If you are a watch collector, or just want a high-end timepiece that will be more than just a good watch but a status symbol as well, brands like Rolex or Cartier are well known, safe choice.
But there are so many other options and other brands on the market that are at least as good if not better. These days Zenith watches seem to be the talk of the town. For me, it’s not even a question if Zenith is a part of a luxury watchmaking group.
So let’s solve that mystery. Is Zenith a good watch brand? Zenith is one of the best watch brands in the world. Zenith watches represent the most exquisite craftsmanship. All of Zenith watches are manufactured entirely in-house, including one of the most accurate movements in the world. Over 2300 chronometry prizes for precision are a testimony to the Zenith’s quality.
The quality of the Zenith brand is inscribed in their long heritage and holding to excellence. Still, the brand staid underrated. With this article, I want to answer some of the most common questions about the Brand, and to explain what makes Zenith brand worth of your attention.
5 Reasons Why Zenith Watches Worth It
It is hard to list all the qualities and features of one of the best watches in the world. I am going to list a few key facts about the Zenith brand that make these watches worthy of your attention and money.
1. Zenith Chronomaster El Primero
The El Primero (the first in Spanish) is what Zenith watches are most known for.
It is also most probably the most iconic chronometer movement. It was released in 1969 after 7 years of development as a first automatic chronograph in history.
Today, it takes 9 months and 300 hands to manufacture and assemble El Primero Calibre.
El Primero was also a first 5 Hz / 36,000 VpH high-frequency chronograph capable of measuring 1/10 of a second and it’s still, after more than 50 years one of the most accurate movements out there.
2. Durability
In the watchmaking world, the quality of the movement or accuracy is not of much use without reliability.
This is why Zenith proudly put their movements under the most rigorous tests. Probably the most famous one was for a Red Bull ad, when Felix Baumgartner did a free-fall jump out of the stratospheric balloon (more than 126,000 feet), breaking the sound barrier.
The El Primero Stratos on his wrist never skipped a beat.
3. Innovations
Through their long history, Zenith demonstrated their technical achievements and innovation skills with over 300 patterns.
Although the quality of the movement hasn’t waved in time, Zenith keeps adding the extra innovating tweaks to already an amazing movement.
The newer version, the Chronomaster 2, for example, features the Striking Tenth concept. The Striking Tenth allows the central hand to make a full sweep of a dial-in 10 seconds instead of a 60-second rotation, which is a 6 times of speed of a regular chronograph.
Zenith Defy is another astonishing improvement with a movement that is capable of measuring 1/100th of a second with Zenith’s double- balance configuration. They kept the standard balance for timekeeping that operates at 5Hz/36,000vph while adding a balance for the chronograph beats at 50Hz/360,000vph.
4. The most awarded Brand
Even though Zenith is still not the first name that will cross your mind when talking about luxury watches, it is the most awarded watchmaking company for quality and precision.
It started in 1903 when they entered the first chronometry competition. Since then, Zenith won 2.333 prizes, in different timekeeping categories, for best performing. No company has come close yet.
5. Price and value
Zenith is an affordable, luxury watch brand. Affordability can be a relative term, but when you think about the quality of the movement (we are talking about one of the best movements in the world), the attention to detail and time and effort to manufacture and assemble every single timepiece, then you will definitely agree.
There are very few in-house made chronographs of similar calibre that cost less than 10k. You can find a quite big selection of Zenith watches way under that price, and they are definitely worth it.
Where Are Zenith Watches Made?
Zenith is a Swiss luxury watch company that started in 1865 in Le Locle. Georges Favre-Jacot, who started the company, had an innovative idea for the time, to keep the production process of pocket-watches, from the first piece to the final assembly, under one roof.
From 1911, the Company penetrated international markets, and today Zenith is a part of the LVMH group. However, after 150 of developing and expanding internationally, their watches are still hand-crafted in-house, at the same location.
The whole process, from research and design to final testing, is done in the Swiss headquarters. It takes around 9 months and 80 talented people to create one Zenith watch. Knowing this gives you an additional appreciation for the timepiece on your wrist, that’s what makes them so unique.
Interesting Facts About Zenith Brand
Here are some interesting facts about the Zenith brand. Some are important in understanding Zenith’s position in the watchmaking industry today, and some are just fun to know for the full appreciation of these timepieces.
- Throughout the long history, Zenith had some turbulent periods. In 1971, Zenith was purchased by an American radio company with the same name.
