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Zenith Watches

Georges Favre-Jacot was a man with a vision at the young age of 22 years.  He was a well-renowned clock-maker back in 1875, who brought together a third of the independent watch artisans in Le Locle, in the canton or federal state of Neuchâtel in Switzerland, under one roof.  It was then that this manufacture d’horlogerie or watch-making manufacturer was born and the quality improvement and standardization of watch-making started to improve.

It was in 1865 that Georges Favre-Jacot started his own clock-making business.  As the years went by, the business grew and he began producing precise, but reasonably priced watches.  However, it was not until the manufacturer won the Gold Medal at the Swiss National Exhibition that the watches began to get truly appreciated.  Several years later, in 1903, Favre-Jacot’s chronometer received first prize at the Neuchâtel Observatory chronometer competition.

By the time Favre-Jacot retired in 1911, the manufacturer’s watches already bore the brand name Zenith and the company was handed down to the family’s younger generation.  Unfortunately, the watch manufacturing pioneer would not live long enough to see his beloved company release its first line of wristwatches in 1920.  He passed away three years before that milestone.

The popularity of Zenith wristwatches grew astonishingly through the years.  Their wristwatch chronometers received the first prize at the wristwatch competition of the Neuchâtel Observatory in 1954.  Until now, Zenith remains as one of the few watch manufacturers who produce their own actual movements and they have won around 1,500 watch industry awards to date.

In a big move towards expanding the business, Zenith took over the Martel Watch Co. in 1960.  Martel was a Swiss watch brand that was founded in 1911.  The take-over helped Zenith with the development of the Universels caliber 285 and 749, which eventually became part of the Zenith 146 family.

1969 marked a major turning point in the watch-making industry when Zenith released the legendary El Primero chronograph movement that year.  The El Primero was the first chronograph caliber to have a winding crown with central rotor, also known as automatic winding.  Beating at 36,000 alternations per hour, the El Primero was also known as the fastest chronograph and has set the standard for mechanical excellence.  Most chronographs at the time only make 28,000 alternations per hour.  Due to its 36,000 alternations, the El Primero has become the world’s most precise chronograph.  The El Primero is also the only one that can measure very short time intervals of 1/10^th of a second, compared to other chronographs.

Ironically, quartz was introduced to the watch manufacturing world just when the El Primero was making waves.  Quartz posed a great threat to the traditional Swiss watch industry and many companies have shut down as a result.  Fortunately, Zenith was able to weather the storm by supplying other prestigious watch companies with the El Primero movement.  Rolex Daytona was one of these clients.

In 1999, Zenith was acquired by Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy (also known as the LVMH group) and now offers Zenith watches together with other watch and jewelry brands under the luxury giant’s wing.

Zenith presently has six lines of watches.

The Zenith Chronomaster has a classic design, which comes in a wide range of materials from the ultra-modern carbon fiber or Titanium to traditional stainless steel, to house the El Primero movement.  It also has the whole gamut of dials that would interest the most technically discerning watch enthusiast.  The active, urban man will surely appreciate a Zenith Port-Royal watch, with its modern casing for the El Primeromovement.  The Zenith Class line suits businessmen, with its classic and minimalistic design approach.  For the active sportsman, there is the Zenith Defy series of watches.  For those who prefer to show of the sparkle of luxury, the Zenith Star models will be perfect as baguette diamonds and tourbillion are incorporated into the designs.