ZENITH - Swiss Watch Manufacture since 1865 watches for men and ladies
Zenith SA is a Swiss watch manufacture started in 1865 by Georges Favre-Jacot at the age of 22, in Le Locle in the canton of Neuchâtel.
In 1865, under the guidance of Georges Favre-Jacot, one of the most mythical manufacturers of quality watches was born. A 22-year old visionary, he was the first to create the very concept of a watchmaking Manufacture. He brought all artisan watchmakers together under one roof, providing them with heat and light, allowing them thus to dedicate themselves entirely to the design of their timepieces. From the hand of the watchmaker, “manus” in Latin, came the etymology of the word “Manufacture”.
Presently, Zenith markets five watch lines, including the Chronomaster, Class, Port-Royal, Vintage, Defy and Star.
2009 ZENITH celebrate the 40 years of the El Primero
Developed in 1969, El Primero, throbbing at 36,000 vibrations per hour, was the first automatic integrated chronograph movement, capable of measuring short time intervals to a tenth of a second. Today it still is the fastest automatic chronograph and the most precise in the world.
2008 The principal event of 2008 is the arrival of the 8800 Tourbillon Zero-G (zero gravity) movement, a major innovation in the world of watchmaking. This revolutionary system, which includes a gyroscope cage tourbillon and constant horizontal escapement, means the mechanism avoids the effects of gravity and thus gives considerably greater accuracy.
Defy Classic does justice to the Zero-G with 2 breathtakingly designed constructions, one Classic and one Xtreme, both available in a numbered edition with the 2008 millésime.
2007 «Grand Prix de l’Horlogerie» in Geneva : the ZENITH Manufacture received the award for the DEFY Xtreme Open El Primero Stealth in the Public’s Prize category.
An unusual design, avant-garde technology, unique style, extraordinary performance. A true revolution in aesthetics and technology that has confirmed ZENITH’s global success whilst opening up new horizons: the sports watch revisited by the spirit of luxury.
2006 The Zenith is now launching a collection of sport-chic watches – DEFY - and has thus reconnected with its recent past of excellence and records in chronometry. An unusual design, an avant-garde technology, a unique style, an outstanding performance… truly a revolution in both aesthetic and mechanical design. Power, virility, modernity, he who wears it has a racy lifestyle.
2005 The first Haute Couture watch is launched: the Starissime, a tourbillon embellished with over 230 diamonds, designed for an exceptional woman.
ZENITH Manufacture also endows itself with one of the most complicated watches in the world, the Grande Class Traveller Répétition Minutes El Primero: a chronograph, an alarm clock, with a vibrating mode, a date display, dual time and, of course, a minute-repeater.
One hundred and forty years after its creation, ZENITH shines at the highest point: the zenith.
2004 The first Tourbillon ZENITH: integrated to the El Primero chronograph, it is the fastest Tourbillon in the world. Thanks to this watchmaking masterpiece, the ZENITH star now shines high in the heavens of the most prestigious Watchmakers.
2003 Launch of the Chronomaster Open El Primero, a technological innovation enabling a view of the beating heart of the movement through an opening in the dial. This model rapidly becomes the icon of the ZENITH Manufacture and encounters a resounding success.
2002 During the Basel Watch Fair in 2002, ZENITH launches 4 new movements and 14 new models representing 52 new variations. History is on the move...
2001 The rebirth: ZENITH searches the depths of its past hundred years to reinvent itself. Drawing inspiration from the legacy of its young and brilliant founder, ZENITH forges a unique style, classical and yet innovative, the link between tradition and modernity.
1999 The LVMH Group (Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy) acquires ZENITH Manufacture, a rare pearl that it wants to turn into a leading star of watchmaking in the 20th century.
1994 Animated by exuberant dynamism, it creates new watches, like the extra slim Elite movement. Thanks to its outstanding know-how in traditional watchmaking, ZENITH Manufacture enters the third millennium with confidence and an even greater desire for innovation and modernity.
