1. A history of accuracy: The history of Zenith of accuracy
Zenith was created in 1865 by Georges Favre-Jacot in Le Locle, Switzerland and the adventure retells the history of a century and a half of precision watchmaking. The brand was initially introduced under the name Fabrique des Montres Zenith S.A., after which the company succeeded to attract immediate fame due to the “Zenith” movement, which was a caliber of exceptional precision recognized in several award-based chronometry observatory trials.
In 2025, the watchmaking industry is experiencing the 160th anniversary of innovation of the company. It is celebrated by a set of commemorative models characterizing the union of the historic values of Zenith with space-aged design and materials. Charging ahead of this festive charge is the acts of daring to present a new blue ceramic material and color that reinforces the tagline of the brand, one that is relentless in its pursuit innovation and in its passion to celebrate craft.
2. Why Blue? The Red Thread that Connects Past and Future of Zenith
CEO Benoit de Clerck revealed that blue has always been a matter of symbolism to the brand all the way to the founder. Associating the color with the sky above Le Locle, Georges Favre-Jacot perceptually transformed the emotional meaning of the blue sky to a persistence trope in Zenith decor. Whereas the previous lineups offered a range of blue colors, the collection to celebrate the 160th anniversary is presented in a blue ceramic finish as a hint of unity and precision.
The manufacture of this specific ceramic color needed high technical skills. Being not just complicated to work with, but also potentially complicated to work with when it is required to be coloured exactly, ceramic also finds its way into this list. Most pigments change or opaque during firing in unpredictable ways. Creating the dynamic, consistent Zenith Blue color which can operate in high-temperature environments was a success of materials engineering – a sign of up-to-date capabilities of the brand.
3. However, video work is actually related to the world of ceramics: it is a feature film telling the story of material innovation in these ceramic watchmaking.
One popular characteristic of ceramic cases is that they are lightweight, non-scratch and hypoallergenic which attracts both collectors and enthusiasts; these are the best features of ceramic cases. But, in contrast to the case with metals, the same cannot be performed with ceramic and polishing and machining. It is a brittle material that requires careful engineering and it is difficult to obtain colour uniformity because firing temperatures are very high more than 10000C.
The fact that Zenith is able to produce this new blue ceramic shows what the brand has managed to achieve in technology. It also addresses the fact that the brand doesn watch only to provide customers with visually beautiful watches, but the products that push the limits of manufacturing. The end product is a bright, royal-indigo-looking color that is contemporary as well as steeped in history.
4. The So-called Blue Ceramic Limited Editions: The Trio is introduced.
The 160th anniversary of the brand consists of three limited types (only 160 pieces) chronographs. These models mark the mastery of Zenith when it comes to form and the function and point also to one of its most treasured and much-loved inventions: the El Primero movement.
- Pilot Big Date Flyback 160th Anniversary
- Defy Skyline Chronograph 160th anniversary
- Chronomaster Sport 160th Anniversary
Both models are taking advantage of the Zenith Blue signature ceramic to create two watches that feature exclusive complications and finishing touches, ensuring the brand stands out with reference to the competitive world of luxury chronographs.
5. Pilot Big Date Flyback 160th: A Tribute to Aviation Legacy of Zenith
Zenith is among the few watchmakers that are legally authorized to put the word Pilot on its dials because it has been in aviation industry for long. The Pilot Big Date Flyback 160th Anniversary edition is another representation of this legacy. The blue microblasted ceramic case (41mm) is no less impressive as it is fitted with two replaceable rubber straps with a Cordura effect in Zenith Blue as well as white, to bring a modernist edge to the historical allusions in the construction of the watch.
The dial is an exercise of great functionality and simplicity, showing horizontal grooves, chronograph oversized counters at 3 and 9 oclocks as well as an immediate big date blow at 6 o clock. Running on the El Primero 3652 caliber, the flyback feature enables the chronograph owner to rotate and restart at a momentary instance which is rather important in aviation and racing.
6. The Urban Innovation in Motion is Defy Skyline Chronograph 160th
The Defy Skyline Chronograph is unleashing in June 2025, and this time around it carries it to the extreme, aesthetically, and mechanically. This watch has a 42mm case with the El Primero 3600 movement also featured as a part of this watch which can measure 1/10 of a second. Skeletonized dial helps to admire the inner complexity of mechanics, focusing on transparency and motion.
