9.13.2010

The introduction of mechanical watches - Zenith



New image, new products, new leader - Jean-Frederic Dufour took over last year, Zenith, for the century-old plant to inject new vitality. Everyone scrambling to climbing the peak in the competition watch that very limited market, the CEO first thought is to adjust the marketing strategy. He believes that Zenith has a solid technology and high-end tastes, but always in the top of the luxury watch industry, demonstrated the strengths of the brand. He said there is more hope to fight the real force the door by the introduction of mechanical watches. Since 1899, the birth of the first date chronograph, Zenith watch through the course of 111 years. El Primero 1 / 10  jump seconds chronograph, the highlight of this year. A series of new models will be launched this year, and some stirring work is very worthy of attention.

 El Primero 4052 B Automatic Movement
Jean-Frederic Dufour
"For the true force for the value we seek is simple, is to continuously promote the watchmaking technology. For example, we can watch the latest up to 1 / 10 second jump, and this is where our innovation. We can show to the world Even in the 21st century, we can continue to watch break areas. 1 / 10 sec jump technology is patented, and is 176 when the true power of invention. "

Pragmatic change, adapt to market

In 1969, Zenith El Primero chronograph first born. It was widely used in the 4 Hz (28,000 / hour) when the pendulum frequency, 5 Hz (36,000 times / hour) El Primero chronograph movement turned out. Since then, the watch industry, the addition of a pendulum movement frequency values, adopted the attitude that everyone look at this new technology. First, disruptive high-frequency pendulum travel time can make more precise mechanical watch, which is based on the theory, the higher the frequency the better place to go when the truth.

El Primero chronograph movement, especially for significant contributions in the actual test also reached the ideal state. Second, El Primero movement, the stability of solid foundation movement can add more complex functions, complex functions of each module are able to successfully achieve accurate travel time. However, the high frequency of movement is also facing challenges placed, as long traverse on the operation of the high wear problems, lubrication problems, moment problems and so on, but the El Primero movement has always been updated technology, the problems caused by the high frequency of a pendulum an answer.

And other brands, so force a lot of different places, El Primero represent the brand and pragmatic, to embrace change. Each sophisticated features are added on in the El Primero movement, and extends a lot of products, such as chronographs, tourbillon, zero gravity tourbillon, perpetual calendar,, moon phase, alarm clock and other styles, there have been measured on the dial speed meter, pulse meter, range finder, and even hollow process. This extensive product line for all technology can play a timely manner, they are placed on the high frequency of swatch, accurate. In addition, to maintain a consistent production for the brand of the road, the advantage of this free R & D division that watches the invention can be thoroughly carried out the work, this is the real force of the difference.

Jean-Frederic Dufour after taking office, the adjustment of the product very well, more than 800 products had reduced to 120, of which 60 are new models. By optimizing the mix, and now products are mainly divided into three series: the Academy for high-end series, the main side of the El Primero in the series, and tailored for the Chinese market, Elite series. As a member of LVMH group, true force in the international market has a good reputation, not just rely on a single global market to maintain the current global total of more than 700 points of sale, the market is widely distributed, 1 / 3 in Europe, 1 / 3 America, 1 / 3 in Asia. 2009 as a whole, the whole industry was a very big impact, the financial storms of the real force exports fell by 30%, but the performance in the Asian market is still quite good. With the prosperity of the Chinese market, real power will pay more attention to their own position. For each company, the development has cyclical, product development and consumer tastes are closely related. In the past 5 years, the real force in the market made a very big success. Changes in the market today taste is true for every industry, whether it is watch, car, or are returning to traditional footwear trends. May be affected by the financial crisis, consumers want to buy the use of more durable products, Zenith watches can help them achieve this desire, the high cost of the product is bound to impress those who love the watch.

Everything begins with the legendary

Really force joined the LVMH Group in 1999, it is the superb watch their own skills level by the LVMH Group's attention during that time with their own movement production is the major luxury goods group's focus. Zenith LVMH Group has high hopes, will be the century-old plant as a future strategy. The passage of time, Zenith El Primero movement rely on a firm footing in the market, but who knows the history of El Primero in 1975, perhaps as early as sudden halt. At that time, U.S. companies have the brand Zenith Radio decided to discontinue the manufacture of mechanical watches, quartz watches franchise instead. This is an irreversible decision, while company owners plan to all of the machines, movement, and tools to sell as scrap. A watchmaker argue with U.S. headquarters in an attempt to keep these devices, but failed.

When the headquarters of the command is about by the implementation of which contains a hundred tons of conventional metallic materials will be sold to the highest bidder calculation. Watch Master Charles Vermot watch factory can not accept this way of his equipment was destroyed, risking the danger of loss of work tools and began to hide the important parts. The precise nature watch division, he cam, cutting tools, presses and machine one by one label, and presentation and classification of them also recorded in the notebook the entire production process.

