Glashütte Original Pocket Watch No. 1

The rediscovery of a way of life

Elegant, handmade pocket watches have always been a symbol of style and sophistication. Worn on a chain, the first pocket watches were admired in the 16th century as masterpieces of watchmaking technology and miniaturization. For the first time, the portable watch made it possible for people to carry the exact time around with them, “on hand”, as it were. Over the centuries, artistically finished pocket watches made of gold were both a status symbol and a useful everyday object. Particularly as a fashion accessory for men, the pocket watch was the expression of a way of life that attached importance to using a precious timepiece to read the time.

With the launch of the Glashütte Original Pocket Watch No. 1, the established manufactory harkens back to this epoch and presents a timelessly elegant pocket watch with quarter-hour repetition, which comes in a worldwide limited edition of 25 pieces. This timepiece in rose gold captivates with its high standard of watchmaking, its innovative construction and aesthetic design. A historical watch by Julius Assmann, a famous pioneer of the Glashütte watchmaking industry, served as the model.

One particularly striking feature of this watch is the quarter-hour repetition, which announces the quarter hours and hours acoustically. Using one tone, the repetition first of all indicates the previous hours, and then, by means of a second and higher tone, the quarter hours which have elapsed since the full hour.

To operate the repetition, a slide is located on the case at 6 o’clock. This is moved by hand in the direction of 9 o’clock, thereby tightening the mainspring. When the final point of the winding has been reached the signal mechanism is activated automatically. The progress of the signal mechanism is regulated by a centrifugal governor visible on the wheel train side. The beating of the two hammers is made audible by means of two gongs of different lengths, which are passed around the piece beneath the wheel train.

Two blued steel hands dominate the dial: the slender minute hand and the hour hand in classic “poire” form turn on the central axis, while the second hand is located underneath the polished eye in a sub-dial area. The classic display is enclosed by a minute ring which, along with the black Roman numerals, stands out in clear contrast to the enamelled dial.

The watch is wound via the crown and the time is set using a two-level yoke winding mechanism. This is designed so that at the moment of winding the crown, the balance wheel is halted and the eccentric second hand jumps to “zero”.

The newly designed hand-wound calibre 84-01 from Glashütte Original permits a precise time display. A doubly non-reflecting sapphire crystal protects the calibre and gives an unobstructed view of the exquisitely decorated piece. With three quarter plate, screwed gold chatons, hand-engraved balance cock and swan-neck fine adjustment, it is a high point of the art of Glashütte watchmaking. This elegant timepiece has a power reserve of 36 hours.

Two hinged lids of polished rose gold protect the watch on both sides, with the name of the watch as well as the serial numbering from 1 to 25 artistically engraved by hand on the bottom of the rear lid. Worn on a robust chain of rose gold in a special waistcoat pocket, the new Glashütte Original Pocket Watch No. 1 is set to become a luxury accessory for today’s refined gentleman.

This special model will be available as of April 2010 when it will be officially presented during BASELWORLD 2010 (18 – 25 March).

Further information:
Amy Chia
The Swatch Group (U.S.) Inc. – Public Relations
P: 201 271 4644
E: amy.chia@swatchgroup.com

Vacheron Constantin Ad from 1955

The ultra-thin heritage

Vacheron Constantin has chosen today to revive some of the finest moments in the quest for ultra-thinness. The Geneva-based manufacturer has indeed been closely involved in the epic milestones of this distinctive form of expertise, such as in the 1950s and 1960s when Vacheron Constantin introduced the world’s thinnest wristwatches.

Today, Vacheron Constantin is enriching its “Historiques” collection with two new creations directly inspired by its heritage, each imbuing one of two legendary calibres with a new and distinctively modern touch.

“Historique Ultra-fine 1955”
equipped with the mechanical hand-wound 1003 movement the thinnest in the world at just 1.64 mm thick, rebuilt for this model in 18-carat gold, and bearing the Hallmark of Geneva

&

“Historique Ultra-fine 1968”
equipped with the ultra-thin mechanical self-winding 1120 movement featuring a new decorated oscillating weight, and bearing the Hallmark of Geneva

Vacheron Constantin Ultra-thin pocket watch, 1927

Vacheron Constantin was founded in 1755 and can legitimately claim to be the world’s oldest watch manufacturer still in activity, with over 250 years of continuous expertise and production behind it. A truly unique status within the watch industry.

