Il y a moins d’une année, à Baselworld, Zenith dévoilait la Defy El Primero, un chronographe dont le mouvement innovant posait un nouveau jalon dans la riche histoire chronométrique de la manufacture du Locle. Grâce à sa fréquence de 360'000 alt/h (50 Hz)- soit dix fois celle du premier mouvement El Primero de 1969 – le mouvement automatique de chronographe El Primero 9004, certifié chronomètre, permet la mesure des temps courts au 1/100e de seconde, et intègre des innovations comme deux spiraux en nanotubes de carbone et une architecture à double chaînes – avec un échappement dévolu à la fonction horaire, et l’autre au chronographe. Côté design, la Defy El Primero 21, est résolument ancrée dans le 21e siècle avec son puissant boîtier de 44mm et design architectural, mais ne renie pas les codes El Primero - trotteuse étoilée, index facettés et aiguilles bâton recouverts de Super-LumiNova®.

L'origine de son nom

Lors de l'Exposition Universelle de Paris en 1889, une montre venue de la Chaux-de-Fonds suscite la fascination. Le spectacle du tourbillon de ce chronomètre de poche interpelle autant que l’architecture de son calibre aux trois flèches parallèles.
Récompensé par la plus haute distinction, cette montre est confié aux agents internationaux Hauser, Zivy & C°, propriétaires à Mexico du luxueux magasin La Esmeralda proposant le nec plus ultra de l’horlogerie, de l’art et de la joaillerie.
Il faut attendre la fin des années 1960 pour que cette montre au boîtier type savonnette regagne sa contrée d’origine. Son nom, La Esmeralda, conserve la mémoire de son périple.

A. Lange & Söhne is adding two pink-gold models to the 1815 Chronograph family. With the two new versions, watch connoisseurs are spoilt for choice: Featuring a black dial, hands that match the pink-gold case and a black alligator leather strap, the 1815 Chronograph has a harmoniously sculpted and distinctive silhouette. Thanks to the expressive combination of an argenté dial, blued-steel hands and a red-brown alligator strap, it is a functional understatement.

It’s no secret that watch brands have been focusing on complex watches for women close to a decade.  In fact, I remember spotting the trend and writing extensive articles about the coming of women’s watches for a host of American consumer magazines back in 2008.  Well, it seems, the women’s watch revolution has come a long way in a short time.  As more and more brands understand that women care what is under the hood almost as much as men do, we are witnessing the emergence of a plethora of complex and beautiful women’s watches on the market. Here we bring you three top complicated watches as seen at SIHH 2018.

Journey of an historic watch

During the 1889 Universal Exhibition in Paris, a watch from La Chaux-de-Fonds created a stir, as visitors flocked to admire the architecture of the calibre featuring three parallel arrows from the Maison Girard-Perregaux, this pocket chronometer with pivoted detent escapement and three gold bridges was awarded the highest distinction at the event and entrusted to international agents Hauser, Zivy & C°, owners of the luxurious Mexican store La Esmeralda offering a superlative range of watchmaking, art and jewellery.
It was not until the late 1960s that this watch returned to its native land. Its name, La Esmeralda, retains the memory of its epic journey.

Less than a year ago, at Baselworld, Zenith unveiled the Defy El Primero, a chronograph whose innovative movement represented a new landmark in the rich chronometric history of the Le Locle watchmaker. Thanks to its frequency of 360,000 vph (50 Hz), which is ten times that of the first El Primero movement of 1969, the chronometer-certified El Primero 9004 automatic chronograph movement is able to measure time increments as small as one hundredth of a second. Other innovations include two balance springs made of carbon nanotubes and twin chain architecture, with one escapement dedicated to the time function and the other to the chronograph. In terms of design, the Defy El Primero 21 is firmly anchored in the 21st century, with its powerful 44 mm case and architectural lines, but it hasn’t completely abandoned the El Primero aesthetic: it has retained the running seconds hand with its star, and the faceted indices and baton hands coated with Super-LumiNova®.