1980 Whilst the beautiful mechanical watches are once again riding the wave, ZENITH Manufacture has all the necessary equipment to relaunch the El Primero movement. Having become famous, it is in great demand, also by other prestigious watchmakers.
1969 throbbing at 36,000 vibrations per hour, the El Primero movement is born, the first integrated automatic chronograph, a triumph over the challenge to fit in the smallest possible space a maximum of technical functionality. Today it still is the fastest automatic chronograph and the most precise in the world.
1940 Manufacture goes back to basics and thanks to its experience and maturity, decides to concentrate on its core business. Faithful to its innovative spirit and its faith in progress, new automatic movements are developed, in a quest for the perfect movement
1930 During the 30s, also because of the progress achieved in fields such as civil aviation, the watchmaking industry is required to offer greater precision. A benchmark in the production of high quality mechanical movements, ZENITH Manufacture diversifies its production and its marine pieces were to be found on seaplanes of the French navy, on board Royal Navy vessels, as well as the Italian and British navy.
1920, the company has already produced two million timepieces. The desire to communicate this passion further afield sparks the idea of opening branches in Geneva, Moscow, Paris, Vienna, London and New York... Carried by the thrust of this magnificent effort, ZENITH starts its international history. This is ongoing: today, ZENITH has 17 subsidiaries and its business is equally shared between America, Europe and Asia.
Georges Favre-Jacot is awarded a gold medal at the Swiss National Exhibition in Geneva. Four years later, honours at the Universal Exhibition in Paris. These prizes and awards, acknowledging the quality and the precision of his timepieces, continued to increase over the years. The company with its thousand talented workforce sails through the 20th century in glory: 1565 awards and over 50 mythical movements.
Success comes rapidly.
1875, the company already has over one thousand employees. It creates pocket watches, pendulum clocks and counter instruments for the navy.
1865 ZENITH is born in the Swiss Jura thanks to the initiative of Georges Favre-Jacot, one of the most mythical names amongst high quality watchmakers. A 22 year old visionary, he is the first to create the real concept of a watchmaking manufacture.
Zenith SA is a Swiss watch manufacture started in 1865 by Georges Favre-Jacot at the age of 22, in Le Locle in the canton of Neuchâtel.In 1865, under the guidance of Georges Favre-Jacot, one of the most mythical manufacturers of quality watches was born. A 22-year old visionary, he was the first to create the very concept of a watchmaking Manufacture. He brought all artisan watchmakers together under one roof, providing them with heat and light, allowing them thus to dedicate themselves entirely to the design of their timepieces. From the hand of the watchmaker, “manus” in Latin, came the etymology of the word “Manufacture”.
Presently, Zenith markets five watch lines, including the Chronomaster, Class, Port-Royal, Vintage, Defy and Star.
2009 ZENITH celebrate the 40 years of the El Primero
Developed in 1969, El Primero, throbbing at 36,000 vibrations per hour, was the first automatic integrated chronograph movement, capable of measuring short time intervals to a tenth of a second. Today it still is the fastest automatic chronograph and the most precise in the world.
2008 The principal event of 2008 is the arrival of the 8800 Tourbillon Zero-G (zero gravity) movement, a major innovation in the world of watchmaking. This revolutionary system, which includes a gyroscope cage tourbillon and constant horizontal escapement, means the mechanism avoids the effects of gravity and thus gives considerably greater accuracy.
Defy Classic does justice to the Zero-G with 2 breathtakingly designed constructions, one Classic and one Xtreme, both available in a numbered edition with the 2008 millésime.
2007 «Grand Prix de l’Horlogerie» in Geneva : the ZENITH Manufacture received the award for the DEFY Xtreme Open El Primero Stealth in the Public’s Prize category.An unusual design, avant-garde technology, unique style, extraordinary performance. A true revolution in aesthetics and technology that has confirmed ZENITH’s global success whilst opening up new horizons: the sports watch revisited by the spirit of luxury.
