Zenith Watches

In 1865, under the guidance of Georges Favre-Jacot, one of the most mythical manufacturers of quality watches was born. A 22-year old visionary, he was the first to create the very concept of a watchmaking manufacture. He brought all artisan watchmakers together under one roof, providing them with heat and light, allowing them thus to dedicate themselves entirely to the design of their timepieces. He was one of the first watchmakers to understand the importance of the principle of interchangeable parts.

One evening, Georges Favre-Jacot perfected a movement which he considered almost perfection. He went out into the silver night and lifted his eyes towards the heavenly sky. And the cosmos spoke to him. He saw a gigantic constellation turning around the Pole star, similar in its complexity to the movements of the pivots and the wheels on their axes. He decided then to call his new movement after the word that designates the highest point in the universe, Zenith. He adopted the star as a symbol, a shining good luck charm, a celestial guide towards a promising destiny.

Not only is Zenith one of the oldest horological companies but one of a handful that still produces its own mechanical movements. The first Zenith wristwatches were produced in 1915, just a few years before founder Georges-Emile Favre-Bulle dies at the age of 73. In a 1929 precision contest at the Kew Observatory (England), a Zenith watch wins the first prize with a daily rate of 0.6 seconds. Since its beginning, Zenith has been recognized with more than 1500 awards and over 50 calibres to its name, making it the Swiss brand most rewarded for precision.

In 1969 Zenith won renown for introducing the world’s first automatic chronograph movement, the El Primero. Oscillating at 36,000 alternations/hour, the El Primero was able to measure short time intervals to a tenth of a second, an unsurpassed world record. In 1995, Zenith launched a new generation of ultra-thin chronographs, the Elite, recently voted best mechanical movement by the professional press.

To Americans, the name Zenith is less well known than it is to the rest of the world. Because of Zenith Electronics Corporation, Zenith watches weren’t available in the United States for many years. If Americans wanted a Zenith, they either bought a Movado, which sported a Zenith movement, or imported the watch from sellers overseas. With the demise of Zenith Electronic Corporation in the late 1990s, Zenith watch finally developed an authorized dealer network and started doing business in the United States.
from http://www.vintagewatchrestoration.com/history/body.html