Zelos ZX-series: Chronograph & SR-71 Blackbird tribute
The Watch Lab
2022-11-01
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The ZX-series is a radical approach to the chronograph.
Unique materials used: Titanium, Meteorite, Ti-Damascus, SR-71 Blackbird dial.
The ZX series draws inspiration from the X-Plane Project which pushed the boundaries of aviation technology. Famous examples of this project includes the X-1, the first supersonic aircraft and the X-15, the fastest manned aircraft.
Design
______________
Like previous Kickstarter campaign, Zelos offer
* Marine grade bronze
* Meteorite is also offered on a dial, making your watch one-of-a-kind.
In addition, Zelos is excited to announce the ZX-8 Limited Edition with an actual mission flown SR-71 Titanium dial. The dial has the original finish from the actual part and we have deliberately left all the marks, scratches and leftover paint on the dial. Hence, each and every dial will be different. The titanium for this dial is CNC cut from a 'turkey feather' of an SR-71 and it was changed during regular maintenance. This was obtained from Daniel Freeman, Supervisor and Chief of Metals Technology for the 9th Reconnaissance Wing. Through his career he has worked on the SR-71 Blackbird, U-2 Dragonlady, KC-135Q Stratotanker, and T-38 Talon aircraft.
Creating a dial from such incredible material proved extremely difficult. The titanium is a Grade 6 alloy, much tougher than the usual brass that most dials are made from. We had to CNC cut the dials to size using carbide cutters, incurring much more cost and time as compared to stamping a dial from a brass blank. The next issue was getting the dial down to a required thickness of 0.4mm instead of its original 0.7mm. We wanted to preserve the original finish of the titanium, hence grinding it on only one side caused an uneven surface which was not ideal for a watch dial. After numerous and expensive failed attempts, we finally created the first SR-71 Titanium dial.
Zelos is proud to introduce the very FIRST watch case made from Titanium damascus. This amazing material is made from two different titanium alloys which are forged together under tremendous heat and pressure. Once this material is forged and machined to our highest tolerances, it is heated to approximately 400°C to bring out the brilliant colors. This layered effect and colors vary slightly across all watch cases.
Specifications
______________
* Size: 43mm Diameter. 16mm Height. 49mm Lug to Lug
* Water Resistance: 100m.
* Watch case: CUSN8 Marine Bronze or Titanium Case - Mirror polished edges and Brushed Sides.
* Ceramic Bezel (Selected models only): Zirconium Oxide 1500 Vickers hardness.
* Movement: Swiss ETA 7750 Elabore Grade or Seiko VK67 Mechaquartz.
* Crystal: Domed Sapphire Crystal with inner AR coating. Sapphire crystal caseback.
* Dial: Multi Layered filled with BGW9 lume.
Links
______________
Website: https://zeloswatches.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeloswatches
The ZX-series is a radical approach to the chronograph.
Unique materials used: Titanium, Meteorite, Ti-Damascus, SR-71 Blackbird dial.
The ZX series draws inspiration from the X-Plane Project which pushed the boundaries of aviation technology. Famous examples of this project includes the X-1, the first supersonic aircraft and the X-15, the fastest manned aircraft.
Design
______________
Like previous Kickstarter campaign, Zelos offer
* Marine grade bronze
* Meteorite is also offered on a dial, making your watch one-of-a-kind.
In addition, Zelos is excited to announce the ZX-8 Limited Edition with an actual mission flown SR-71 Titanium dial. The dial has the original finish from the actual part and we have deliberately left all the marks, scratches and leftover paint on the dial. Hence, each and every dial will be different. The titanium for this dial is CNC cut from a 'turkey feather' of an SR-71 and it was changed during regular maintenance. This was obtained from Daniel Freeman, Supervisor and Chief of Metals Technology for the 9th Reconnaissance Wing. Through his career he has worked on the SR-71 Blackbird, U-2 Dragonlady, KC-135Q Stratotanker, and T-38 Talon aircraft.
Creating a dial from such incredible material proved extremely difficult. The titanium is a Grade 6 alloy, much tougher than the usual brass that most dials are made from. We had to CNC cut the dials to size using carbide cutters, incurring much more cost and time as compared to stamping a dial from a brass blank. The next issue was getting the dial down to a required thickness of 0.4mm instead of its original 0.7mm. We wanted to preserve the original finish of the titanium, hence grinding it on only one side caused an uneven surface which was not ideal for a watch dial. After numerous and expensive failed attempts, we finally created the first SR-71 Titanium dial.
Zelos is proud to introduce the very FIRST watch case made from Titanium damascus. This amazing material is made from two different titanium alloys which are forged together under tremendous heat and pressure. Once this material is forged and machined to our highest tolerances, it is heated to approximately 400°C to bring out the brilliant colors. This layered effect and colors vary slightly across all watch cases.
Specifications
______________
* Size: 43mm Diameter. 16mm Height. 49mm Lug to Lug
* Water Resistance: 100m.
* Watch case: CUSN8 Marine Bronze or Titanium Case - Mirror polished edges and Brushed Sides.
* Ceramic Bezel (Selected models only): Zirconium Oxide 1500 Vickers hardness.
* Movement: Swiss ETA 7750 Elabore Grade or Seiko VK67 Mechaquartz.
* Crystal: Domed Sapphire Crystal with inner AR coating. Sapphire crystal caseback.
* Dial: Multi Layered filled with BGW9 lume.
Links
______________
Website: https://zeloswatches.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeloswatches
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