This proud heritage cultivated over a quarter of a millennium is punctuated with timepieces and movements that have each in their own way left an indelible imprint on their era. This stunning and inestimably valuable patrimony, through which the brand’s history is inextricably bound up with that of the watch industry, eloquently testifies to the brand’s consistent technical and aesthetic creativity.

Evolving in step with new inventions, techniques and of course with the tastes of horological enthusiasts, Vacheron Constantin has explored all fields of the watchmaking art, including pocket-watches and wristwatches, as well as ring-watches, pendant-watches, and brooch-watches. Its range encompasses highly complicated models, automatons, sophisticated clocks, as well as an area which is less conspicuous yet requires an incredible wealth of expertise, experience and talent: that of ultra-thin mechanical movements.

Extreme slenderness is traditionally not considered as a horological complication, in that it does not itself contribute an additional watch function in the same way as a date or a chronograph. It would nonetheless be entirely legitimate to describe it as such, due to its highly complex nature that often pushes micromechanical boundaries to the limit. Although many try their hand in this field, few are successful.

While the first ultra-thin Vacheron Constantin calibres were produced in the 19th century, the manufacturer became most prolific in this speciality during the 20th century, which is generally considered as the ultra-thin “golden age”. It was indeed in the early 20th century that wristwatches began to gain popularity, and weight and thickness thus became crucial factors in ensuring the wearer comfort of such models.

Vacheron Constantin Ultra-thin pocket watch, 1931

The Vacheron Constantin heritage comprises extraordinary ultra-thin creations and a succession of slimness records.

Right from the start of the 19th century, the Vacheron Constantin archives (including a letter written by Jacques-Barthélémi Vacheron to a certain Mr. Girod in Paris, dated May 18th 1912) feature references to thin watches. Another letter dated January 28th 1829 and written by Jacques-Barthélémi Vacheron to François Constantin also mentions the production of “a few thin pieces”.

Vacheron Constantin’s historical records for 1911 also include three 8,9 and 10-ligne calibres, each measuring 2.82 mm thick. The remainder of the century witnessed an impressive number of ultra-thin calibres, representing impressive horological feats and becoming ever slimmer over the years: 2.25 mm in 1917, 1.88 in 1924. Some were used to create such extraordinary models as a rock crystal watch presented in 1926 and equipped with a 2.63 mm red gold movement (visual available).

In 1931, Vacheron Constantin set a new world pocket-watch record with a mechanical movement measuring 17 lignes 5/12 in diameter and less than 1 mm thick – exactly 0.94 mm to be precise (visual available)!

Ultra-thin movements continued to inspire the Geneva-based manufacturer, leading it in 1981 to present the “Structura” collection, which set a highly original stage for one of these movements by reversing it and fitting the hands on the bridge side, thereby enabling connoisseurs to admire the full complexity of its structure.

In 1992, Vacheron Constantin confirmed that its expertise in the field of extreme slenderness also extends to Grand Complication movements by presenting the thinnest minute repeater wristwatch movement to date, measuring 3.28 mm and earning the Geneva-based manufacturer set another record. (visual available).

Nor was Vacheron Constantin lagging behind when it came to self-winding movements. From 1945 onwards, it began developing ultra-thin self-winding movements such as the 477 9/12 which was to be the first of an entire generation : the 498 in 1951, the 499 and the 1019 in 1953, followed by the 1071 in 1958.

Patrimoine 1955

The world’s thinnest mechanical movements are developed in Vacheron Constantin’s historical L’Ile premises.

Within this impressive legacy, one particular hand-wound movement continues to attract the attention of specialists and collectors. Work on its development began in 1952 in L’Ile (the building on the Rhone River ‘island’ that has housed Vacheron Constantin’s historical premises since 1875) and it was presented for the brand bicentenary celebrations in 1955 under the name Calibre 1033.