- The new owners of Zenith decided that the development and production of mechanical chronographs are now obsolete and that Quartz is the only solution for the future.
- If not for Charles Vermot, a senior engineer at the time, who preserved plans and equipment for El Primero hiding it into the attic, this would be the end of this historical movement.
After 10 years of being hidden, Zenith thanks to Vermont, made the most lucrative deal in the watchmaking industry and started custom building movements to Rolex specification, which was El Primero with some modifications.
This collaboration lasted until the year 2000 when Rolex made their own in-house chronograph movement and Zenith took the full ownership of El Primero.
- While Zenith was in the ownership of the American radio company, it had no right to sell watches in the US.
- So, only after they were purchased by LVMH in 2000, they started advertising and selling in the US. This explains why such an old and amazing brand is less known and underrated.
- Zenith’s founder, Georges Favre-Jacot, started the company at the age of 22. The legend says that he started much earlier, at the age of 9 when he dropped the formal education and started learning about the watchmaking industry.
- Zenith is known for almost ridiculous tests of durability. The first El Primero in 1970 was strapped to the landing gear of a Boeing 707, for the Air France flight between Paris and New York. Aside from not adjusting to a time-zone change, the watch survived the altitude of 10,000 feet and temperature of -62, unscratched!
- First among equals is a way to describe Zenith’s position in the watchmaking world.
They were one of the first, if not the first, full in-house watch manufacture.
Zenith was one of the first who started the transition from pocket to a wristwatch at the very beginning of the 20th century.
El Primero is known as a first integrated automatic chronograph movement.
Zenith owns the trademark for the Pilot watch, which means no other watchmaker has a right to inscribe the word “Pilot” on their timepieces.
In 1990s Zenith developed an automatic movement the Elite calibre, which was the first movement conceived using computer-assisted technology.
- Every brand has a celebrity who they are proud of for using their product. There is a long list of celebrities who wore a Zenith watch, but Gandhi’s story is just too cool not to be told!
While he was India’s Prime Minister, Mahatma Gandhi got a Zenith pocket watch, with alarm, from Indira Nehru as a gift. In the late ’40s, the watch was stolen, but then returned from a thief with a good heart.
Before passing, Gandhi gave the watch to his granddaughter, and in 2009 it was sold on auction for a symbolic price of $1.8M.
The Best Of Zenith Brand For New Collectors
If you are a new collector or just want to get your first Zenith watch, I am going to list three signature collections from Zenith Brand with watches priced well below 10k.
Remember that you can always get a second-hand Zenith watch; with their precision and durability these watches are not losing the value through the years
Zenith Chronomaster El Primero
The Chronomaster collection offers a 38mm chronograph, with El Primero Caliber 400 (278 parts in the movement and 31 jewels). The watch comes in the original case from 1969.
The larger version is Chronomaster 42mm is equipped with a tachymeter scale and El Primero Caliber 400B (326 parts in the movement) and more elaborate dial with colorful blue and red accents on the dial.
The El Primero Chronomaster collection is in steel and watches are water-resistant up to 330ft.
The price range for new El Primero Chronomaster goes from $6,000 to $7,100, which is an excellent value for watches of this quality.
Zenith Elite
Zenith Elite collection came out in 1994 and continued to produce Elite Calibers since. The collection is classical looking and for those who enjoy a sophisticated style.
The collection offers the Elite Classic and Elite Chronograph Classic.
Elite classic uses Elite 679 automatic movement. It is a 39mm three-hand watch.
Elite Chronograph Classic is powered by the automatic high-frequency El Primero 4069 caliber with 254 parts, and it is 42mm in diameter.
Because of the El Primero caliber, the Elite Chronograph is a bit pricier than Elite Classic (starting from around $7, 000), but both models are worth having and are signature watches from Zenith brand.
Zenith Pilot Watches
Probably the most known, and most loved among the collectors is a Zenith Pilot series, inspired by the aviation watches from the 1950s.
These watches have a massive crown and 45mm in diameter with large luminescent Arabic numerals. The design is simple, easy to read and gives a definite vintage vibe.
You can choose from a variety of colors and materials for the case, strap and dial.
All Zenith Pilot watches are powered with El Primero 460 automatic caliber and have 50 hours power reserve.
The price range for this beautiful combination of vintage look and modern mechanism is between $6,000 to $7,000
