Zenith is quite fond of creating watches for people who take to the sky (we’ve showcased the Felix Baumgartner tribute timepiece in the past, as well as the aviator-oriented El Primero Stratos Flyback Rainbow), but now the Swiss watchmaker has created something for a totally different activity – sailing. As the official timekeeper for the Spindrift racing team, Zenith has created the El Primero Stratos Spindrift Racing wristwatch.
At 45 mm in diameter, it comes in either a rose gold case with titanium DLC pushers or a DLC-finished stainless steel case, and has at its heart an automatic mechanical manufacture El Primero 4061 caliber.
This cool-looking timepiece’s dial has an opening at 10 o’clock, where the escapement (with silicon lever and escape wheel) can be seen. While this design feature isn’t new for Zenith, it’s certainly a first for a member of the Stratos series. The automatic El Primero 4016 is a column-wheel chronograph equipped with the aforementioned lever and escape-wheel, both in silicon, which is sturdier and lighter than steel. This makes the mechanism more durable and less energy intensive, thanks to its lower friction coefficient.
Both watches definitely look great, whether you’re on dry land, or racing across the water surface – as you can see in the gallery below.
[Perpetuelle]
