Zenith Grande Classe Review

First, a few facts for you. This watch tells the time in every single time zone at once, thanks to a head-shredding interlocking ring of numbers round its face. Inside is a 394-piece movement, which takes a skilled watchmaker nine months to assemble and uses 18 different metals. Oh, and the whole thing’s hand-lubricated with ten different kinds of oil.

 

Yes, your suspicions were correct – the Grande Classe Traveller Open Multicity is one of the coolest and maddest objects you will ever encounter.

 

Bank breaker
Naturally, this sort of hi-tech old tech doesn't come cheap – finished in this season's watch must-have rose gold, the Grande Classe Traveller Open Multicity will set you back a cool £18,500.

 

But with 22-carat gold throughout, calfskin straps and a back of transparent sapphire that lets you see right into the workings ticking away inside, at least you know you're paying for quality.

Art movement
Zenith have just launched on their own, but have spent decades making the insanely complicated and expensive movements found inside a lot of the coolest watches of previous decades – the El Primero movement inside this is actually the same one used inside the Rolex Daytona.

 

The balance wheel inside oscillates 36,000 times per hour – making this one of the only clockwork watch movements on earth that can measure time down to 1/10 of a second, without losing time. In a word, wow.