The dial of the Monte Carlo star is unique
The half-moon shaped chronograph, the second counter and date window are beautifully outlined against a background of black, white, velvet blue, lapis blue, new black and new silver embellished with flecks of silver or gold that shine like stars in the night sky.
The Arabian numerals are applied by hand and the tachometric scale is embossed on the “rehaut” protected inner surface of the bezel where it will not fade with time. The addition of tritium at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock and on the handles allows the time to be read in the dark.
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In this tiny space over 150 components work in perfect syncronicity
The basic calibre is a Valjoux 7750, with a diameter of 30 mm, which corresponds to the traditional system of measuring watches of 13-1/4 lines. The movement is characterised by 25 jewels and the Incabloc antishock system, which protects the three-arm balance wheel. The spring winder is mounted on microscopic ball bearings that eliminate friction and allow the spring to be wound at the slightest movement of the wrist. The balance wheel oscillates 28,800 times an hour, much faster than the human heart, and guarantees accuracy to within a few seconds a day. The fully-wound spring will keep the watch going for 44 hours.
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The buckle
The buckle for the Monte Carlo Star is the deployant type and was created through long research and tests. It consists of a pivoting element that is fixed to the watch strap on one side while sliding on the other to allow proper adjustment. The innovation is in the ease of adjustment. For example, in the summer the wrist tends to be larger than it is in the winter and the band may become tight. With Philip Zepter’s buckle it just takes a few seconds to find the most comfortable position.
The buckle is made of hypoallergenic steel or in a gold-plated version, and bears the Philip Zepter logo on the clasp.
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A unique personality
There are two main elements that emphasise the unique personality of the Monte Carlo Star: the pivoting watch strap lugs and the crown and button guards. The moveable watch strap lugs are the modern version of those that characterised chronographs in the 1920’s. Philip Zepter has reinvented and modernised them without altering their function: by rotating round their axis they allow the watch strap to follow the contours of the wrist in the most natural and comfortable way possible.
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The case
A careful study of volume and proportion characterises the case, which is made up of three parts: the bezel, the middle and the case back. The case measures 40 millimetres in diameter and is 14.70 millimetres thick. Suited to any occasion, the watch belongs to the ‘oversized’ category that exalts the grandeur of every element. The steel used, 316L, is the best available and each component, from the watch strap lugs to the crown and buttons, is assembled, finished and polished by hand.
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Philip Zepter selects only the best
Here he has chosen a sapphire crystal, nearly as hard as diamond, to protect the dial and assure maximum transparency and scratch resistance. Highly-skilled workmanship is required to make it fit the bezel and, in particular, to give it a rounded shape that picks up and continues the line of the case.
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