By Kien Lee
The new DEFY Skyline Tourbillon Skeleton unveiled at LVMH Watch Week this week, introduces a new chapter for the collection where transparency is transformed into structure. As the first tourbillon skeleton within this specific line, the timepiece reveals an entirely openworked interpretation of the movement.
This mechanical heart is suspended within a radiant rose gold case designed with facets that capture and reshape the light.
By opening the calibre to its very core, the timepiece invites the eye to explore a construction defined by light and mechanical balance. Without a traditional dial to conceal the inner workings, the architecture appears in its purest form. The movement rises at the center like a mechanical skyline, framed only by a peripheral flange that anchors the hour markers.
At the heart of this Zenith creation lies the automatic El Primero 3630 SK calibre presented in an intense blue. The skeletonization embraces the symbolic star as a structural motif, centered around the tourbillon aperture. Two architectural bridges positioned at ten and two o’clock feature a double-tier, sloping geometry that mirrors the cantilevers of contemporary design.
The finish of the movement evokes a meticulous choreography of surfaces. The bridges and mainplate are treated with blue PVD and selectively polished to reveal rhodium-plated chamfers that catch the light. A one-minute tourbillon oscillates at 5 Hz, providing a living pulse while the skeletonized barrel offers a view of the mainspring across its fifty-hour power reserve.
Crafted entirely from rose gold, the 41mm case reinterprets the sharp geometry of the collection through the warmth of precious metal. Alternating satin-brushed and polished planes accentuate a silhouette that evolves with every movement of the wrist. An intuitive quick strap-change system allows for effortless transitions between the rose gold bracelet and a star-patterned blue rubber strap.
Limited to just 50 pieces, the DEFY Skyline Tourbillon Skeleton is available at Zenith boutiques and through authorized retailers worldwide. This rare edition combines material innovation with a sense of spatial immersion.
