Zenith and Felipe Pantone are collaborating again to create a new version of the Defy. We are talking about the Defy Extreme Felipe Pantone, produced in a limited edition of 100 pieces, available at Zenith online and physical boutiques. For this watch, the artist has applied and declined some of the concepts behind his Planned Iridescence series of works.
Made of polished steel, the 45 mm case of the Defy Extreme has facetted lines. Transparency and colour are present on the bezel insert and push-button guards, elements made of translucent blue YAS (yttrium aluminosilicate), a crystalline glass material comparable to synthetic sapphire crystal. The dial is made of translucent, metallic sapphire crystal elements: just turn it towards the light to appreciate a multitude of colours and geometric patterns.
The nuances of colour and the play of light, motifs and transparencies are true signatures of the artist. The base of the dial, a transparent sapphire crystal disc, has undergone an innovative physico-chemical process that has made it possible to create hidden micro-etched motifs just 100 nanometres deep. This process gives the sapphire crystal an iridescent effect: the different colours reflected change depending on the angle of the light.
The watch, powered by the Zenith El Primero 9004 calibre (36,000 vibrations per hour for the base-time, 360,000 vibrations per hour for the chronograph, chronograph measurement to 1/100th of a second), comes in a case reminiscent of an art catalogue, the design of which was also created by Pantone based on its Planned Iridescence series.
The Defy Extreme Felipe Pantone is fitted with a translucent blue silicone strap that echoes the same elements as the case. The watch also comes with a polished steel bracelet and an easily interchangeable black Velcro strap.
Price29,500 euro.
