Zenith

Le Locle, Switzerland

Founded by the young (22) Georges Favre-Jacot in 1865 in Le Locle. He basically invented the concept of a manufacture, by putting all watchmaking disciplines under one roof (in Le Locle). The name Zenith appears in 1911, referring to the highest point by a heavenly body in the sky. That’s why there’s the star in the Zenith logo. Already in 1925, Zenith has 1000 employees. Zenith is perhaps best known for being one of the first to introduce an automatic chronograph movement, the El Primero. This movement, launched in 1969, is still in production today, with only small adjustments. The El Primero is a high-beat movement, meaning it has a ticking number of 36,000vph (~1/10th of a second or 5 hz) that should ensure higher precision. Today, Zenith is still located in Le Locle and since 2000 part of the LVMH Group (with other watch brands TAG Heuer and Hublot). The Zenith CEO today is Julien Tornare, who has been appointed in 2017. In 2019, Zenith celebrates the 50th anniversary of their El Primero movement.

 

Highlights

1865
Founding year by Georges Favre-Jacot
1899
Introduction of the first pocket watch chronograph
1911
The company is from now on known as Zenith
1948
Zenith launches their caliber 135 chronometer movement.
1969
The El Primero is born and used in their A386 reference.
1975
Watchmaker Vermot hides plans and machinery from the then owner of Zenith, who wanted to solely produce quartz watches.
1984
Vermot returns the hidden goods to Zenith when the demand for mechanical watches is on the rise again.
1994
Introduction of the Elite movement family
2010
Zenith presents their El Primero Striking 10th watches
2012
Zenith re-introduces a collection of pilot’s watches
2017
The Zenith Defy is able to record 1/100th of a second

Did you know?

40.000

The annual production of Zenith watches

50

In 2019 Zenith celebrates the 50th anniversary of the El Primero movement

Service

Zenith is able to service and repair any El Primero movement that was produced since 1969
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