Its 9-lignes or 21.05 mm diameter and 1.64 mm thickness have made it the world’s smallest mechanical movement on the market. By way of comparison, this micromechanical masterpiece composed of 120 parts is about the size of a small Swiss 20-centime coin.

This now legendary calibre (of which the excellence was to be confirmed by the subsequent orders placed by other great names in fine watchmaking) was used to equip three round watches that set a new record as the world’s thinnest watches measuring just 4.54 mm thick. These three timepieces have forever imprinted on people’s minds the image of the archetypal Vacheron Constantin watch: round, classic, ultra-thin and extremely reliable.

In 2010, Vacheron Constantin has chosen to pay tribute to this legendary calibre by housing it within a reinterpretation of one of those three watches: the “Historique Ultra-fine 1955”, currently the world’s thinnest watch measuring just 4.10 mm thick.

Patrimoine 1968 Profil

The development of Calibre 1120 began in 1966 and production began at the end of 1967. It too attracted the notice of specialists and collectors and was ordered by other great names in fine watchmaking. In 2010, Vacheron Constantin has also chosen to pay tribute to this equally legendary calibre by housing it within a reinterpretation of the vintage ultra-thin watches: the model now called “Historique Ultra-fine 1968”.

These two timepieces will find their natural place within the “Historiques” collection, specifically created to bring back to life the various designs and movements that have shaped the finest hours of Vacheron Constantin.

A collection composed of watches intended for watchmaking collectors, connoisseurs and devotees, for those with a taste for discreet and elegant models, as well as purists. It features models such as the Chronomètre Royal 1907 presented in 2007 to mark the 100th anniversary of the original, and the amazingly daring Historique American 1921 model reinterpreted in 2008 and which was named “Watch of the Year” in October 2009 in Geneva.

Vacheron Constantin Collection Excellence Platine Limited Edition

Preserving the best from each era and consistently capturing the signs of the times: such is the infinitely delicate responsibility of the designers, master-watchmakers, engineers and artisans of Vacheron Constantin, as they shape creations destined to generate emotions as enduring as those aroused by the discovery of the first pocket watch made by Jean-Marc Vacheron and dated circa 1755.

Throughout its exceptional history characterised by the exploration of countless different paths, in step with current trends and fashions but also guided by its own creative instinct, Vacheron Constantin has consistently distinguished itself – as its historical heritage vividly illustrates – by the extraordinary production of pocket watches that are exceptional in terms of their complications, decorations, shapes…

All of which means that today’s creations from Vacheron Constantin – worthy heirs to a proud legacy and tradition – continue to offer devotees of fine watches a deliberately classical style of contemporary elegance.

Yesterday, a symbol of both prestige and freedom

Since its origins in 1755, the year it was founded, the very soul of Vacheron Constantin has been permeated by the famous credo of its quest for excellence. The face will always reflect the soul, and the soul will always enshrine the timeless beauty of the face. This ageless secret is embodied in each creation by Vacheron Constantin.

The pocket watch was originally created to facilitate people’s daily lives. They no longer needed to listen to the church bells or to check the clock at home or in the office in order to know the time. For the very first time, a powerful symbol of prestige as well as freedom, a watch followed its owner every where and became a source of inspiration for watchmakers who were able to use their know-how in making ever smaller movements designed to facilitate their use.

In the same way, while initially considered as vulnerable, pocket watches only remained so until technological breakthroughs enhanced their protection. Today, they can be made as watertight, accurate and user-friendly as wristwatches. These days everyone has pockets, which was not necessarily the case in days gone by, so there is now nothing to prevent someone indulging in this delightful folly.

Vacheron Constantin Collection Excellence Platine Limited Edition

Today, a fine object of contemporary dandyism

Vacheron Constantin is revisiting its past and the golden age of the pocket watch by presenting a model featuring a pure, classic and timeless design, belonging to the Collection Excellence Platine and thus necessarily rare because issued in an extremely limited edition.

