In an era driven by disruption, there’s something reassuring about a brand that doesn’t just chase the future, but shapes it through its past. This year, ZENITH, the Swiss watchmaker whose name is synonymous with horological precision, marks 160 years with a tribute that feels more personal than pompous. Enter the G.F.J., a collection as poetic as it is precise, honouring the initials of its visionary founder, Georges Favre-Jacot.
Favre-Jacot was only 22 when he began a quiet revolution in Le Locle, Switzerland. His belief? That excellence wasn’t accidental, it was engineered. By uniting all watchmaking professions under one roof, he created one of the first true manufactures. His vision reached skyward, hence the name “ZENITH,” borrowed from the highest point in the sky. In 2024, that dream is distilled into a timepiece that bridges heritage and modernity with grace: the G.F.J.
At its heart lies the Calibre 135, a movement with serious history. Originally introduced in 1949, it wasn’t created for mass production—it was crafted to compete. Literally. This was the movement that dominated observatory trials for over a decade, gathering accolades like medals at a championship. Now, in a rare act of horological archaeology, ZENITH brings it back, not as a relic, but as a refined statement for contemporary collectors.
This isn’t about nostalgia, it’s about narrative.
The 2024 G.F.J. edition arrives in a 39mm platinum case, whose balanced proportions recall the best of mid-century design while still feeling modern on the wrist. But the real story lies in the dial, a canvas that speaks to both craftsmanship and emotion. The outer ring, rendered in a meticulous brick guilloché pattern, pays homage to the original walls of ZENITH’s manufacture. At the centre, Lapis Lazuli, deep blue, flecked with gold, evokes a starlit sky, a direct nod to the brand’s celestial name. The moonlike glow of the mother-of-pearl subdial at six o’clock reminds us that time, like beauty, is best appreciated slowly.
There is restraint here, but not reticence. The G.F.J. doesn’t shout; it doesn’t need to. In a world often obsessed with digital immediacy, it offers a tactile, timeless kind of connection. Each detail, be it the baton-style hands, the “Saffiano” calfskin leather strap, or the small seconds function, is a reminder that true luxury lies in refinement, not extravagance.
ZENITH CEO Benoît de Clerck puts it best: “With the G.F.J., we have reimagined this legendary movement not simply as a nod to the past, but as a way to share a defining part of its heritage while offering a contemporary interpretation that resonates with today’s spirit.”
And that spirit, it seems, is changing. Collectors today are not merely looking for status, they are looking for story. For substance. For something that connects them to a greater lineage of taste and timekeeping. The G.F.J. answers that call, not with fanfare, but with quiet assurance. It is a piece to wear, but also to contemplate.
In a world where watches often serve as symbols of bravado, ZENITH’s G.F.J. feels like something far rarer: a watch that speaks not of arrival, but of appreciation, for precision, for history, and for the quiet joy of looking down at your wrist and remembering where you’ve been.
Because sometimes, to move forward with confidence, it helps to have a star to guide you.
