28 JEWELS & TIME 2019/20
SPOTLIGHT
Zenith does not pull its punches when it comes
to precision watchmaking. It is, after all, most famous for
its 1969 El Primero movement, which is not only the fi rst
automatic chronograph in history, but also the world’s
most accurate chronograph movement then, thanks to its
oscillation rate of 5Hz (36,000 vibrations per hour)—such
a mechanical feat was unheard of at the time and is still
impressive even today. Fortunately for us, Zenith is not
content to rest on its laurels. This year, on
the 50th anniversary of the El Primero,
Zenith has one-upped itself with the Defy
Inventor, a revolutionary creation that
oscillates at an unbelievable rate of 18Hz.
The story of the Defy Inventor began in
2017, when the watchmaker unveiled its
equally groundbreaking precursor, the Defy
Lab. The Defy Lab introduced the Zenith
Oscillator, a radical mechanism that replaces
some 30 parts normally used in an ordinary
movement’s regulating system, including
the sprung balance that has been used in
watchmaking for over three centuries. The
signifi cance of the Zenith Oscillator, which is
composed of only one single part, is massive.
For one, the single-part Zenith Oscillator
eliminates the friction and general wear
and tear that happens with the interaction
of multiple components, making the watch
more reliable and less likely to requireText Nicolette Wong
BEATING
ALL ODDS
Zenith’s new Defy Inventor
proves that limits do not existA MATERIAL WORLD
The Defy Inventor uses Aeronith,
an extra-light aluminium composite
reportedly developed by Zenith’s sister
brand, Hublot, for its bezel, while the
rest of its case is crafted out of titaniumservicing, especially since no lubrication is required. It is
also more stable than a typical regulator, as it is made out
of monocrystalline silicon and therefore insensitive to both
temperature variations and magnetic fi elds.
While the new Defy Inventor shares these qualities of
the Defy Lab, it does not mean that it is a mere replica of
its predecessor. For instance, the Defy Inventor oscillates at
18Hz, a signifi cant improvement over the Defy Lab’s 15Hz
frequency. The higher oscillating rate, however, means the
Defy Inventor has a power reserve of 50 hours, less than the
Defy Lab’s 60 hours.
Here is the biggest difference: the Defy Lab was essentially
a laboratory experiment with only 10 pieces ever made, and
all were pre-sold to collectors. The Defy Inventor, on the
other hand, has been released in unlimited serial production.
It is a mark of both Zenith’s confi dence in the watch and
mechanism, and in its own ability to optimise production
systems. Will the Defy Inventor take off like how its
El Primero movement did 50 years ago? Whatever the case,
Zenith and its Defy Inventor look set to create history.