While not succumbing to the current vintage craze, this pocket watch sets the tone for authentic contemporary dandyism. This spirit is embodied in the exquisitely refined gesture of removing from one’s pocket a splendidly understated model composed of the rarest and most precious of metals – platinum – distinguished by a density that admirably reflects its value. This sensual timepiece with its gentle curves is equipped with the new mechanical proprietary Calibre 4400, bearing the prestigious Hallmark of Geneva. This epitome of elegance is clothed in a navy blue leather pouch that slides on a leather cord or an original platinum-linked chain, according to personal preference. 21st century elegance is no longer all about wearing time on your sleeve…

In a decidedly modern twist, the pocket watch is promoted to the status of a beautiful and iconic object in its own right. Whether nestling in a pocket, hung around the neck or placed as a table-clock on a desk, it represents a wish to look at time differently rather than simply wearing it on the wrist.

A completely different gesture… Holding a precious pocket watch in the palm of your hand, in order to take time to look at the time on its dial, has once again become an infinitely elegant gesture.

A keen awareness of passing time… A pocket watch is also a means of gaining another grip on time: it is held in the hand and thus offers another perception of time, involving a genuine feeling of reappropriating the moment in hand.

A multi-sensorial object…Released at last from the wrist and presented in a playful form thanks to its pouch and its leather cord or platinum chain, the pocket watch appeals to a variety of senses through its tactile, visual and auditory qualities.

Harmonious shapes creating a perfect balance between exterior and interior perfection.

For this first pocket watch in the Patrimony line, Vacheron Constantin once again offers devotees of fine watches the simplicity and elegance of a naturally classical style. The Patrimony Contemporaine pocket watch created by Vacheron Constantin – issued in a limited edition of 50 individually numbered watches available exclusively in the Collection Excellence Platine – reflects a desire guided by the excellence of time-honoured expertise.

A voluptuously curved yet elegantly slender case in 950 platinum; a broad, beautifully restrained 950 platinum dial with a finely grained sandblasted finish reflecting the light with a gentle glow such as only platinum can offer; as well as 950 platinum baton-shaped hands gliding over delicately applied understated hour-markers: the exquisite metallic harmony of this creation contributes to its overall aesthetic equilibrium.

Inside this elegant exterior beats Calibre 4400, the new mechanical hand-wound mechanism representing the latest generation of proprietary movements and entirely designed, developed and crafted by Vacheron Constantin according to the highest standards of Geneva’s Grand watchmaking tradition. Its generous 28.50 mm diameter, magnified by the transparency of the sapphire crystal back, is perfectly suited to the equally liberally sized 43 mm case.

Thanks to its large barrel, this calibre driving the solitary hour and minute hands is endowed with around 65 hours’ power reserve, corresponding to three full days. And since Vacheron Constantin consistently matches such understated simplicity with exceptional finishing, Calibre 4400 proudly bears the prestigious Hallmark of Geneva.

The Patrimony Contemporaine pocket watch Collection Excellence Platine thus embodies a philosophy that has remained unchanged through 250 years of history, experience and expertise: an obsession for perfection at each stage in the conception of a watch, and in each and every second of the life of the person it so faithfully accompanies.

Pure, rare, eternal… Platinum, the most precious of all metals

The obvious choice of precious metal when only the best or the most exclusive will do, platinum has inspired Vacheron Constantin to create its Collection Excellence Platine Limited Editions, in tribute to the distinctive properties and assets of this rare metal.

Long considered the exclusive preserve of royalty and statesmen, now joined by collectors and exceptional individuals with refined tastes, platinum conveys a definite aura of prestige that elicits a sense of kinship among a distinguished elite of discerning connoisseurs. For them, owning a Vacheron Constantin timepiece from the Collection Excellence Platine grants them privileged access to one of the world’s most exclusive circles.

Each new and necessarily limited-edition Vacheron Constantin model identified as belonging to the Collection Excellence Platine features a solid platinum dial discreetly bearing the inscription “PT950”, along with platinum hands, case and crown, and is housed within a grey lacquered ashwood presentation box.

Vacheron Constantin watchmakers first began using platinum in 1820, and the Geneva-based manufacture has since employed this precious metal in many of its most complex and original creations.

