This year, Zenith is looking backwards and forwards, while also celebrating the brand's phenomenal success. According to worldwide President, Thierry Nataf, presiding over a worldwide pre-Basel event in Dubai, the re-vitalized brand has climbed to the world’s fifth position from 188th in 2001. It's quite a turnaround, but Nataf is not done yet.

Honouring the past
Zenith continues to operate its business on the original manufacturing site in Le Locle, and it is here that the brand will be opening an exhibit about the history of Zenith and time, called ‘Zenith Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow’. The exhibit will be ready for VIPs, press and cel-ebrities this year and open to the public in 2009.
In addition, Zenith plans to have its manufacturing space open for tours, as well.




CHRONOMASTER OPEN GRANDE DATE and CHRONOMASTER MOONPHASE


Celebrating the present
Zenith is embracing its spirit of tradition and modernity with its introductions for this year. In the classic Chronomaster series, Zenith has added a big date with a twist. The Chronomaster Open series is one of Zenith's most popular watches, and the progenitor of the opened watch trend that has spread throughout the industry, and the Chronomaster Open El Primero Grande Date takes it one step further.
“To make a grand date, you need the space for two discs, so the watch is normally oversized,” Nataf explains. “When I designed this watch, I said I wanted the open, the power reserve and the grand date, and my constructors told me it was impossible. I didn't want to change my aesthetic and pushed them - which resulted in a new way of accomplishing the grand date. We didn't do it with two discs; we did it with three disks on different axis. I thought it would be stupid not to show this breakthrough, so I decided to open up the dial to show the three discs. This is the new 4039 calibre: we changed the El Primero completely.” The new Chronomaster is available in two sizes, 44mm (large) and 40mm (small).
Another novelty for this year is a remarkable new tourbillon called the Zero-G, which features a uniquely designed floating tourbillon. Available in an extremely limited series, the Zero-G is a statement watch for Zenith, one for which Zenith has applied for many patents. “I think the design will protect me, as it is so complicated and so difficult to make,” Nataf says. “The cage of a tourbillon is usually made with 50 pieces; the Zero-G cage has 166 components. I built the case around the movement. The watch will retail for 300,000 Euros and I am not sure how many we will be able to make. The reaction has been fantastic - I didn't think it would be so commercial.”
In addition, Zenith's ‘His Watch for Her’ programme has skyrocketed, succeeding all over the world. This year, Zenith adds the Chronomaster Lady, which is a chronograph, perpetual calendar with moon phase.
In the Defy collection, which was a gamble that really paid off for Zenith, the theme is around the sea. A new calibre, called the Sport Classic, graces both the Defy Classic and Defy Xtreme. “The new movement is flexible, has the memory of shape, and will never break,” Nataf details. “It has been constructed to absorb shock.”




DEFY CLASSIC OPEN GRANDE DATE and DEFY CLASSIC CHRONOGRAPH SEA



DEFY XTREME ZERO-G and DEFY XTREME GRANDE DATE


Planning the future
Nataf is a president that is always thinking, always working on the next big thing. He has a number of novelties up his sleeve, more of which he will show throughout the rest of the year.
With what Zenith has shown for this year, the world can't wait to see what's next.


Source: Europa Star April-May 2008 Magazine Issue