The new Range Rover Evoque is designed to blend city living with country escapism, discerning elegance with dynamic performance and featuring a reductive design approach focused on simplicity. Zenith watches, who have been associated with Land Rover for the past three years, have created a chic and sporty 200-piece limited edition timepiece from its Defy Classic collection to complement the next-generation Evoque launched in 2018.
“A key component of the new Range Rover Evoque is Desirability. The new Zenith Defy Classic Range Rover watch represents a step change in collaborative watch design, the result being a highly desirable timepiece and a fitting tribute to the Zenith and Land Rover collaboration,” said Gerry McGovern, Land Rover Chief Design Officer.
The first timepiece to be launched under this unique collaborative effort, co-developed by design and technical engineering teams from both brands, was the Chronomaster El Primero Range Rover Velar in 2017. The latest addition to the collaboration has a beautifully proportioned 41mm case made with material brushed titanium and is designed to have a unisex appeal. It is water-resistant up to 10 ATM.
The watch’s distinctive design is a fusion of the design elements found in other Defy Classic models with certain unmistakable elements inspired by the new Evoque. The latter includes the use of colours such as Arctic Petrol, a shade of turquoise blue, found on the central seconds-hand and oscillating weight. This distinctive colour is inspired by the accents on Evoque’s steering wheel and seats.
The open worked dial of this timepiece is inspired by the sculptural design found on the wheel of the new Evoque. The quilted-patterned upholstery of the SUV inspired the ‘diamond’ motif gracing the rubber strap, complimented by double folding Titanium clasp.
The watch is powered by the new Elite 670 SK Automatic skeletonised movement comprising 187 components and has a minimum power reserve of 50 hours.
“If Zenith was a car, it would definitely be a Range Rover!” declared Julien Tornare, Zenith CEO. “Both are recognized as icons in their fields. Both share the same values as well as a number of key assets, including charisma, technical refinement and remarkable performance. Both have innovation in their very DNA.”
“The Defy and the Range Rover are both desirable, luxurious trademarks and pioneering cornerstones of their industries – objects with which there is an immediate emotional connection. Both are inspired by the past, while looking firmly to the future.” – Julien Tornare, Zenith CEO
Zenith, the renowned Swiss watchmaker whose history dates back to 1865, launched the Defy collection at Baselworld 2017 with the Defy El Primero 21, a chronograph capable of measuring down to 1/100th of a second. The Range Rover Velar special-edition is a variant within this collection. A few months later came the Defy Lab which debuted a new, super-high-frequency oscillator and is manufactured in very limited numbers.
The Defy Classic is the third model within the Defy collection and uses titanium in the construction of its comparatively smaller 41mm case, thus making it more gender neutral than its predecessors.