While 18-carat gold contains just 75% of the precious metal, platinum is 95% pure. Also much rarer than gold, it is found in an extremely small number of deposits worldwide, mainly in South Africa.

Its density and its weight are far superior to other metals and make it a more durable material. This quality means that a tiny scratch on a platinum model merely displaces the metal, engendering only a minimal loss of material. An object in platinum therefore retains its full value, as befits a token of eternity. Moreover, it is not subject to oxidation and is thus not affected by the passing of time, making it a perfect lifelong companion.

In addition to its resistance and its density, platinum boasts another remarkable quality: its extreme malleability. It is indeed malleable to the point where a single gram of metal can be drawn out to form a thread stretching almost two kilometres.

Vacheron Constantin created the Collection Excellence Platine specifically in order to highlight the distinctive qualities of this noble metal.

Vacheron Constantin Collection Excellence Platine Limited Edition

Technical Specifications

Reference
Patrimony Contemporaine pocket watch
Collection Excellence Platine
82028/000P-9490

Limited edition of 50 numbered pieces

Movement
4400, developed and produced Vacheron Constantin
Stamped with the Hallmark of Geneva

Energy
Mechanical, manual-winding

Height of movement
2.8 mm

Diameter of movement
28.50 mm

Jewels
21 rubies

Frequency
28′800 vibrations/hours

Indications
Hours and minutes

Power-reserve
Approx. 65 hours

Case
Platinum 950
43.00 mm diameter

Water-resistance
3 Bar, equivalent to 30 meters

Dial
Platinum 950
Finishing sand-blasted
« PT 950 » hallmark between 4 and 5 o’clock

Chain Delivered with an alligator leather cord
Length 30 cm

Platinum chain available on order
Length 30 cm

Breguet Marie-Antoinette Grande Complication pocket-watch ~ N°1160

The art of complexity

Marie-Antoinette was driven by a truly passionate desire for Breguet watches. Keen to possess any auspicious novelty, she had acquired a number of timepieces, including a perpétuel watch embellished with a self-winding device developed by Breguet. In 1783, one of her admirers ordered from the workshops in the Quai de l’Horloge, the most spectacular watch possible, incorporating the entire body of horological science of the time, as a gift to the queen. The order specified that gold should, wherever possible, be used instead of other metals, and that the complications should be both multiple and varied. Unconstrained by limitations of cost or time, Breguet had a free hand.

The queen never had the opportunity to admire the timepiece. It was not completed until 1827, 34 years after her death, 44 years after it was ordered and four years after the death of the founder. Breguet n°160, known as the “Marie-Antoinette”, entered into watchmaking legend from 1783. Its extreme complexity, its roots and its story, as fabulous as it is epic, have haunted the watchmaking landscape and the minds of collectors for more than two centuries. More recently, its destiny shrouded in mystery – stolen from a Jerusalem museum and lost for decades – has written a new page in the saga.

Nicolas George Hayek holding the Marie-Antoinette Grande Complication pocket-watch

In 2005, Nicolas G. Hayek set himself the challenge of reproducing it identically. He then heard about the fate of the oak of the palace of Versailles, the queen’s favourite tree, which had to be felled, and decided to give it a second life by fashioning from its wood the presentation case of the watch. Versailles offered the tree to Montres Breguet which, as a token of its gratitude committed itself to the restoration of the Marie-Antoinette domain. Just when the manufacture of the watch reached its end in 2007, the spoils of the 1983 robbery suddenly appeared as if by magic in Jerusalem. The saga continues. Montres Breguet has to date not yet had the opportunity to inspect them.*

Today presented in Basel, the queen of watches reveals a host of complications. Research among the archives and original drawings from the Breguet Museum and from other high institutions of culture like the Musée des Arts et Métiers (arts and crafts museum) in Paris, are the only available sources of information. Comparative examinations of contemporary antique watches, notably the Duc de Praslin watch, have revealed new factors concerning the styling and watchmaking techniques of the period. The research has brought to light skills that have today vanished and has enabled the manufacturing company to produce a timepiece that is in every respect faithful to its predecessor.

