30-minute register with a rainbow-coloured ring and concentric circle centre, at 6 o'clock a 60-seconds and 1/10th of a second register with a black ring and geometric pattern in the centre and finally at 9 o’clock a continuous second register with a white ring and transparent centre. Baton's hands are made using 3D PVD for that rainbow metallic effect infilled with Super-LumiNova, a white chronograph hand and a star counterweight that spins one complete rotation each second. At 12 o’clock we have the power reserve indicator and the Zenith El Primero motif completing this mesmerising and dynamic chronograph that plays with the light in an illusionary way. On the reverse, a screwed-down exhibition sapphire case back with Defy and its number out of 100 engraved around its edge, inside an automatic Zenith El Primero 21 1/100th, 53 jewels, first introduced in 2017 at BaselWorld, it has two escapements one for timekeeping and one for the chronograph beating at 36,000 beats per hour. The star rotor is 3D PVD coated for that iridescent effect and chronometer ISO3159 Certified by TIMELAB at the Geneva Laboratory of Horology and Microengineering, this incredible movement was designed by Guy Semon the head engineer at TAG HEUER who are part of the same LVMH group. The watch comes fitted on an integrated quick-release transparent blue rubber strap, included in the box is a fully polished steel bracelet, a black Velcro strap, and a set of Zenith white gloves. The watch comes with its Zenith presentation box in the form of a book, a unique Felipe Pantone-designed transparent plexiglass hardcover with its "Planned Iridescence" series iridescent design.

Personal Note

The Brand

Zenith was founded in 1865 by 22-year-old watchmaker Georges Favre-Jacot, their manufacturing was based in Le Locle Switzerland. Famous Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen, who was the first person to reach the South Pole in 1911 and the North Pole in 1926, wore Zenith watches on his expeditions. In 1999 Zenith was purchased by LVMH (Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton) joining brands like TAG and Hublot. Zenith is one of the only Swiss manufacturers to still produce their in-house movements, their most recognised movement is the El Primero which was released in 1969, went into production in 1975, and was re-issued in 1986.