ZENITH

Zenith was founded by Georges Favre-Jacot in 1865. The brand unveiled the first pocket chronograph in 1899. A few years later, in 1909, Louis Bleriot flew across the Channel with a Zenith watch. In 1948 the brand introduced the Calibre 135, a wristwatch chronometer with small seconds. In 1960 Zenith launched the Calibre 5011K for marine chronometers and pocket watches. Zenith’s most famous calibre, the El Primero, was released in 1969. This movement became one of the most precise movement made in series. Between 1975 and 1984 Zenith stopped producing El Primero movements. In 1984 Zenith began manufacturing El Primero again for Zenith and for other companies like Rolex. In 1994 Zenith launched the Elite calibre, an ultra-thin automatic calibre. In 2000 the brand was acquired by LVMH. In 2010 Zenith announced the El Primero Striking 10th, a timepiece whose sweeping hand measured tenths of a second. Two years later, Zenith started restoring its historic manufacture in Le Locle and Felix Baumgartner, a base jumper, leaped from the edge of space with a Zenith Stratos Flyback Striking 10th on the wrist.