Baselworld 2017 – of time, time keeping, time pieces and timelessness.

Heritage 146

Zenith revisits one of its historic 1960s models in giving life to a new chronograph with a delightfully vintage air: Heritage 146. While it picks up the retro look of its predecessor, with the same 38 mm case, it is driven by a new high-frequency movement powering a chronograph function and ensuring a 50-hour power reserve, whereas the original 146D calibre beat at the rhythm of 18,000 vibrations per hour, had a 38-hour power reserve and displayed only the hours, minutes and small seconds. In a nod to the 1960s, today’s El Primero 4069 movement orchestrates a dial layout typical of that period, with two counters lined up on a date-free dial available in sunburst blue or tropical brown versions. A competition leather strap sets the perfect finishing touch, underscoring the vintage nature of this model capable of subtly mingling distinct eras.
Movement
Mechanical automatic, El Primero 4069 calibre, 254 components, 35 jewels, 36,000 vib/h (5 Hz), column wheel, oscillating weight adorned with Côtes de Genève pattern, minimum 50-hour power reserve.
Functions
Hours, minutes, seconds, chronograph, tachymeter.
Case
Stainless steel, 38 mm. Cambered sapphire crystal, glareproofed on both sides. Sapphire back. Water-resistant to 100 metres (10 bar / 330 ft).
Dial
Sunburst blue or tropical brown. Small seconds at 9 o’clock, chronograph minutes at 3 o’clock. Rhodium-plated facetted hands and hour-markers.
Bracelet/strap
Perforated blue or chestnut brown calfskin, rubber lining, steel pin buckle.

Emperador

In creating Emperador, the most prestigious cigar cabinet ever made, Imperiali Genève puts its name to the perfect union of precision mechanics, exceptional materials, superlative watchmaking and state-of-the-art electronics. Twenty-four cigars, each rolled in fine gold leaf and protected inside individual glass sleeves, are conserved in the most perfect environment achievable, thanks to a self-regulating humidity system. Specially developed and patented, it requires no human intervention and no additional water. With its mesmerising flying tourbillon and accessories – a cigar-cutter, a table lighter and an ashtray – Emperador must be enjoyed as an experience for the senses. Indeed, nothing has been left to chance. The cigar-cutter deploys a raft of technical sophistication to deliver an ultra-precise cut. The ashtray responds intelligently while the lighter produces the perfect flame.
Description
Mechanical movement wound by a device that operates without any manual intervention. The crown, positioned under the cabinet, is integrated into a reduction stage in contact with the electronically controlled device, which winds the crown at regular intervals to maintain sufficient power reserve at all times. Over 3,500 components – Gold, Chinese lacquer, rhodium, glass, Alucobond®, Alucore® with laser-welded inserts, composite fibres, aged aluminium alloy, high-resistance aluminium-zinc-copper alloy, nickel palladium, Flexathène®, antibacterial and antifungal material with aerogel. Length: 70 cm. Width: 45 cm. Height: 30 cm.

U20 Ultra-Skeleton Tourbillon

An authentic haute horlogerie sculpture, the U20 Ultra-Skeleton Tourbillon is designed in such a way as to provide a 3D view of its flying movement from any angle. Taking the quest for transparency to its ultimate limits, the Angelus showcases a wealth of skills dedicated to optimising each element and preserving only essential elements, while maintaining the rigidity and sturdiness of the entirely open-worked movement. Built on a sapphire main plate, the calibre appears to be literally floating inside the carbon fibre case, which also displays fascinating feats. Fitted with chamfered titanium lugs reflecting the light, it dispenses with a bezel and is instead topped by an imposing sapphire crystal dome that magnificently highlights the overall transparency and the 3D architecture. 18-piece limited edition.
Movement
Exclusive mechanical hand-wound A-251 Calibre, with flying tourbillon, 18 jewels, 21,600 vib/h, variable-inertia balance, Swiss lever escapement, sapphire main plate, blued titanium bridges, chamfered, polished and satin-brushed finishing, 90-hour power reserve.
Functions
Hours, minutes, tourbillon.
Case
Carbon fibre and titanium, 42 mm. Sapphire crystal dome and back. Water-resistant to 30 metres (3 bar / 100 ft).
Dial
Blue satin-brushed inner bezel ring.
Bracelet/strap
Black rolled-edge alligator leather with titanium pin buckle.

TNT GMT Power Reserve 43

TNT, the trailblazing model in the Pierre DeRoche collection, finds its place on traveller’s wrists this year with a GMT display combined with a power-reserve indicator. The iconic bodywork – a titanium and steel case – of this new 43 mm TNT model takes on board a deliberately classical touch by adopting an opaque dial: a first for a TNT! The particularly legible 24-hour dual-time display accentuates its sporting spirit through an original offset composition aligned with the power-reserve. This remarkably stylish new TNT carries only one pusher, since all the GMT operations are handled via the crown. It is available in two exclusive versions: one with a titanium and steel case framing an anthracite black dial, and the other with a black DLC-treated case and sand-toned dial.
Movement
Mechanical automatic, exclusive Dubois Dépraz calibre, 21 jewels, decorated and engraved oscillating weight, 42-hour power reserve.
Functions
Hours, minutes, seconds (as a movement operating indicator), date, dual-time display (GMT/24 hours), power-reserve indicator.
Case
Black DLC-treated titanium container. Steel bezel, lugs, crown guard and screw-locked crown, 43 mm diameter. Sapphire crystal glareproofed on both sides, sapphire back. Water-resistant to 100 metres (10 bar / 330 ft).
Dial
Anthracite black. Uniform velvet-finish centre, satin-brushed exterior. Snailed counters. Applied hands and hour-markers coated with Super-LumiNova®.
Bracelet/strap
Rubber with topstitching, folding safety clasp.
Other versions

101-piece limited series with entirely black DLC-treated case, sand-toned dial and strap.

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