Zenith
Le Locle, Switzerland · Est. 1865
Founded by Georges Favre-Jacot
Zenith was founded in Le Locle in 1865 by Georges Favre-Jacot and is the home of the El Primero — the world's first automatic high-frequency chronograph movement, introduced in 1969 and subsequently used to regulate the Rolex Daytona for decades. Now part of LVMH, the brand has undergone a creative renaissance under CEO Julien Tornare.
- Founded
- 1865
- Headquarters
- Le Locle, Switzerland
- Group
- LVMH
- Price Segment
- Luxury
- Status
- Active
Key Collections
- El Primero — Zenith's legendary high-frequency automatic chronograph, first introduced in 1969, beating at 36,000 vph for 1/10th-of-a-second precision.
- Defy — Modern, sporty collection pushing technical boundaries with skeleton dials and innovative materials like carbon fibre and ceramic.
- Chronomaster — Refined chronograph collection housing the El Primero movement in elegant cases suited for everyday wear.
- Pilot — Aviation-heritage collection inspired by Zenith's historical supply of instruments and watches to pilots and air forces.
Timeline
- 1865 — Georges Favre-Jacot, aged 22, founds a vertically integrated watch manufacture in Le Locle, Switzerland — one of the first manufactures d'horlogerie.
- 1900 — Wins the Grand Prix at the Paris World's Fair for the 'Zenith' movement; the company later adopts the name.
- 1911 — Officially renamed Fabrique des Montres Zenith S.A. after its celebrated movement.
- 1969 — Introduces the El Primero, the world's first automatic chronograph movement, beating at 36,000 vibrations per hour.
- 1975 — Watchmaker Charles Vermot secretly hides the El Primero tooling in the attic during the quartz crisis, saving the calibre from destruction.
- 1999 — Acquired by LVMH, joining TAG Heuer and Hublot in the group's watch and jewellery division.
- 2019 — Launches the Defy El Primero 21, capable of measuring 1/100th of a second with a dual-escapement system.
- 2020 — Julien Tornare continues as CEO; Zenith pushes the Defy line as the brand's modern pillar alongside the heritage Chronomaster and Pilot collections.
- 2023 — Launches the Defy Skyline, a luxury-sport watch with integrated bracelet and 1/10th-second chronograph, targeting the competitive luxury-sport segment.
- 2025 — Celebrates 160th anniversary with blue ceramic Defy collection and the G.F.J. (Georges Favre-Jacot) tribute watch at Watches & Wonders 2025. Also releases Chronomaster Sport Rainbow, Defy Skyline Chronograph Skeleton, Defy Zero G Blue Sapphire, and Defy Extreme Lapis Lazuli limited edition.
- 2025 — Wins the Chronometry Prize at the 25th Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) for the revived Calibre 135 G.F.J.
- 2026 — Debuts the Defy Skyline Skeleton in black ceramic and rose gold at LVMH Watch Week. Announced as the movement developer and producer for multiple LVMH brands including Tiffany & Co. and Gérald Genta.
Frequently Asked Questions about Zenith
- What is the El Primero?
- Launched in 1969, the El Primero is the world's first integrated automatic chronograph movement, famous for its 36,000 vph frequency enabling 1/10th-second precision.
- Who owns Zenith?
- Zenith has been a subsidiary of LVMH since 1999. It remains headquartered in its original manufacture in Le Locle, Switzerland.
- How was the El Primero saved during the quartz crisis?
- Watchmaker Charles Vermot secretly hid the El Primero tooling and parts in the attic of the Le Locle factory, preserving the calibre when management ordered mechanical production stopped.