Zenith still reaches for perfection with 160 year celebration

Bringing back the cherished calibre 135

By Mark D McKee Published April 2, 2025

Zenith GFJ hero — Zenith

When Watches and Wonders takes off, there is always a collection of brands fans rush to see what new things they can look forward to. Zenith has always been at the forefront of the industry ever since the founder climbed a mountain and was a inspired by the peak of the sky, where he got the name Zenith. Now, the Zenith 160th Anniversary collection brings back the honored calibre 135 in a collection of watches, one even named after the founder himself, Georges Favre-Jacot.

“Few movements in watchmaking history have achieved the level of chronometric excellence and recognition as the calibre 135,” says Benoît de Clerck, CEO of ZENITH WATCHES. “More than just a technical achievement, it became a true icon of precision. Bringing it back for our 160th anniversary is about honoring this legacy while sharing it with a new generation of collectors. With the G.F.J., we have reimagined this legendary movement, not simply as a nod to the past, but as a way to share a defining part of its heritage while offering a contemporary interpretation that resonates with today’s spirit, and we are deeply proud of it.”

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This collection has four drops: the Chronomaster Sport 160th Anniversary Edition, Defy Skyline Chronograph 160th Anniversary Edition, and the Pilot Big Date Flyback 160th Anniversary Edition. These represent the best of Zenith’s past. But the CFJ is the crowning jewel of the new collection and a signal of the brand’s future.

“We decided to bring back the legendary calibre 135 as a celebration of our 160th anniversary and pay tribute to our Maison’s rich watchmaking heritage,” says Romain Marietta, CPO of ZENITH WATCHES. “The exclusive 2022 edition, developed with Kari Voutilainen and Phillips, reignited interest among collectors and enthusiasts, highlighting the historical significance of this calibre for ZENITH. Building on that enthusiasm, we wanted to bring back this emblematic movement, not simply as a nod to the past but as a way to share a defining part of its legacy while offering a contemporary interpretation that resonates with today’s spirit.”

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Mark is a full-time freelance writer and men's coach. He spent time as a style consultant and bespoke suit salesman before…

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The year 1969 made watchmaking history when the first automatic chronograph movement came out. Zenith's El Primero caliber, a fast, complete chronograph, became the first to finish among other makers. The round A386 watch, with its three-color counters, became the brand's main model that showed Zenith's chronograph past.
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The midnight blue dial creates a good blend—it mirrors the blue outer scale, the date window frame, and the date disc for color matching. The blue, grey, and silver counters lie slightly on top of each other. They have a spiral finish that stands out against the sunray-brushed blue dial.
Older style shows through the correct fonts and logos that match the first watch. It also has raised, cut, and lit hour markers. The trapezoid date window at 4:30, the double outer scale, the white stick hands with black parts and glowing material, and the bright red central chronograph seconds hand keep true to its past.
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Fast work changes sub-dial details, with all counters reading to 60. Small seconds appear in the light grey sub-dial at 9 o'clock. The 60-minute counter sits in the dark grey sub-dial at 6 o'clock. The 60-second elapsed times show in the blue sub-dial at 3 o'clock.
Digital scans of the 1969 watch led case building, making sure of the real 38mm size with a sloped side, sharp cut lugs, pump pushers, and mixed brushed and shiny parts. The very thin edge keeps original sizes. Newer additions include curved sapphire glass on the front and back.
The El Primero 3600 appears through the 12-sided caseback edge. It keeps a column wheel and flat parts while offering a 60-hour power hold and a stop-seconds function. The open rotor shows the new movement's blue column wheel and open bridges.
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The other design has a silver sun-ray face with blue hands. These colors aim to show the clear difference between clean mountain snow and bright mountain sky. This color scheme catches the look of high places and also makes sure you can read the watch in different light.
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The partnership shows how Swiss brands can work together well to celebrate shared culture. They also make products that sell and appeal to people in Switzerland and other countries. The railway is known for being exact and dependable, which fits well with Tissot's Swiss-made quality rules.
These special watches show the charm of mountain travel and respect the building success that makes Switzerland's mountain railways possible. This makes watches that show both nature's beauty and human cleverness.