Zenith
Zenith
With feet firmly on the ground and head in the stars, Zenith sets life in motion to push the boundaries of the impossible. From the design to the finish of each piece, Zenith mechanisms place the Swiss House at the forefront of the art of watchmaking.
Creation date: 1865
CEO: Benoit de Clerck
Head office: 34-36, rue des Billodes, 2400 Le Locle - Suisse
Website: www.zenith-watches.com
Identity
Zenith exists to inspire individuals to pursue their dreams and make them come true – against all odds. Since its establishment in 1865, Zenith became the first watch manufacture in the modern sense of the term. Its watches have accompanied extraordinary figures who dreamt big and strived to achieve the impossible – from Louis Blériot’s history-making flight across the English Channel to Felix Baumgartner’s record-setting stratospheric free-fall jump.
With innovation as its guiding star, Zenith features exceptional movements in all its watches, developed and manufactured in-house. The Manufacture continually pushes the boundaries of the possible, from the first automatic chronograph, the El Primero, to the El Primero 21, the fastest chronograph with 1/100th of a second precision, and the Inventor, which reinvents the regulating organ by replacing the 30 plus components with a single monolithic element. Zenith has been shaping the future of Swiss watchmaking since 1865, accompanying those who dare to challenge themselves and break barriers. The time to reach your star is now.
Icon
The first automatic chronograph movement in history with an accuracy of 1/10th of a second, the El Primero movement was released in 1969, becoming an emblematic milestone in watchmaking that has won countless awards. Over forty years later, Zenith timepieces are still equipped with this caliber and its extraordinary mechanism.
Architecture
The first industrial watchmaking manufacture in the modern sense of the term, the Zenith Manufacture, located in the region of Le Locle, the cradle of Swiss watchmaking, looks out over the mountains of Neuchâtel. In a place steeped in history, the Manufacture has employed a revolutionary workflow system based on vertical integration since it was founded in 1865. From design to production, each Zenith watch contains a movement that, once assembled, contains between 150 and 1,000 components. This feat is made possible thanks to close daily cooperation between artisans and specialists, all working together under one roof in the interests of efficiency, and above all to ensure our independence. The characteristic architecture of the Zenith Manufacture boasts a distinctive facade of red and white-painted bricks that proudly spell out the name of the brand with the star symbol, and the letters G.F.J., the initials of our founder. This internationally-renowned Manufacture has moved boldly into the 21st century and today counts 18 buildings on the same site. Faithful to its origins and its values, Zenith has never left the premises where it was founded. Discover the Manufacture with the immersive Zenith 360° Virtual Experience:
To discover the manufacture, click here.
Outlook
Faithful to the creative daring that has defined it since 1865, the Zenith Manufactures celebrate its 150th anniversary. From Louis Blériot to Felix Baumgartner, from Mahatma Gandhi to Roald Amundsen, throughout the course of its long history the House has contributed to some of the greatest human adventures. For a century and a half, Zenith’s driving inspiration has been nurtured by these daring visionaries who decided to follow their star.
Key figures
- 2,333 PRECISION TIMEKEEPING AWARDS SINCE 1903 – A WORLD RECORD
- 600 MOVEMENT VARIATIONS
- 300 PATENTS FILED
Zenith on social media
- #DefyExtreme: Made with Extreme E: The world's lightest automatic high-frequency 1/100th of a second chronograph, f… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
- #DefyExtreme: Extreme E is set to return to Sardinia this weekend for the Island X Prix, and the DEFY Extreme E edi… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
- #DefySkyline: Your DEFY, your colours. Give your DEFY Skyline a personal edge with one of our many coloured rubber… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…