Zenith

Ornatus-Mundi
[Zenith]
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Dear Elio, thank you for your thoughtful reply...

which speaks out of a deep affection for Zenith.
First, regarding your 'major' design criticism of the movement finish. I guess I am with you here. The 'faux Kevlar' is something I would usually criticise heavily, since mocking a surface (treatment, material, colour) is something I deeply despise. It is simply not 'honest'. Its masquerading.
However, I think in this particular case it has been done as a last minute decision to imbue a special optic to the watch without adding any delay which would threaten the watch's presentation in Basel (again, something up for discussion since the PR concept of Zenith at Basel was 'suboptimal' to use an euphemism, but this is a different topic entirely).
Personally, I would have loved to live without - thus my comment that there is 'opportunity for improvement'.
Secondly, and I think more importantly, are your comments regarding the mid- to long-term strategy of the brand. It is for us (me at least) not quite easily to decipher through either communication and/or products presented.
This is a - if not the - crucial omission I think for their 150th anniversary. The celebrations would have been the optimal stage to describe the path for the future, but unfortunately little has been communicated in this regard.
As for Zenith's position within the range of LVMH's watch brands I guess we have to differentiate between the bona fide watch brands (Hublot, Zenith, TAG Heuer) and those luxury brands which also produce watches (the rest you mentioned). LVMH treats them differently, and the fact that JCB heads 'only' the watch group speaks volume.
Still, there were different signals as to the respective position / market segment of each brand. JCB has recently announced that he intends to devote more of his precious time to Zenith. What does this mean?
I personally hope that the fog will clear soon and, most importantly, Zenith gets a treatment which is truly respectful to the historical excellence of the brand as a reasonable technology innovator in terms of chronometric excellence (timekeeping records) and time measurement (chronographs).
Best,
Magnus