Reproducing and designing such a large number of complications on the sole basis of documents is against the odds and reveals the talent of the watchmakers at Montres Breguet. Each function and every decorative feature was minutely analysed. In the coachwork of the watch for example, the yellow gold of the 63mm-diameter case was cast in a special, more coppery alloy in order to match the period hue. The glasses for the dial and the case, made of rock crystal, allow the movement to display its finery and the marvels of its finish. The research has moreover brought to light a complication of the original watch: jumping hours.

As a self-winding watch with a minute-repeater striking the hours, quarters and minutes on demand, the new Marie-Antoinette has all the makings of a work of art. A full perpetual calendar displays the dates, the day and the months respectively at 2 o’clock, 6 o’clock and 8 o’clock. The equation of time at 10 o’clock proclaims the daily difference between solar time and the mean time told by watches. In the centre, the jumping hours – invented by Breguet – and the minutes are joined by a long independent seconds hand, while the small seconds are shown at 6 o’clock. The 48-hour power-reserve indicator 10:30 balances a bimetallic thermometer at 01:30.

The presentation box of the Marie-Antoinette Grande Complication pocket-watch ~ N°1160

The self-winding, “perpétuel” movement comprises 823 outstandingly finished components. The baseplates and bridges, the smallest gear-wheels in the trains for the underdial work, the dates and the repeater are fashioned in pink gold polished with wood. The screws are in polished blued steel; the points of friction, holes and bearings, set with sapphires. The smallest details demonstrate perfect execution and have been finished by hand. This masterly and unprecedented mechanism is furthermore fitted with a particular type of natural-lift escapement, a helical balance-spring in gold and a bimetallic balance-wheel. The anti-shock device – a double pare chute, another Breguet invention – gives protection against blows and shocks to the balance staff and to the shafts of the winding weights.

This masterpiece fit for a queen rests in a precious presentation box made of more than 3,500 pieces sculpted from the wood of the royal oak. It encloses a lavishly crafted inlay work of more than a thousand pieces of wood depicting the hand of Marie-Antoinette holding her rose – a detail inspired by the famous portrait of the queen. The outside of the box faithfully reproduces the parquet flooring of the Petit Trianon.

In as much as in those days Breguet intended to make this watch into a monument to the glory of 18th century horology, the brand has in 2008 performed a feat of prowess by bringing a legend to life and anchoring it in the 20th century.

*Note from the editor: This is a Breguet press release, prepared for the 2008 Baselworld. In the mean time the missing Breguet “Marie-Antoinette” n°160 was recovered by the police, together with other watches that were stolen during the burglary in 1983.

The ZENITH watch of Gandhi

The luxury watch manufacture ZENITH – LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton Group – wishes to express the company’s keen sense of honor in seeing its name associated with one of the rare material objects cherished by the Mahatma Gandhi.

The pocket alarm watch that faithfully accompanied him in his travels is one of the many models embodying the history of the Manufacture Zenith – a history enriched by 144 years of horological expertise devoted to the service of time measurement. Georges Favre-Jacot, who founded the company in 1865, was deeply attached to the universal distribution of the watches that he made. Crisscrossing the globe to make known his collections known far and wide, he superseded national borders with a unifying message based on sharing the correct time. People need to synchronize their schedules in order to live together, and time is a universal value that units them above and beyond their differences.

The pocket alarm watch was born from this penchant for sharing that leads men and women to travel and to live together day and night by harmonizing their lifestyles.

The ZENITH watch of Gandhi

The early 20th century witnessed the development of travel, particularly with a view to boosting business in an era of international expansion of industry and commerce, as well as exploratory forms of tourism. The evolution and multiplication of the various means of rail, road and maritime transport generated new requirements during this period, including the need to reduce the volume of objects being transported. Waking up on time and having a dependable watch were essential prerequisites for such public transport, and travelers needed to be able to rely on a time measuring instrument that would accompany them by day and night. This concern was shared by the military, who found the wristwatch to be the best solution to the specific constraints of their activities.

