zelin0802 / November 12, 2022

When the Zenith Calibre 135 Observatoire Limited Edition, launched in collaboration with Kari Voutilainen, was released earlier this year, almost all watch lovers were excited. At the time of the announcement, we saw a preview of a set of ten platinum and black-finish sterling silver dials and an additional eleventh watch to be auctioned by Phillips in association with Bacs & Russo. Well, now we’ve seen the eleventh watch, and it’s a unique one with a salmon dial and a niobium case.

Niobium, a diamagnetic alloy as hard as titanium, is often used in movement components, but rarely in constructing entire cases. I believe Cartier made an astronomical tourbillon using a niobium titanium case, but other than being a rare and unremarkable example, it’s one I’ve never actually dealt with. WatchTime Editor-in-Chief Roger Ruegger has a great hands-on story about these Zenith x Kari Voutilainen watches, the platinum models that were originally announced, which you can read here if you’re not familiar with the whole thing. In short, the historic Calibre 135-O is a movement designed for chronograph prizes, produced between 1949 and 1962. Kari Voutilainen and his team restored and completed 11 of these movements, which are now used in these Zenith Caliber 135 Chronometer Limited Edition watches.

Just like the platinum version, this unique piece of niobium will be housed in a case that is 38mm wide and 10.35mm thick. The 925 sterling silver dial, finished in the Comblémine atelier in Voutilainen, features a salmon-matte finish with a delicate guilloché pattern on the bezel. This limited edition Zenith Calibre 135 Observatoire in collaboration with Kari Voutilainen and Phillips (ref. 13.1350.135/35.C100) will be auctioned on November 5, with all proceeds going to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Research Foundation. I know I’ll be watching these closely.