The world of watches and watchmaking is one of deep lore and lasting legacies that cause chronophiles the world over to flock to the shops, auction sites, and collectors’ conventions in search of their favorite brands and references. In the overloaded Swiss watch market, there are luxury brands that you hear all the time. Whether you love the branding of Rolex, the James Bond love of Omega, the gorgeous pilot watches of Breitling, or the adventuring spirit of Norqain, Switzerland is stocked full of some of the best luxury brands in the world. And then, there are those brands that have stabilized the market from the beginning, those long-lasting names that hold strong for a century. Zenith is one of those brands, and they are not only a legacy brand, but they are one of the future as well.
We got a chance to sit down with Romain Marietta, Chief Product Officer for Zenith, to discuss the brand and how it came to compete with the likes of Rolex, Omega, and IWC. At the end of the day, what it comes down to is philosophy and an adherence to quality and consistency. After two decades with the brand, here is what Marietta had to say about the legacy of Zenith watches.
History
Every great brand starts with a great idea. And every great idea starts with a purpose and a drive. Georges Favre-Jacot had that great idea and began the journey in the mountains where the brand still sits today.
“Our founder was 22 years old when he established the brand,” Marietta says. “So he was very young. This is especially true when you consider that he founded the brand in 1865, up in the mountains, where there was nothing. The railroad just happened to go here. The man wanted to create the most reliable watches of all time and distribute them worldwide.”
One of the coolest pieces of Zenith history is one of the earliest mentions of one of our everyday terms. “For example, he trademarked the name ‘pilot,’ Marietta revealed. “He did that in 1904, only a few months after the first considered flight of the Wright Brothers in 1903. So, he was trying to be a witness of his time. Trying to innovate and anticipate the trends and marketing. So he registered the name pilot, and it still belongs to us.”
Consistency and philosophy
You don’t get to be one of the bigger brands in the world without staying consistent. And for Zenith, consistency means adhering to the same philosophy from the beginning and finding that message that speaks to your customer base. The brand has an interesting balance between luxury and adventure. They aren’t a brand that sticks to simply creating luxury dress watches. They also develop sports and expedition watches that rival the best in both markets. And that desire isn’t accidental; it reaches all the way back to the beginning of their journey.
“The brand’s name, Zenith, means something,” Marietta speaks on the origins of the brand and its impact on the philosophy. “It means a lot, and this is our philosophy. This is why we are trying to be the companions of people who are trying to reach the stars. Regarding the name and the logo representing the highest point in the sky, everything has been thought of in that spirit, and we have been very innovative for more than a century and a half of our existence.”
Big moments
There isn’t a watch brand out there that doesn’t have a moment where they put themselves on the map. One specific reference that hits the market that changes the game. Turning the heads of watch enthusiasts all over the world isn’t easy, but in the same year you had big endings like Micky Mantle retiring and The Beatles giving their last public performance, you see innovations all over the world like the first flight of the Concord, Niel Armstrong landing on the moon, and a watch innovation that changed the industry.
“The highlight of the brand has been to develop the El Primero in 1969. The first automatic chronograph ever, which we are still producing.” Not only is it important because of the innovation, but it also has staying power. “It is the highlight because not only was it the first, but it is still around. We are still working with it, improving and evolving. We are still refining it decade after decade, and it has been there for 55 years. The El Primero is one of the most well-known movements in the history of watchmaking.”
Of course, there are watches all over the Swiss market, but there aren’t many that can boast the kind of century-plus devotion to commitment and quality that Zenith has supported. If you are the kind of person who wants luxury and the desire to reach for the stars, Zenith is a brand created specifically for you.