In 1914, the Manufacture ZENITH, which at the time still bore its founder’s name, began focusing its production on high-quality watches housing refined movements endowed with complications. From 1915 onwards, the alarm watch became an iconic model within the ZENITH collection. It chimed by means of a hammer striking a gong that was separate from the case middle. The sound was clear and melodic, a fact that distinguished it from many other models of the time equipped with striking mechanisms that were less sophisticated but also less pleasing to the ear.

The alarm watch project had been the object of research conducted by the ZENITH engineers for many years already. A patent registered in 1913 for an “advanced alarm clock” describes a system that is different from that of the model finally chosen, but reveals the brand’s interest in this type of function.

The ZENITH watch of Gandhi

With this model, ZENITH introduced the perfect alarm watch that was neither thicker nor bulkier than a classic pocket-watch. The dual-function crown cleverly winds the movement in the usual left to right direction. In the other direction, it augments the striking-mechanism power reserve. The case middle is fitted with two adjustment pushers on either side of the crown. The right-hand pusher serves to adjust the time and the one on the left adjust the alarm time as confirmed by a subdial at 12 o’clock. There were several known types of dials, and those in enamel featuring painted numerals with a luminescent radium coating to guarantee nighttime readability date back to the early 1920s.

The seconds hand is classically located at 6 o’clock, as on most pocket-watches, which leaves plenty of space on the dial and ensures that the user can read off the time in a smooth, unobstructed manner. This particular model was a fashionable gift right through to the late 1930s and was frequently highlighted in the product catalogues of the period.

The watch can be placed upright by opening from below the second case-back that is hinge-mounted at 12 o’clock. This cover serves as a stand by slightly tilting the case backwards, and opening it ensures a more resonant ring. Whether crafted in gold, including in various luxurious enameled, chassed or gem-set variations, or in silver, nickel silver, steel or gold-plated versions, these watches have retained all the charm of the great ocean crossings and railway journeys for which they were indispensable accessories.

Through a simple function, this watch model serves as a reminder that a watch can also be an audible instrument, and guarantees the peace of mind of its owner who can rely on being awakened in good time. Whether as an alarm or to signal appointments, its extreme user friendliness reflects the reasons behind the success of vibrating wristwatches. ZENITH acquired useful experience in the field of making such wristwatch movements up until 2006, when the alarm function was integrated into a Class Traveller model, alongside other functions and complications enriching an El Primero caliber.

The Mahatma Gandhi watch strikes a vibrant chord in El Primero’s 40th anniversary year.

A truly legendary movement in contemporary watchmaking history, the El Primero chronograph caliber transcends time. The incredibly modern nature of its construction in 1969 enables the Manufacture ZENITH to continue writing new chapters in its adventures and to introduce ever more complicated variations on this inexhaustible theme since 2001. Tourbillon, split-second, large date, minute repeater, moon-phase, day/night display and world-time multi-city functions: the same spirit that guided the Manufacture on the dawn of the 20th century continues to inspire Thierry Nataf in sharing around the globe the pleasure of wearing a watch that ennobles the measurement of time. The zero gravity tourbillon that keeps the tourbillon flat whatever the position of the watch has enabled ZENITH to emerge victorious from a 200 year-long race among watchmakers the world over.

The only self-winding column-wheel chronograph caliber powered by a balance oscillating at 36,000 vibrations per hour, El Primero remains a premier movement in terms of its exceptional combination of reliability and adaptability. Capable of rising to extreme challenges, it is equally at home in the DEFY models designed for adventure and for battling the elements, the CHRONOMASTER collection imbued with refined elegance, the timeless CLASS collection, and the cleverly structured PORT ROYAL collection.

Firmly rooted in the 144 years of history of the Manufacture ZENITH, the El Primero offers watch connoisseurs the eternal youth of its conception and the boldness of its experience. Never one to choose simplistic options, it is serenely celebrating its 40th birthday in 2009 through a collection featuring an historical emblem and a three-color strip exclusive to this year’s models: red as a glowing token of vitality; purple symbolizing a love of truth and the truth of love; and an orange border synonymous with liberation.

The ZENITH star has thus been lighting the path of humankind for almost a century and a half, guiding it towards the universal ties that bind people together and inspiring them to share the unfathomable riches of time.