If one day mechanical movement once again get people of all ages, then the El Primero will miraculously reborn. Only 9 years later, a miracle happened. On a clear morning, long lost to re-package of equipment in place. If there is no Charles Vermot courageous act may be long gone when the real power. In the early 1980s, the cost of a single punch has more than 40,000 francs, while the production of an El Primero movement needs more than 150 such presses, total of 7 million Swiss francs. Zenith property, technology and human capital investment was almost non-existent. After several well-known brands begin to make real power of movement when they supply a steady flow of orders for the watch factory has brought a new life. In 2000, LVMH Group, took over the brand, the Group decided to retain the El Primero movement dedicated to Zenith watches.


Zenith Chronograph new work: El Primero chronograph commander, RMB 43,700
Competition time

Since its inception a half century, Zenith has received 1,420 entries watchmaker watchmaking terms of timing and awards. Although this figure is sufficient in itself impressive, but also contains the introduction of a more amazing facts. In this 1,420 awards, Zenith won the first 1,398 items will be 98.5% of the prize into the pocket. Only the real achievements of technology and time to achieve such striking results. The successful development of brand new technology is "El Primero1/10 second jump second time," the first time the jump second timing device can measure the mechanical movement of the smallest unit of time in the immediate present, that is 1 / 10 sec. Fully grasp the true force of the precision watchmaking skills, and have the skills to successfully perform the many brand watch factory that stand out, but reflect the characteristics of brand innovation. In the past few decades, the brand was invented and produced a tourbillon, Open hollow series, power reserve, big date, chronographs, minute repeater and perpetual calendar watch, and with the moon phase and day and night display, alarm function of the other wrist watch, also created a zero-gravity Tourbillon. Year after year, El Primero loaded the annals of its tortuous course of development, its technological breakthroughs and new and improved features. Symbol "star" brands within this movement to express the creative force, invisible force that once the shares start, who can not change, no matter how fashion and trends change, it will resolutely follow their own direction.

In addition to accurately display the time, the chronograph can also accurately measure the duration of an activity, it is usually used for sports events, and scientific research or industrial operation. The extreme precision of the utility function is not easy to produce complex, only a very few manufacturers to master the technology movement, they are the real manufacturer of precision clocks. Zenith is the first company to produce integrated self-winding column-wheel chronograph movement of the watch brand, this legendary El Primero movement is also equipped with another impressive technical achievement: its shock frequency as high as seconds 10 times. Since 1969, the movement is the realization of this series produced the most accurate timing performance, it is the only one directly connected with the adjusting body movement, so you can really measure 1 / 10 seconds. When the economic and strategic interests at stake, in the vital moment, accuracy and reliability are the two most important determining factor. Able to withstand the most extreme conditions, the same precise time and swatch performance when the real time movement of forces has been and will continue to shoulder the aviation, marine, expedition and exploration of the great mission.


El Primero 36,000 / hour chronograph, RMB 59,200
Jump second function to reproduce the accuracy and visibility

Jump second chronograph feature is that every 10 seconds a lap time through the second hand, greatly optimized the 1 / 10 second jump second reading. With this special design, the dial readings on the outer edge of the visibility increased by 6 times (10 seconds instead of 60 seconds a week a week), so that readings can be completely accurate to 1 / 10 sec. Another feature of the watch which is the stop chronograph function. Stop the clock operation, manual locking system stops the system so that the pointer accurately. A total of 100 tooth timing gear, brake lever will be positioned the pointer between two teeth, in order to ensure accurate to 1 / 10 second reading.

Original El Primero movement every 1 / 10 second jump of a grid, 60 seconds, turn the dial a week, every minute of that time the pointer jumps 600 times. In addition, 10 times the speed of travel time While this second hand big time in the pointer speed suspend and resume capability requires a lot of power support. Therefore, we must significantly improve and optimize the watch function in order to ensure that consume large amounts of kinetic energy needed to accelerate. In order to reduce power consumption, the most natural solution is to minimize the weight of gear movement, so the silicon material as some of the gear - because silica Gears 3.5 times lighter than traditional gear.

The appearance of new attractive

By the El Primero 4052 B driven by a new automatic movement El Primero 1 / 10  jump second chronograph, 10-atm (100 meters) water, 42 mm double-sided case are set with sapphire crystal with 18K rose Gold Edition and the stainless steel version. The sun rose gold version of the silver pattern dial decorated with polished brushed nickel polished circular area. Version of stainless steel and rose gold version has three counters, which counters stainless steel version was blue-gray polished silver swirl marks on the dial decorated with three blue-gray shadow counter. Pointer and the time scale are covered Superluminova fluorescent coating, stainless steel version of the pointer and the time scale after treatment rhodium, rose gold plated version is after. This refined and elegant black stripes can choose to watch rubber strap or brown alligator strap, pin buckle or stainless steel, 18K rose gold pin buckle, also available in stainless steel strap with three fold clasp. Revolutionary technology combined with a digital design, El Primero 1 / 10  jump second chronograph timing accuracy will be high art into a new realm.

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