A watch to honor a great navigator. The manufacture that gave birth to the first automatic movement celebrates the figure of the navigator who united the continents with theZenith Academy Christophe Colomb Hurricane Grand Voyage II.
A magnificent decoration on the back, both on the 45 mm diameter rose gold case and under the domed sapphire crystal are some of the details of a model that has taken to the limit what was achieved in the original Academy Christophe Colomb model without giving up an iota of precision and reliability.
Among the innovations, the model has a patented gravity control system, a spindle-chain transmission mechanism and an exceptional frequency of 36,000 vibrations per hour. Three advances with which the Zenith manufacture continues to write with its own name in the history of watchmaking.
The open architecture of Zenith Academy Christophe Colomb Hurricane Grand Voyage II It allows you to see the three mechanisms in action: the hub with spindle-chain transmission (at 10:30 and 1:30 o'clock), the gyroscopic gravity control system and the high-frequency regulating organ (at 6 o'clock).
Technical mastery combines with artisanal preciousness through the three small auxiliary gold dials (hours/minutes at 12 o'clock, small seconds at 9 o'clock, power reserve at 4 o'clock) subjected to a delicate guilloche and enamelled in white and equipped with blued steel hands and screws, in homage to the great watchmaking tradition.
The plate has been hollowed out entirely by hand to display the logo of Zenith and a procession of stars painted with dark blue enamel. A decoration representing the southern hemisphere in hand-made micropainting has also been applied to the counterweight of the gravity control system.
In the sphere ofZenith Academy Christophe Colomb Hurricane Grand Voyage IIThere is a miniature painting fixed to the movement using a sophisticated system of gold appliqués that illustrates the discovery of America in 1492. It shows Columbus and two indigenous people with exotic fruits and a parrot and, in the background, the three caravels against a luminous sky. This hand-painted micro set makes each watch a unique piece.
Technically, the watch overcomes the usual problems related to wearing the watch (gravity) and the duration of the watch (torque reduction) ensuring high precision in time measurement. The three mechanisms ofAcademy Christophe Colomb Hurricane Grand Voyage IIguarantee maximum precision: a regulating organ with a high oscillation frequency (36,000 alternations/hour) to sequence time in tenths of a second, a spindle-chain transmission system that compensates for force variations of the hub during disassembly and a patented gravity control module that allows neutralizing the effects of Earth's gravity on the movement of the watch. In total 939 components make up this mechanism, of which 354 correspond to the caliber itself, and within which the 173 elements of the gravity control module are housed.
The spindle-chain transmission, which has 585 components, is used to avoid losing precision once a mechanical watch is unloaded. This mechanism, common in pocket watches, is unusual in manufactures. Most pocket watches of the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries had a spindle, but today this practice is almost abandoned due to the size of the case of wristwatches. With theAcademy Christophe Colomb Hurricane Grand Voyage, The transmission between the hub and the spindle is guaranteed During the power reserve, the motor spring transmits its energy to the spindle through the chain, which is wound around the hub. By adjusting the tension variations, the spindle converts the force transmitted to the bearing into a constant, which in turn transmits it to the silicon escape wheel located in the gyroscopic cage. Although it takes more than 50 hours (which is how long the power reserve lasts) for the chain to wind around the hub, the speed with which the winding post winds the watch is a fascinating spectacle. In a few seconds, the spindle and hub rotate counterclockwise so that the chain wraps around the spindle again.
The Zenith Academy Christophe Colomb Hurricane Grand Voyage IIIt also cancels out the influence of Earth's gravity. Zenith imagined and patented a revolutionary system that allows the “heart” of the movement and the escapement to be permanently kept in a horizontal position. Gravity control is a system based on the legendary gimbal suspension systems, which began to be used in the 16th century in marine compasses. Thanks to its self-regulating gyroscopic mechanism, the gravity control system allows the regulating organ to be permanently kept in a horizontal position, regardless of the inclination of the wrist. Therefore, we are facing the maximum evolution of the marine chronometer to date.
Features of the Zenith Academy Christophe Colomb Hurricane Grand Voyage II
Motion
El Primero 8805, manual
A unique gyroscopic mechanism that keeps the regulating organ in a completely horizontal position
Caliber: 16 ½ ‘‘‘ (diameter: 37 mm)
Height: 5.85mm
Components: 354
Gyro cage made of 173 components
Chain made of 585 components
Rubies: 53
Frequency: 36,000 beats/h – (5 Hz)
Power reserve: minimum 50 hours.
Case, dial and hands
CASE, DIAL AND NEEDLES
Material: 18K rose gold
Diameter: 45mm
Height: 14.80 mm / 21.80 mm (with domed sapphire crystal)
Crystal and back: domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment on both sides, with domes that protect the Christophe Colomb module
Watertightness: 3 ATM
Dial: 3 enameled gold dials
Hour indices: varnished black
Hands: blued steel
Features
FUNCTIONS
Hours and minutes off-center at 12 o'clock
Self-regulating gravity control module at 6 hours
Small seconds at 9 o'clock
Power reserve indication at 3 o'clock
Spindle-chain transmission under the hours/minutes dial
Belt
STRAP AND BUCKLE/CLOSURE
Brown alligator leather strap and rose gold triple folding clasp
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