Zenith: history, models and value

Founded

1865

Founder(s)

Georges Favre-Jacot

Headquarters

Le Locle

Owner / group

LVMH

Zenith: origins and founding

Georges Favre-Jacot began making watches in Le Locle, in the Neuchâtel mountains, in 1865. According to the brand's history, instead of farming out parts to many small workshops, as was common at the time, he brought the different steps of production together under one roof. In 1912 the company took the name Fabrique des Montres Zenith S.A.

Zenith history and milestones

• 1900: Grand Prix at the Paris World's Fair.
• 1912: The company becomes Fabrique des Montres Zenith S.A.
• 1969: On 10 January Zenith announces the El Primero, an automatic chronograph movement running at 36,000 vibrations per hour.
• 1972: The American Zenith Radio Corporation takes over and shifts production towards quartz.
• 1975–1976: Mechanical movement production is stopped and the El Primero tooling is to be scrapped. Watchmaker Charles Vermot hides the presses, plans and tools in an attic.
• 1978: Dixi buys the Movado-Zenith-Mondia group from Zenith Radio.
• 1988: Zenith starts delivering El Primero movements to Rolex for the Daytona.
• 1994: A new in-house automatic movement, the Elite, is introduced.
• 1999: LVMH buys Zenith.

Zenith says it has won more than 2,300 chronometry prizes over its history.

Famous Zenith models

• A384, A385 and A386 (1969): the first El Primero chronographs. The A384 was made in about 2,600 pieces; the A386 with its tricolour sub-dials is the best known. All three have been reissued in recent years.
• El Primero and Chronomaster: the main chronograph lines, with many versions since 1969, including the 1988–1996 De Luca models with "panda" and "reverse panda" dials.
• Defy: the modern, technical collection.
• Elite: three-hand dress watches built around the 1994 in-house movement.
• Pilot: aviation-style watches.

Many families also own vintage manual-wind Zenith dress watches and pocket watches from before 1969, which are common in estates.

Movements and technique

Zenith is a full manufacture. The El Primero is an integrated automatic chronograph with column wheel, built as one design rather than a chronograph module on top of an automatic movement. Its 36,000 vibrations per hour allow the chronograph to measure tenths of a second. More than 70 versions of the El Primero exist, from date models to versions with full calendar and moon phase, and the movement was also supplied to other brands, most famously Rolex. The Elite calibre from 1994 covers the brand's simpler watches.

Zenith today

Zenith belongs to the LVMH group and is still based in Le Locle. It sits in the upper mid-range to luxury segment, with chronographs as the core of the collection.

Zenith prices on the pre-owned market

Early El Primero references from 1969 and the 1970s are the most sought-after vintage Zeniths. Collectors pay attention to original dials, unpolished cases and original bracelets, such as the Gay Frères ladder bracelet on some A384s. Dials that have aged evenly, for example a black track turned brown ("tropical"), can add interest if they are genuine. Later El Primero models from the 1980s and 1990s, including the De Luca, also have a following. Modern Chronomaster and Defy watches often sell below retail, and simple vintage dress watches with manual-wind movements are more affordable. Box, papers and service records help in every case.

How to recognise a genuine Zenith

A genuine Zenith is signed on the dial, case and movement, and the movement has its own serial number. Vintage cases carry a case number inside the caseback. On an El Primero chronograph, check that the movement really is an El Primero calibre and matches the reference. Watch out for redials, replaced hands and "franken" watches built from mixed parts, which are common with popular vintage chronographs. Our guide explains how to spot a fake watch.

What is your Zenith worth?

Photograph the dial, the caseback and, if you can, the movement, and get a free watch value estimate. If you need a document for insurance, an estate or a sale, you can order a written watch appraisal.

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