04/14/2021
Let’s talk about what is — in my opinion — one of the most underrated and overlooked watch brands in today’s luxury timepiece market. With stunning designs, renowned in-house movements, and uncompromising quality — Zenith SA, IMHO, is just that brand.
Zenith SA, the luxury Swiss watchmaker’s roots were established by the 22 year old visionary Georges Favre-Jacot (b-1843; d-1917) in 1865. Along with many other awards and recognitions, Zenith was awarded the Grand Prix at the 1900 Paris Universal Exhibition for its Zenith Calibre. For me, Zenith’s significance in the watch industry is reinforced by Rolex’s use of a modified Zenith El Primero movement in their famed Daytona Chronograph from 1988-2000, as well as the acquisition of Zenith SA by LVMH in 1999. Two of the most iconic and renowned luxury brands in the world, have leveraged Zenith’s technologies and quest for perfection as part of their own brands.
Pioneering some of the greatest advancements in horology, Zenith launched its El Primero movement in 1969 — which it still produces today. This movement was not only one of the first automatic chronograph movements, but runs at an incredibly high frequency of 5Hz (36,000 VpH [vibrations per hour] — not only producing a mesmerizingly smooth sweeping hand; this high beat rate also allows the movement to measure time down to the 1/10th of a second. A level of accuracy not obtainable among the more common movements which run at 2.5 to 4 Hz (18,000 to 28,800 mph). Even today, Zenith SA remains one of the Swiss watch manufacturers that still produce their own in-house movements and are also found the watches of many other luxury watch brands.
So why isn’t Zenith included in the same conversations as Rolex, Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin and Audemars Piguet? I’m a huge fan of these timepieces — but in my novice opinion, I feel like Zenith should hold a seat at the same table.
If you’re interested I have three Zenith timepieces in stock that are powered by an El Primero Chronograph each stunningly beautiful and intriguing.
Let me know what your thoughts are.