Zenith Calibre 135 Observatoire Limited Edition: The Reincarnation of Calibre 135-O
The Zenith Calibre 135 Observatoire Limited Edition is the result of a collaboration between Zenith, watchmaker Kari Voutilainen and Phillips with Bacs & Russo. The small edition celebrates the manufacture’s success in chronometer competitions held in the last century. Indeed, the in-house Calibre 135-O won the most awards in the history of watchmaking. For this release, Zenith placed ten historic movements in the hands of Kari Voutilainen. The latter restored the calibres together with his team. The limited edition appears in a platinum case and will be auctioned by Phillips.
The Case
The case of the Calibre 135 Observatoire Limited Edition measures 38 mm in diameter and is made of platinum 950. It is completely round with tapered lugs. The polished bezel and case back complement the satin-finish middle section. On the side is a fluted crown bearing the Zenith star. Meanwhile, on the back, the see-through case back allows a glance inside the watch. The case back not only bears the limitation number, but also the names of the three collaborators.
The Dial
For the dial, the watchmakers drew inspiration from references dating back to the 1950s. Accordingly, the slightly domed sterling silver dial bears a guilloched fish-scale pattern. This is complemented by faceted, wedge-shaped indices and polished dot markers in nickel silver. The hands are of gold and indicate the time together with the seconds at 6 o’clock. Zenith also places the serial number of the movement on the corresponding subdial. Hidden at the very bottom is another detail that illustrates the watch’s historical connection. Where you would normally find “Swiss Made”, here it says “Neuchâtel”, the place where the chronometer competitions took place.
The Movement
For this series, Zenith placed ten historic examples of calibre 135 in the hands of Kari Voutilainen. Together with his team, he restored the movements. However, they took care to retain the original construction and did not even touch the regulation. Instead, they decorated the movements with bevelled and polished edges, polished screw heads, circular grinding on the main plate and snailed brushing on the ratchet wheel. The calibre 135 is manually wound and has a power autonomy of about 40 hours.
Price & Availability of the Zenith Calibre 135 Observatoire Limited Edition
The Zenith Calibre 135 Observatoire comes on a black calfskin strap. It also features a white gold pin buckle. The watch is delivered in a walnut box, which recalls the containers in which the historic timekeepers were delivered to the Neuchâtel Observatory. Only ten pieces are available. Phillips sells these exclusively together with Bacs & Russo. The price is 132,900 Swiss francs.
At Watches & Wonders 2022, Swisswatches caught up with Piaget CEO Benjamin Comar to discuss all things Piaget – from ultra-thin watches to the gender-specific watch debate, to what he describes as his ‘COVID-19 babies’. During your childhood, it is likely that at some point you attended a funfair or circus. In doing so, you…
Oris is introducing a new limited edition stainless steel watch – the Oris Roberto Clemente Limited Edition. The independent watchmaker often produces timepieces in the hope of bringing about positive change. This latest 'Change for the Better' piece is in commemoration of baseball player and humanitarian Roberto Clemente and is a result of Oris' partnership…
There is a clear division of roles in the world of watches. Watch manufactures see themselves – first and foremost at least – as watchmakers. They create beautiful products that respect the values and design codes of often centuries-old companies. At the same time, they strive to appeal to and inspire customers. Retailers, on the…
First launched in 2015, the Legacy Machine Perpetual has been crafted since in red gold, platinum, white gold and titanium. A new 18k yellow gold case with striking blue face now joins the series. Beginning with a blank sheet of paper, MB&F and independent Irish watchmaker Stephen McDonnell have completely reinvented that most traditional of…
Rolex is introducing an Oyster Perpetual Sea-Dweller Ref. M126603 in a yellow Rolesor version for the first time, combining Oystersteel and 18 ct yellow gold. On its black dial, the name 'Sea-Dweller' is inscribed in a yellow hue, echoing the colour of the 18 ct yellow gold. When the Sea-Dweller was updated in 2017, this lettering was in red, in…
With the Wempe Iron Walker Chronograph 46 in its three variations, the watch manufacturer of the eponymous jeweller demonstrates its prowess with carbon. The watches have a 46 mm case made of the composite material and a clear dial design. Inside is a chronograph from Sellita in chronometer specification. The watches differ by their accent…
In addition to the new Tank Normale introduced into Cartier's Privé series for collectors, the maison is also offering a number of new mechanical Tank watches for the general public. This includes the introduction of two Américaine models, alongside four Louis Cartier timepieces with distinctive and colourful dials. Tank Américaine Drawing inspiration from the original…
Along with the launch of the Chronomat Giannis Antetokounmpo, Breitling has also enhanced the Chronomat collection with new designs. The new models are centred around the Chronomat B01 42, which is available in various materials and colour variants. A highlight is the new Rouleaux-inspired rubber strap, introduced for the first time in the collection. This…
The new Pilot's Watch Chronograph Edition "AMG" celebrates the long-standing partnership between IWC Schaffhausen and the Mercedes-AMG sports car brand. The watch comes with a titanium case and features a carbon dial, a material that AMG uses for its vehicles. In addition, an AMG logo adorns the sapphire crystal caseback. The latter reveals the calibre…
Breitling is announcing a new partnership with Australian lifestyle brand Deus Ex Machina. To mark the occasion, Breitling is presenting the Top Time Deus Limited Edition, aimed at "dynamic people who care about action, functionality and style". The retro-look chronograph is limited to 1,500 pieces and is available now from Breitling's online store. Deus Ex…
At this years watch fair SIHH in Geneva, Panerai introduced two new diving watches with Carbotech. Carbotech is a material based on carbon fibre. Especially due to its lightness in comparison to steel or titanium and its resistance to external shocks and corrosion Panerai now uses this carbon fibre based material for producing professional diving watches.…
Jaeger-LeCoultre is introducing two new Memovox models to its Master Control collection, one of which is the Master Control Memovox Timer (The other one is the Master Control Memovox). Although contemporary in style, the watch takes its inspiration from the 1950s Memovox models. Additionally, the timepiece's movement incorporates not only an alarm-setting mechanism, but also…
Rolex is introducing four new versions of the Oyster Perpetual Datejust 36 featuring new striking dial options. A lush palm motif that evokes tropical forests – and the fluted dial motif is inspired by the fluted bezels that is found on a range on Rolex watches. Three models are executed with the palm motif and…