2006 The Zenith is now launching a collection of sport-chic watches – DEFY - and has thus reconnected with its recent past of excellence and records in chronometry. An unusual design, an avant-garde technology, a unique style, an outstanding performance… truly a revolution in both aesthetic and mechanical design. Power, virility, modernity, he who wears it has a racy lifestyle.
2005 The first Haute Couture watch is launched: the Starissime, a tourbillon embellished with over 230 diamonds, designed for an exceptional woman.
ZENITH Manufacture also endows itself with one of the most complicated watches in the world, the Grande Class Traveller Répétition Minutes El Primero: a chronograph, an alarm clock, with a vibrating mode, a date display, dual time and, of course, a minute-repeater.
One hundred and forty years after its creation, ZENITH shines at the highest point: the zenith.
2004 The first Tourbillon ZENITH: integrated to the El Primero chronograph, it is the fastest Tourbillon in the world. Thanks to this watchmaking masterpiece, the ZENITH star now shines high in the heavens of the most prestigious Watchmakers.
2003 Launch of the Chronomaster Open El Primero, a technological innovation enabling a view of the beating heart of the movement through an opening in the dial. This model rapidly becomes the icon of the ZENITH Manufacture and encounters a resounding success.
2002 During the Basel Watch Fair in 2002, ZENITH launches 4 new movements and 14 new models representing 52 new variations. History is on the move...
2001 The rebirth: ZENITH searches the depths of its past hundred years to reinvent itself. Drawing inspiration from the legacy of its young and brilliant founder, ZENITH forges a unique style, classical and yet innovative, the link between tradition and modernity.
1999 The LVMH Group (Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy) acquires ZENITH Manufacture, a rare pearl that it wants to turn into a leading star of watchmaking in the 20th century.
1994 Animated by exuberant dynamism, it creates new watches, like the extra slim Elite movement. Thanks to its outstanding know-how in traditional watchmaking, ZENITH Manufacture enters the third millennium with confidence and an even greater desire for innovation and modernity.
1980 Whilst the beautiful mechanical watches are once again riding the wave, ZENITH Manufacture has all the necessary equipment to relaunch the El Primero movement. Having become famous, it is in great demand, also by other prestigious watchmakers.
1969 throbbing at 36,000 vibrations per hour, the El Primero movement is born, the first integrated automatic chronograph, a triumph over the challenge to fit in the smallest possible space a maximum of technical functionality. Today it still is the fastest automatic chronograph and the most precise in the world.
1940 Manufacture goes back to basics and thanks to its experience and maturity, decides to concentrate on its core business. Faithful to its innovative spirit and its faith in progress, new automatic movements are developed, in a quest for the perfect movement
1930 During the 30s, also because of the progress achieved in fields such as civil aviation, the watchmaking industry is required to offer greater precision. A benchmark in the production of high quality mechanical movements, ZENITH Manufacture diversifies its production and its marine pieces were to be found on seaplanes of the French navy, on board Royal Navy vessels, as well as the Italian and British navy.
1920, the company has already produced two million timepieces. The desire to communicate this passion further afield sparks the idea of opening branches in Geneva, Moscow, Paris, Vienna, London and New York... Carried by the thrust of this magnificent effort, ZENITH starts its international history. This is ongoing: today, ZENITH has 17 subsidiaries and its business is equally shared between America, Europe and Asia.
Georges Favre-Jacot is awarded a gold medal at the Swiss National Exhibition in Geneva. Four years later, honours at the Universal Exhibition in Paris. These prizes and awards, acknowledging the quality and the precision of his timepieces, continued to increase over the years. The company with its thousand talented workforce sails through the 20th century in glory: 1565 awards and over 50 mythical movements.
Success comes rapidly.
1875, the company already has over one thousand employees. It creates pocket watches, pendulum clocks and counter instruments for the navy.
1865 ZENITH is born in the Swiss Jura thanks to the initiative of Georges Favre-Jacot, one of the most mythical names amongst high quality watchmakers. A 22 year old visionary, he is the first to create the real concept of a watchmaking manufacture.
