TRIO GRANDE CLASSE OPEN


The morning after, however, it was back to business. Prior to presenting his new watch collections, Thierry Nataf gave a brief breakdown of Zenith’s progress in 2005 followed by his ambitions for this year.
“The USA is quite definitely Zenith’s number one market and I believe it is the future of luxury,” Nataf revealed, “followed by China and then Japan.” As to the other markets, he said that “Europe’s woken up and Germany has picked up.” As to his market ambitions for 2006, he revealed that, “ … this year we are hoping to develop the Indian market.”
Concerning sales, Thierry Nataf admitted that he was somewhat surprised at the extraordinary success of the reasonably priced Star Collection, but quickly underlined the fact that “15 to 20 percent of our sales are for Haute Horlogerie watches – pieces that range from 100,000 to 400,000 euros.”
Despite the excellent results in 2005, Thierry Nataf admitted that Zenith is not equipped for large volume production, a thousand pieces of each model being a maximum. With the fifteen people working in Zenith’s the Research and Development of mechanical movements and the superb numerical technology installed in the Le Locle factory, his aim is to develop the market for more expensive pieces … around 500,000 euros.
Finally, Thierry Nataf proudly announced that the brand had recently opened its first boutique in China, and through a friend of a friend obtained permission from the Chinese authorities to film the brand’s latest advertising campaign in The Forbidden City and on the Great Wall of China. These were then presented to us on a panoramic television screen accompanied by the dramatic theme music from Mission Impossible.




BABY STAR OPEN COLOR and STAR OPEN GOLD


The new Collections
But this meeting was all about brand’s latest creations and Thierry Nataf is a master at making dazzling presentations of them.
First and foremost came the new Class Open Collection: Grande Class open (44 mm) and the Class Open (40 mm). Elegantly robust with its air of technical superiority, the watches toy with the idea of infinite time via its ‘8-shaped’ opening that reveals the escapement of the movement. The movement is an El Primero 4021H automatic chronograph, that beats to 36,000 vibrations an hour and has a power reserve of over 50 hours – the indicator runs in an arc between 4.30 and 7.30 on the dial, with a central rotor on ball bearings and an oscillating weight with Côtes de Genève or Grain d’Orge guilloche decoration. Small seconds are at 9 o’clock using a unique 3-branch hand, the 30-minute counter is at 3 o’clock, and there is a central seconds hand. The watches measure short time intervals to a 10th of a second. The dial is available in black, grey or silver with or without Grain d’Or ge guilloché.
The two-sized versions are available in stainless steel or 18 carat rose gold accompanied by a black alligator strap with either a stainless steel or rose gold triple folding buckle.
For the ladies, Nataf presented the delightfully named Baby Star Open Love. This small chronograph in stainless steel, 18 carat yellow or rose gold, with or without a diamond-set bezel, is equipped with the new Elite 68 automatic movement. The small seconds counter at 9 o’clock has a heart-shaped revolving seconds hand, there is a 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock and a 50-hour power reserve indicator using a central hand. The Calibre El Primero 4021 automatic chronograph movement, like its larger counterparts beats at 36,000 vibrations an hour. The dial comes in an appealing selection of colours with matching satin straps and stainless steel, 18 carat yellow or rose gold triple-folding buckles.
These very feminine additions to the Zenith watch collections have an instant appeal both through their beauty and their technical features. Like the new men’s Class Open Collection they are designed to appeal to people looking for horological perfection with an eye-catching appearance.
As Thierry Nataf proclaimed the evening before concerning the avant-garde spirit and the creativity of Zenith, “… Our success confirms that the Beauty and Truth are eternal values and that the love we apply to manufacturing our timepieces transcends the object and has the power to seduce you.”


Source: Europa Star April-May 2006 Magazine Issue