Zenith launched its brand new cutting-edge timepieces, El Primero Tourbillon Skeleton & El Primero Skeleton at an international event in Dubai on the 24^th November. Staying true to the spirit of the timepieces that are described as intense black the launch event was held at Noire at the Fairmont Dubai. The exquisite event had in attendance Zenith’s VIP clientele along with the brand’s President & CEO, Mr. Aldo Magada, who was in town especially for the event.

Like two great performers making their stage entrance, these watches reveal their legendary mechanism through a fascinating chiaroscuro openworked design. Complete with black ceramic case, an openworked dial and an ultra-technical vibe, these watches are a stunning and refreshing change to the norm at Zenith. Yet these are complicated models with a fiery underbelly. The first combines a tourbillon with a high frequency chronograph, while the second deploys the spirited energy of a classic ‘El Primero’ chronograph.

The El Primero Calibre 4035 automatic chronograph tourbillon movement and El Primero Calibre 400B are said to be the world’s most precise series-made chronograph developed by Zenith in 1969. Both these movements are easily viewed through a deep black openworked dial, accentuated by red crimson accents. Their swift paced 5Hz cadence drives the ruthenium-blackened, luminescent and faceted hands that sweep elegantly over matching hour-markers. Openworked counters and a minute ring screw-secured to the movement, enhance this three-dimensional display.

Fashioned from black ceramic, their 45 mm-diameter case framing a skeleton dial displays an image of perfectly mastered ingenuity. The El Primero Skeleton Tourbillon model associates the tourbillon with a high frequency chronograph in resolutely futuristic mode. The tourbillon carriage ticks at one rotation per minute and is offset at the 11 o’clock position, while the openworked chronograph counters forms a figure of eight. The El Primero Skeleton Tourbillon watch also beats at 36,000 vibrations per hour enabling a tenth-of-a-second display. The El Primero Skeleton Chronograph movement powers central hours and minutes, small seconds, chronograph and date indicator. Both models have an over 50-hour power reserve.

The strong character of both the El Primero Skeleton Tourbillon and Chronograph is only enhanced by a black rubber strap – perforated for the tourbillon version and carbon fibre-coated for the chronograph and fitted with a titanium and black PVD-treated folding clasp.