It comes with a blue ceramic bracelet with a bit of futurism and the dial has a starry sky and this is related in an indirect way to the four-pointed star logo of the brand. The heritage of the earlier Defy models continues with tricolor overlapping subdials at 3, 6, and 9 o-clock, and a beautiful case construction mentions order and strength, ideal characteristics of city explorers and modern collectors.
7. The Chronomaster Sport 160th: Zenith in a New Light
The Chronomaster Sport special release 160th Anniversary with its September delivery may prove to be the most crowd pleasing of the three pieces. Housed in a 41mm blue ceramic case with pump-like pushers, it symbolizes the ideal combination of the traditional and new hi-tech engineering.
Featuring the same El Primero 3600 caliber as the original, the present model does sport a sunray-finished brushed dial with the key feature of overlapping chronograph subdials, but here, they are dressed in slightly different hues of blue. The ceramic bracelet that accompanies it is also a fitting pair and is open to the utilization of a rubber strap.
8. Beyond Aesthetic- The Return of Calibre 135 in the G F J
Though the three blue chronographs mark the current state of Zenith, the re-issued G.F.J. with the Calibre 135 marks its history. Calibre 135 dominated observatory chronometry contests between the late 1940s and the early 1960s: five years running, 1950 to 1954, it was awarded the first prize at the Neuchatel Observatory.
In 2022, Zenith and Phillips together with Kari Voutilainen refurbished ten historical Calibre 135 movements, restoring them to modern levels of finish. The Calibre 135 G.F.J. was the direct descendant of that project; a re-engineered product that still has the DNA of its historic past but acquires the modern standard of performance and beauty.
9. The Next Step: Movement of Monumental Finish
The G.F.J is the Calibre 135, with 2.5 Hz frequency and regulated to very good +/-2 seconds each day. The movement comprises Breguet overcoil and provides a 72-hour power reserve, almost twice more than its historical predecessor.
The movement is visually stunning as well as pragmatic, which can be viewed through a sapphire caseback. The plates are Guilloch blue brick decoration and it is hand polished Anglage, beveled bridges and used platinum to enhance its royal look. It serves as a reminder that even mechanical beauty can employ the same emotive impressiveness as it might incorporate technical supremacy.
10. A Dial Of Distinction: Lapis Lazuli and Mother-of-Pearl
The dial of the G.F.J is a marvelous work of texture. The outer ring is a carefully detailed guilloche brick pattern which is interrupted by 18k white gold indices and beads. The main body is of a solid piece of Lapis Lazuli stone, which is well known by its dense blue color and naturally formed gold lines.
A subdial made out of light blue mother of pearl serves to add yet another level of sophistication at 6 o clock. The highlight of the contrasting textures and materials addresses the extra level of detail and the entire makeup is placed in a 950 platinum case. The alligator leather strap is dark blue in color with the possible full platinum bracelet that completes the noble profile of the watch.
11. Rarity and Vending: A dream of a collector
The three blue ceramic chronographs as well as the G.F.J. among the four anniversary models will be each limited to only 160 pieces. This type of scarcity reveals their valuable nature to collectors and glorifies the importance of the 160-year anniversary.
Prices start at CHF 15,400 (USD ~15,500) with the Pilot Flyback to CHF 48,900 (USD ~49,900) of the G.F.J platinum. They are not watches but horological masterpieces made specifically to please connoisseurs who have a taste in matters of legacy, craft, and innovation.
12. Future of Swiss Watchmaking As a result, Zenith maintains an industry role in the future of Swiss watchmaking
Thanks to its collection of 2025, Zenith vindicates its status as one of the innovators of Swiss watchmaking. When digital wearables are becoming a trend, Zenith is firmly committed to the mechanical perfection. The combination of new materials, such as ceramic and revival of the historic movements demonstrate that the brand is not afraid to change and pay homage to the past.
Heritage is all in this industry and Zenith is different in that it never rests on its laurels but constantly innovates and pushes its boundaries higher and higher, not only in beauty, but in technology. What they are doing provides a blueprint of how luxury timepieces should be moving in the future: the product is solidly based in the past yet constantly moving forward.
