The History of Zenith Watches

It was George Favre-Jacot, founder of Zenith, who was the first to unite all watchmaking production under one roof, creating the first ever manufacturer in the watchmaking haven of Le Locle, Switzerland.

To celebrate a century of expert craftsmanship the Zenith El Primero, the first ever integrated automatic chronograph movement was unveiled. This iconic movement was the only one capable of measuring time to the nearest tenth of a second, thanks to its balance oscillating at a frequency of 36,000 vibrations per hour. However, as the horological world became ever more enamoured with the quartz movement, the owners of Zenith watches made the decision, in 1975, to focus solely on the production of quartz watch models. It was this decision that pushed watchmaker Charles Vermot to hide the tools, plans and parts required to make mechanical calibres – securing the brand’s dynamic future. Fast forward to 1984, mechanical watches were back in Vogue and Charles hailed as a horological hero.

Over the last century, Zenith has proudly pushed the boundaries of mechanical watch design. Zenith watches are among the most innovative, technologically advanced chronograph watch models. With no signs of slowing down, Zenith is continually looking to the future. With its Pilot collections and the new Zenith Defy El Primero 21 – a watch which boasts 1/100th of a second accuracy – it’s clear that Zenith is a brand that embodies the spirit of innovation and will continue to strive to create legendary timepieces for centuries to come. Discover more about Zenith watches with the Zenith buying guide.