Harry Winston has just released the latest edition of their Project Z collection: the Project Z9. The Z lineup bridges the gap between luxury and sports watches and uses the latest tech and mechanics in each iteration for a state-of-the-art timepiece. The latest model is housed in a casing made of a Zalium alloy like its predecessors, but this will mark the first time a piece from the collection will be driven by a high-frequency movement. A new HW3304 chronograph caliber equipped with a silicon balance-spring, which beats at a frequency of 5 Hz, will be housed inside.
The Project Z collection was named after the exclusive Zalium alloy of aluminum and zirconium that houses each watch in the lineup. Comprised of ultra-light and non-allergenic properties, the material makes the 44.2 mm case extremely comfortable to wear. The alloy also has an impressive resistance to corrosion and is surprisingly strong for its weight, making it perfect for housing the watch’s delicate inner workings.
The 325 components that comprise the Z9 can be seen through the openwork front and back of the watch face. Inside, the HW3304’s gold oscillating weight is skeletonized so the wearer can see the Harry Winston geometrical pattern, and the rhodium-plated bridges and plates covered in a traditional Côtes de Genève motif. The skeletonized grid extends over the inner bezel ring and out toward the indexes creating two chronograph counters at the three and nine o’clock hours. The blue accents of the dials, indexes and hands are coated in blue-emission Super Luminova and glow in the dark.
As part of Harry Winston’s high tech timepiece collection, the Z9 uses the HW3304 chronograph caliber, which runs on a 50 hour power reserve with 37 jewels and 36,000 vibrations per hours. Functions includes a flyback chronograph with 30-minute and 12-hour counters, a small seconds indicator and a date indicator. The black rubber strap with Clou de Paris hobnail motif lends a bit of a sporty look to an otherwise extravagant piece. The Z9 is a limited edition timepiece; only 300 are available worldwide.
