Contemporary Artist Felipe Pantone Discusses His New Collaboration with Zenith

Argentinian-Spanish artist Felipe Pantone shares a name with the well-known Colour Matching System® founders, leading to confusion and occasional mistaken identity. Pantone’s work focuses on colors and the interaction of light spectra, as reflected in his profile: “He explores how the displacement of the light spectrum impacts colour and repetition.” From this point forward, any reference to Pantone will pertain to the artist himself.

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Zenith and Felipe Pantone have recently introduced the latest installment of their collaboration: the DEFY Skyline Tourbillon Felipe Pantone. This marks their fifth joint project, having begun with a custom color gradient tarpaulin for Zenith’s Le Locle manufacture façade in 2020. Their partnership has since evolved into the DEFY line of watches, beginning with the DEFY 21 Felipe Pantone. This was soon followed by the unique Zenith x Felipe Pantone DEFY 21 Double Tourbillon for the Only Watch edition in 2021, leading into 2022’s DEFY Extreme Felipe Pantone, which has culminated in this year’s 100-piece limited edition release.

This year’s edition diverges from its predecessors by replacing Zenith’s renowned high-frequency chronograph with a tourbillon. The tourbillon bridge is designed in Pantone’s signature lightning bolt shape, while the sapphire dial features concentric circle micro-engravings, finished with a reflective metallic back that mimics the shades of a CD. The watch hands and hour indices showcase a gradient color scheme that echoes Pantone’s artistic style.

The DEFY Skyline Tourbillon Felipe Pantone is set to be available in select Zenith boutiques starting September 12. Prior to its launch, we spoke with Felipe Pantone about this latest collaboration with Zenith.

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Hola Felipe, congratulations on your latest project with Zenith! This release marks your fifth project with Zenith, the first on the manufacture facade and four others focused on the watches. How would you describe your relationship with Zenith?

Gracias! My collaboration with Zenith has flourished based on mutual respect and a shared vision. From the start, our chemistry was apparent—Zenith’s commitment to craftsmanship and innovation harmonizes with my artistic approach. Over the years, we have transitioned from grand murals to detailed timepieces, solidifying a creative bond. This journey has pushed us to explore the intersections of contemporary art and watchmaking.

Staying on the topic of relationships, have you often been mistakenly affiliated with the Pantone company, given your names and both your relationships with colour?

The name similarity is coincidental, but I find the mix-up amusing. It’s fascinating how people make those connections. As a kid, I used to do graffiti under the name PANT1. I later learned about the Pantone company, and recently, they followed me on Instagram. It seems they don’t mind me using the name, so I followed them back!

Is there a particular colour that best represents your personality?

I’d say I am more of a gradient than a single color. My personality, like my art, is always shifting and evolving. I’m attracted to the spectrum of colors, which symbolize movement and transition, blending different elements into a fluid whole. If I had to choose one, it would be a vibrant blue, as it signifies both calm and intensity, reflecting the balance I strive for in my life and work.

After months of working on the DEFY Skyline Tourbillon Felipe Pantone, how thrilled are you to see the watch in person?

Seeing the DEFY Skyline Tourbillon for the first time was exhilarating. After months of conceptualizing, designing, and perfecting it, holding the final product was incredibly rewarding. The transformation from vision to reality is always captivating, and this particular watch surpassed my expectations. The way light interacts with its features, the precision of its mechanics, and its overall presence come together to embody the essence of our collaboration.

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This is one of those creations for which pictures do not do justice. It has to be seen in person, where light brings the intricacies of the watch to life. Do you agree with this statement?

Definitely. The true beauty of the DEFY Skyline Tourbillon is revealed only in person. While photos can capture its design, they can’t convey the way light plays off the prismatic dial or how colors change as you move. The depth, texture, and subtle details come fully alive only when physically interacting with the watch. It’s an object that engages with its surroundings, best appreciated in hand.

The watch design touchpoints like the Planned Iridescence dial, the gradient colours, and the bolt-shaped tourbillon bridge reflect your work and extend your personality. What message do you want to share with people, or what emotion do you want to evoke when they see the watch?

I hope to inspire energy and curiosity in viewers when they encounter the watch. Elements such as the iridescent dial and gradient colors aim to evoke a sense of dynamism and transformation. The bolt-shaped tourbillon bridge symbolizes speed and power, integral to both my artistic vision and the very concept of time. Ultimately, I want the watch to foster a sense of movement, visually and emotionally, serving as a reminder that time is in constant flux and that there’s beauty in its ongoing rhythm.

Roger Gastman is quoted as saying, “Felipe Pantone evokes a spirit in his work that feels like a collision between an analogue past and a digitised future where human beings and machines will inevitably glitch alongside one another in a prism of neon gradients, geometric shapes, optical patterns, and jagged grids.” Have you considered the profound impact that time has on you and your artworks after working with Zenith?

My collaboration with Zenith has definitely deepened my understanding of time and how it influences my work. Time is pivotal in both watchmaking and art—one tracks it, while the other captures it. I constantly explore the interplay between the analog past and a digitized future, and watchmaking dwells at the convergence of these two realms. My engagement with timepiece mechanics has led me to reflect more profoundly on the significance of time in my creative process. It has heightened my awareness of fleeting moments and the importance of capturing that essence in my art. Each creation is a snapshot, yet it exists within a larger continuum, similar to the relentless ticking of a clock.

This story was first seen on MensFolio.com

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