Zenith moves forward following a turbulent 2020 and hints at a new project involving vintage watches

For the longest time, the showings from Zenith has been lacklustre. It seemed like they had reached their ‘zenith’ (meaning the highest point on the celestial sphere) back in 1969 with their world-renowned El Primero movement and have just been riding on its coattails since. However, three years ago Julien Tornare took over the helms of Zenith and since then, he has been working hard to bring back the former glory of the brand. With the launch of the Defy Inventor and its new concept of an escapement along with the Defy El Primero 21 that has a chronograph accurate to 1/100th of a second, they are certainly pushing the boundaries in terms of watchmaking technology.

If you are a fan of Zenith or own a piece, or just want more information on the watch industry, this video might be of interest to you. Just yesterday, the Zenith CEO took the stage in their manufacture in Le Locle to highlight the future direction of the brand. Also, for the casual watch enthusiast, it represents a nice inside look into what journalists experience during brand presentations at the major watch fairs.

What I think will be the most interesting piece of information for watch lovers is the fact that they are announcing something called Zenith Icons. Recognising that their vintage watches are quite sought after in watch circles, they have decided to set up a dedicated restoration department in the manufacture. And they will be happy to restore watches that customers send in.

Additionally, they are also going to be offering vintage watches for sale. No, I’m not talking about the re-issues that they did like this A384 revival, but rather real vintage watches that were made decades ago. Tornare mentions that they will focus on a few key models for this project, but all watches offered by Zenith will be certified, authenticated, and have a 2-year guarantee by the manufacture. How great is that?! I think that those looking to get into vintage watches, and have little experience in this field will love the fact that they can still get a vintage watch without all the risks that come when buying from the second-hand market.

 

Other than that, most of what was said relate to how Zenith wants to market themselves moving forward. There was a lot on a new “Time To Reach Your Star” campaign which sees Zenith partnering up with successful individuals in their respective fields to become a symbol of inspiration. As usual, they will be targeting the younger generation, and also even pay special attention to female empowerment. Pretty standard stuff.