Baselworld Update: Zenith Introduces the Academy Tourbillon Georges Favre-Jacot

The new Academy Tourbillon Georges Favre-Jacot

Absolute transparency ensuring unobstructed views of cutting-edge Zenith mechanics: the Academy Tourbillon Georges Favre-Jacot offers a futuristic take on Haute Horlogerie. Its powerful design and innovative materials reveal an unprecedented engine El Primero Calibre 4805 combining two iconic complications from the manufacture: the tourbillon and a fuse and chain transmission system. Issued in a 150-piece limited edition featuring a 45mm-diameter black ceramic case, this sophisticated watch fully reveals the contemporary architecture of its high-frequency heart.

Eloquently expressing the comprehensive manufacturing expertise cultivated by Zenith, the Academy Tourbillon Georges Favre-Jacot flaunts its mechanism in an entirely transparent manner. Its virile black ceramic case houses a new El Primero movement equipped with a tourbillon as well as a fusÈe and chain transmission system. These two horological complications, both specialities of the brand with the guiding star, are thus united for the first time in a Zenith high-frequency movement. The dial-free hand-wound El Primero Calibre 4805 provides a perfect picture of its magnificent mechanisms and its powerful architecture. An authentic technical and aesthetic feat stemming from a lengthy process of research and design affording an unprecedented view of the movement structure.

Up close with the fusee and chain tourbillon.

The manufacturing expertise of Zenith and its resolutely future-oriented mindset are entirely in tune with the genetic heritage cultivated by the Maison for more than 150 years. Zenith’s brilliant founder, Georges Favre-Jacot, instilled a pioneering spirit into the firm by creating one of the first industrial watch manufacturing facilities in 1865. This resolutely technical approach driven by a sense of daring has now given rise to the Academy Tourbillon Georges Favre-Jacot watch, issued in a 150-piece limited edition.

Haute Horlogerie meets modernity in this remarkable fusèe and chain tourbillon model, equipped with the new high-frequency El Primero Calibre 4805, entirely developed and produced in-house by Zenith. While its famous name and its fast cadence of 36,000 vibrations per hour recall the legendary chronograph created by Zenith in 1969, this original new engine also features a majestic tourbillon coupled with a fusèe and chain transmission system linked to the barrel so as to ensure constant force.

A fascinating compendium of watchmaking technologies, this 807-part handwound movement is composed of modern, well-structured lines. The dial-free Academy Tourbillon Georges Favre-Jacot with its generously sized 45mm-diameter black ceramic case turns the spotlight on its tourbillon placed at 6 o’clock and on its fusèe and train transmission system between 10:30 and 1:30. Secured to the mainplate by polished screws, three blackened bridges support the fusèe and barrel arbors, while the tourbillon carriage performs one rotation per minute. The central hours and minutes functions are shown on a ring swept over by luminescent black facetted hands and hour-markers.

The black ceramic case measures 45mm in diameter.

The more than 50-hour power reserve is displayed between 4 and 5 o’clock by a red-tipped hand moving between “High” and “Low” indications. Visible both on the display side and through the sapphire crystal case-back, the mainplate and bridges are coated with a deep anthracite color adorned with alternating sandblasted, hand-chamfered and straight-grained finishes.

Water-resistant to 50 metres, the Academy Tourbillon Georges Favre-Jacot is fitted with a perforated rubber strap secured by a PVD-coated titanium triple folding clasp and issued in a 150-piece limited edition. Another 150-piece rose gold limited-edition version is also available. A new chapter in the Zenith saga is thus being written in unmistakably modern ink.

Academy Tourbillon Georges Favre-Jacot Movement

Technical Specifications

Movement El Primero 4805, Manual Caliber 16 Ω”

(Diameter: 37 mm)

Thickness: 5.90 mm

Components: 807

Jewels: 32

Frequency: 36,000 VpH (5 Hz)

Power-reserve: min. 50 hours

Hours and minutes in the center

Tourbillon:

– The carriage is positioned at 6 oíclock

– The carriage makes one turn per minute

Fusèe Chain transmission connected to the barrel

Power-reserve indicator at 4:30

Material: Black Ceramic

Diameter: 45mm

Opening diameter: 37.80mm

Thickness: 14.65mm

Crystal: Domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment on both sides

Caseback: Transparent sapphire crystal

Water-resistance: 5 ATM

Dial: Black elements screwed to the movement

Hour-markers: Ruthenium-plated, faceted and coated with SuperLuminova

Hands: Ruthenium-plated, faceted and coated with SuperLuminova

Black rubber strap

Black PVD coated Titanium triple folding clasp

Reference: 49.2520.4805/98.R576