Earlier this year in February, Zenith ventured into new grounds in their partnership with Habanos’ Company, by releasing two new timepieces dedicated to the Romeo y Julieta exquisite cigars. These new timepieces are the first special edition watches from the newly redesigned Elite collection released by Zenith during the LVMH watch week earlier this year.
Romeo y Julieta is the name of a premium brand cigar, first established in 1875, and now this year celebrating its 145th anniversary. During 1885 to 1900, the Romeo y Julieta branded cigar was so popular and loved all around the world, that it won numerous awards at different tasting exhibitions. A very high profile devotee to the cigars was Sir Winston Churchill, which the brand named its flagship vitola in his honour.
So how does Shakespear’s Romeo and Juliet love story tie in with the cigars? Well, the story goes all the way back to the manufacturing process in the cigar factory. In the cigar manufacturing process, there is a person called the Lector, whose job is to boost morale and stimulate the cigar rollers. The Lector would do this by reading classical literature to the cigar rollers, while they finely shape the Habano cigar. One of the stories told by the Lector was the romantic tale of Romeo and Juliet, which the cigar rollers loved. In fact, they loved it so much that it eventually turned into its own brand of cigar.
The love between Romeo and Juliet was lived out in the secrecy of night, with only the moon and stars bearing witness. This is why Zenith chose to use the Elite moon-phase as the base watch dedicated to this special collaboration. The Elite Moonphase Romeo y Julieta edition has a double hemispherical moon-phase complication and comes in both men’s and women’s variants. The men’s “Romeo” edition comes with a radiant night blue sunray dial with a gradient effect, while the ladies “Julieta” watch comes with sunray red dial with the same gradient effect. The Romeo y Julieta logo is shown engraved just above the moon-phase on both timepieces. The Moon-phase on both watches have been specially designed to reflect “Romeo and Juliet”. The faces of Romeo and Juliet as depicted in the Romeo y Julieta cigar boxes have been carefully laser-engraved into each of the two moons shown in the moon-phase.
The men’s Romeo edition comes in a 40.5mm stainless steel case with rhodium-plated and faceted hour markers and hands. To match the blue dial, the Romeo edition is offered in night blue alligator leather with a protective red alligator lining and stainless steel pin buckle. The women’s Julieta timepiece comes with the same finishing as the men’s, however, this time in a 36mm case with 75 diamonds set into the bezel. This version will feature a red alligator leather strap with protective blue alligator lining and stainless steel pick buckle, to match the dial of the Julieta.
The movement used in both timepieces is Zenith’s Elite calibre 692 manufacture automatic with moon-phase. Beating at 4Hz (28, 800 VpH), the Elite 692 manufacture calibre movement can put out a power reserve of approximately 48 hours. As a commemoration to the 145th anniversary of the Romeo y Julieta’s beginnings, Zenith will release both the Romeo and Julieta timepieces in a limited edition run of 145 pieces each.
Zenith has bought out two elegant and beautiful timepieces with the celebrating the partnership with Habanos Company while at the same time depicting a timeless love story. Zenith Ceo, Julien Tornare, summed up this latest creation by saying “With Romeo y Julieta, we have conceived a special his and hers set of watches that highlight the timeless beauty of our Elite collection and the enduring appeal of Romeo y Julieta’s exquisite cigars, as well as Zenith’s commitment to creating inimitable ladies’ watches unique in their kind”.
Australian Retail Price:
Zenith Elite Moonphase Julieta Reference : 16.3201.692/04.C860 – $14,300.00
Zenith Elite Moonphase Romeo Reference : 03.3101.692/02.C861 – $11,400.00
Availability: Available from November 2020
Authorised Dealers:
- Brisbane – Hardy Brothers and The Hour Glass
- Melbourne – Monards (Collins Street and Crown Casino) ,Gregory Jewellers and The Hour Glass
- Sydney – Hardy Brothers and Swiss Concept
- Perth – Barbagallo Watch
