Benoît de Clerck currently serves as CEO of Zenith, the renowned Swiss watch manufacturer founded in 1865 by Georges Favre-Jacot in Le Locle, Switzerland. As the brand celebrates its remarkable 160th anniversary, it does so with renewed energy and vision under de Clerck’s leadership. With more than 25 years of experience in the luxury watch industry, he previously played a pivotal role in expanding TAG Heuer’s presence across Asia and later oversaw global sales for Richemont’s prestigious maisons, including IWC and Jaeger-LeCoultre.
Since assuming leadership in 2024, de Clerck has focused on strengthening Zenith’s legacy of precision and innovation—one marked by 2,333 chronometry awards and the legendary El Primero movement. Under his guidance, the brand continues to honor its heritage while embracing modern creativity through advancements such as the El Primero 3600’s high-frequency precision and bold collaborations with contemporary artists like Felipe Pantone.
At the heart of Zenith’s philosophy lies its commitment to in-house craftsmanship, uniting more than 60 specialized skills under one roof. This dedication to mastery ensures the brand’s continued excellence and authenticity.
As a long-time admirer of the brand, I was eager to sit down with Benoît de Clerck to discuss Zenith’s storied past, its present innovations, and its vision for the future of Swiss watchmaking.
Interview with Zenith’s Benoît de Clerck
The Manual: How has Zenith’s founding vision under Georges Favre-Jacot — to integrate all watchmaking skills under one roof — influenced the brand’s approach to innovation and craftsmanship today?
Benoît de Clerck: When Georges Favre-Jacot founded Zenith in 1865, he was only 22 years old. After a trip to the United States, he came back with a vision that changed Swiss watchmaking: to bring all crafts under one roof. He built the first vertically integrated Manufacture in Switzerland: a place where design, movement, construction, and assembly could happen side by side. That model still defines our spirit today. Every Zenith watch is powered by a movement conceived, developed, and crafted in-house in Le Locle, where we’ve been making watches for more than 160 years without interruption. Being a true Manufacture de Movement gives us the freedom to innovate, but also the responsibility to uphold the standards set by our founder.
The Manual: Zenith holds a record 2,333 chronometry awards. What do these achievements reveal about the brand’s commitment to precision, and how do they impact current models like the El Primero?
Benoît de Clerck: These 2,333 awards tell the story of a Manufacture obsessed with precision. They’re not just historical facts; they’re proof of a constant pursuit of accuracy and reliability that continues to define our work today.
The El Primero is a direct descendant of that legacy. When it was created in 1969, it became the first automatic chronograph operating at 5 Hz, a milestone that changed modern watchmaking. More than fifty years later, it’s still in production, now in its third generation with the El Primero 3600. It’s faster, more efficient, and more precise, but the philosophy remains the same: constant improvement in the service of precision.
The Manual: The story of Charles Vermot hiding the El Primero tools during the quartz crisis is legendary. How did this act of preservation shape Zenith’s revival and its standing in the watch industry?
Benoît de Clerck: Charles Vermot’s story is part of what makes us so unique. During the Quartz Crisis, when many believed mechanical watchmaking was over, he refused to accept that. He hid the tools and plans for the El Primero in the attic of the Manufacture, against company orders, simply because he believed the movement would be needed again.
Years later, his decision allowed Zenith to revive the El Primero exactly as it was, at a time when other brands had to start from scratch. That single act of courage not only saved our movement but helped preserve a piece of Swiss watchmaking history. It’s a reminder that sometimes, progress also means knowing what to protect.
The Manual: How does Zenith balance its rich 160-year heritage with contemporary designs, such as the collaborations with artist Felipe Pantone or the reinterpreted Calibre 135 in the G.F.J. watch?
Benoît de Clerck: Heritage at Zenith has never been about nostalgia but about continuity and evolution. The G.F.J. collection is a tribute to our founder, Georges Favre-Jacot, and to the pioneering vision that gave birth to the first integrated Manufacture in Switzerland. With this watch, we wanted to bring back one of the most significant movements in the history of chronometry, the Calibre 135, which is the most awarded observatory chronometer ever, but to do so with the greatest respect for its original spirit. Our engineers worked to preserve the architecture and the character of the calibre while adapting it to the expectations of today’s collectors: improved performance, refined decoration, and a level of finishing that matches modern haute horlogerie standards.
The result is a movement that is faithful to its roots yet fully contemporary as a constant dialogue between history and modern watchmaking.
The Manual: Zenith was a pioneer in areas like powering its factory with electricity in 1886 and producing early video ads in the 1920s. What innovative strategies is the brand exploring now to connect with today’s watch enthusiasts?
Benoît de Clerck: Innovation has always been part of Zenith’s DNA. It’s what gave birth to the El Primero in 1969, and it still drives us today. We’re constantly looking for ways to improve performance and precision, but also to work with materials that reflect the world we live in: lighter, more resistant, more sustainable. Collectors today are incredibly knowledgeable. They understand what’s inside the watch, how it’s built, and why it matters. That pushes us to keep raising the bar. Our role is to stay true to the spirit of excellence that defines us, while continuing to evolve with the same curiosity that’s always been part of this Manufacture.
The Manual: With over 60 skillsets still housed in the Le Locle Manufacture, what role does in-house production play in ensuring the quality and uniqueness of Zenith timepieces?
Benoît de Clerck: In-house production is at the core of everything we do. Having more than 60 specialized crafts under one roof, from movement construction to finishing, from case-making to quality control, gives us total control over every stage of creation. It also creates a unique dynamic between teams. Our designers and engineers work side by side with watchmakers, constantly exchanging ideas to ensure that the design, the mechanics, and the final product form a coherent whole. That dialogue between artistic vision and technical mastery is something you can only achieve when everything happens under one roof.
The Manual: Looking ahead from this 160th anniversary, what future milestones or releases can readers expect that will continue pushing the boundaries of watchmaking excellence?
Benoît de Clerck: Our 160th anniversary was an opportunity to celebrate, but also to set the direction for the years ahead. Zenith is built on four strong pillars: CHRONOMASTER, DEFY, PILOT, and G.F.J., and each of them will continue to evolve.
You’ll see new materials and more high-watchmaking creations under the G.F.J. line. We’re also working to bring our story to new audiences through immersive experiences and partnerships that make sense for the brand. The goal remains the same as it’s been since 1865: to keep moving forward, without ever losing sight of what makes Zenith authentic.
