Zenith is celebrating their 160th anniversary this year, and they’ve taken the opportunity to bring back the renowned caliber 135 (once again) within a new framework named for the brand’s founder, Georges Favre-Jacot. The new watch is the GFJ, and it brings a modern vision of the iconic caliber 135 to life for a second time in recent years. The original caliber 135 is among the most decorated chronometer movements ever made, with the 135-O variant claiming no less than 233 chronometry prizes to its name. These are strong genes to build on, and that’s exactly what Zenith have done with the new GFJ, and this time, 160 examples are planned for production. Oh, and if you’re not into the chronometry stuff, the watch also happens to be quite beautiful.
Zenith is an historic movement manufacture, and while the El Primero may have put it on the map with modern audiences when it was released in 1969, there is no shortage of great calibers within the brand’s catalog that date back much further. For the story of this watch, we go back to the late 1940s, when the caliber 135 was designed by Ephrem Jobin at the request of Zenith’s technical director, Charles Ziegler. The goal was to create a caliber capable of competing in chronometry competitions, and the 135 would go on to do just that, racking up an impressive list of bona fides in the process. The movement would go on to be produced commercially until 1962 in the caliber 135, while the 135-O was created exclusively for chronometry trials.
Existing examples of the caliber 135-O featured in a project completed in 2022, resulting in the sale of ten watches via partner PHILLIPS in association with Bacs & Russo. This year, for the 160th anniversary, the standard caliber 135 is brought back to life using modern techniques while maintaining and furthering its original goals. The result remains a caliber 135, though now it enjoys 72 hours of reserve, an oversized balance beating at 2.5Hz, and a truly unique finish inspired by the bricks that adorn the manufacturer’s facade. And yes, it is still a chronometer. The movement is regulated to within +/- 2 seconds per day, and is officially certified by COSC (whose official chronometer standard is +4/-6 seconds per day).
The reborn caliber 135 is a beautiful sight, and it carries the weight of history proudly. Zenith didn’t stop there, though, and they’ve crafted a dial and case that keeps up with the story happening inside. The GFJ uses a stepped, platinum case that measures 39mm in diameter, and 10.5mm in thickness. The crown nests neatly within a recession along the three o’clock side. Under the box sapphire crystal sits a truly stunning deep blue Lapis Lazuli dial, adorned with a light blue mother-of-pearl subsidiary dial displaying the running seconds. The perimeter of the dial also receives a brick guilloche pattern, matching the bridges of the movement.
The GFJ is a celebration of Zenith’s past rendered with remarkable reverence and respect for a modern audience. If your only exposure to the brand is through the El Primero, this watch will serve as a door to a much deeper history. Just 160 numbered examples will be produced, each priced from $49,900. Zenith
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