the DEFY 21 felipe pantone for zenith explores high-frequency in colors

spanish artist felipe pantone has reinterpreted zenith’s most advanced chronograph to date into a piece of wearable kinetic art. dubbed the DEFY 21 felipe pantone, the watch incorporates the artist’s strikingly colorful aesthetic while playing with frequencies both visually and mechanically. limited to 100 pieces — and sold out within 24 hours of its commercial debut — the watch was shown at watches & wonders 2021.

‘I’m thrilled and humbled to be able to give my personal touch to a watch for the first time, and especially with a manufacture that I deeply admire for its innovation and daringness,’ said felipe pantone. ‘from the start, the concept was to transform this spectacular piece of watchmaking into a wearable work of kinetic art, where time and light converge into a single object. I couldn’t be more thrilled with the result.’

zenith and felipe pantone began their collaboration in 2021 when they came together to drape the zenith manufacture in le locle with a unique work of art. the second iteration of this powerful alliance is the DEFY 21 felipe pantone which expresses the artist’s visible spectrum concept, where all the detectable frequencies of light and its refracted colors come into play with the chronograph. to create it, zenith had to develop new techniques previously unheard of in watchmaking. for example, the multi-colored bridges which feature a gradient of metallic rainbow tones in the coating.

the central hour and minute hands take on an intentionally distorted look that resemble the lighting bolts found in pantone’s work with a rainbow gradient of colors applied through the same process as the bridges. black and white bands, another recurring theme, have been reproduced on the top bridges and portions of the dial using fine laser-engraving and lacquering techniques.

fit for the work of art that it is, the DEFY 21 felipe pantone comes in a presentation box that mimics a hardcover book. on its cover is a miniaturized painting that felipe pantone created exclusively for this special series, complete with a signed certificate.