Zenith - RETROSPECTIVE: 2000 - 2020 Geneva Sunday, November 8, 2020 | Phillips
  • Manufacturer: Zenith
    Year: 2020
    Model Name: Lupin The Third Unique Piece
    Material: Stainless steel
    Calibre: Automatic, El-Primero, 31 jewels
    Bracelet/Strap: Stainless steel ladder bracelet measuring 210 mm max
    Clasp/Buckle: Stainless steel Zenith deployant clasp
    Dimensions: 45mm length X 35mm wide
    Signed: Case, dial, movement and bracelet signed
    Accessories: Accompanied by special Lupin the Third box and Zenith Guarantee

  • Catalogue Essay

    No estimate can be provided given the uniqueness of the watch and the noble nature of the charitable cause.


    Late 2019 Zenith presented an incredibly attractive watch based on… a Japanese manga!

    Lupin the Third was born in 1967 under the pen of Monkey Punch, it is a cartoon that follows the escapades of master thief Arsène Lupin III, the grandson of Arsène Lupin, the famed French gentleman.
    In 1971, only 2 years after the launch of the iconic El Primero caliber, the anime series of Lupin the Third was aired for the very first time. One of the main characters in the story, Mr. Daisuke Jigen, a debonair partner of the main protagonist Lupin, is depicted wearing a Zenith A384 watch on two occasions of first episode.

    Taking inspiration by Zenith's A384 with its easily recognizable tonneau case and dial configuration. Jigen’s watch did not exist and was straight from Monkey Punch’s imagination with it’s black dial, grey subdials and gold hands and markers. The brand name and the printing habitually found on the A384 were also incorrectly reproduced on the dial.

    Zenith used the design found in the 1971 cartoon to create a 50 piece limited edition in 2019 and available only in Japan, needless to say the series sold out in no time.

    After the incredible success of the limited edition, Zenith has decided to create a unique A384 Revival Lupin the Third edition which replicates the dial of Jigen’s watch including the misspellings. On the dial of the present piece the Z and H of Zenith are slightly blanked out thus seeing that the brand name is ENIT, Automatic is also written Automntic.

    Charismatic and graphic the present example, made as a unique piece, is not only a visually enchanting timepiece but it also serves a good deed. All proceeds of the sale will go to Zoé4life a registered non-profit organization, recognized as a public service utility whose mission is to support research, provide financial support to families in need, support kids during their treatments and raise awareness about childhood cancer.

  • Artist Biography

    Zenith

    Swiss • 1865

    Since Zenith's beginnings, founder George Favre-Jacot sought to manufacture precision timepieces, realizing quality control was best maintained when production was housed under one roof. Zenith remains one of the few Swiss manufacturers to produce their own in-house movements to this day.

    Today, the brand is best known for the "El Primero," the firm's most successful automatic chronograph movement. In an interesting twist of fate, the company that owned Zenith during the 1970s decided to move on to quartz movements and therefore sought to destroy the parts and tools necessary to make mechanical movements. One watchmaker realized this folly and hid the tools and parts before they were destroyed. In 1984, he returned them to Zenith so they could once again make the El Primero movement.

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Lot offered with no reserve

291

Lot offered with No Reserve

A unique stainless steel chronograph wristwatch with bracelet, proceeds going to charity

2020
45mm length X 35mm wide
Case, dial, movement and bracelet signed

Estimate On Request •

Sold for CHF189,000

Contact Specialist

Alexandre Ghotbi
Head of Watches, Continental Europe and the Middle East

41 79 637 1724
aghotbi@phillips.com

 

Thomas Perazzi

Head of Watches, Asia
+852 2318 2031

WatchesHK@phillips.com

RETROSPECTIVE: 2000 - 2020

Geneva Auction 8 November 2020