Zenith

Dear Magnus,

Usually, to read your reviews leave me without nothing to add, since you have the rare capability to analyze watches from a lot of point of view, adding everytime something emotional and spicy.

This time it's slightly different, since yours is not simply a review. Right?

However, to comment on your today's post is not that easy, since you've put serious questions on the path that Zenith is following/should follow. I'll try to express something both on the watch and on the Brand.

Without any doubt the El Primero Georges Favre-Jacot Titanium is a powerful and attractive piece, a true manifesto about Zenith's technical capabilities. You're right, its original aesthetic is a sort of strenght message. How many Brands have the bravery to differentiate in a so tremendous way two offerings based on the very same watch?

It seems that this piece don't want to simply tell us "I'm a Zenith", he wants to scream "I'M ZENITH". This watch demand to his very fortunate owner a complete, deep love for the Brand. How many times we see the name of the Manufacture repeated two times on the dial? This time, we have it both on the seconds subdial and on the mainspring barrel, respectively combined with 1 and 2 stars.

You're right, the overall aesthetic is not less than striking and I've appreciated the parallel with the legendary and unparalleled Superleggera (well... maybe your comparison was just a bit too much enthusiastic). I've found two minor weak points and a major one. The former are: I prefer the dial without the "Force constante" writing and I suggest to equip the watch with a less common crown. The latter is: I think that the design of the back is totally out of topic, incoherent with the watch face; it's not bad, but it's just a different theme for a different watch. Maybe, they've better take advantage of this kevlar-like pattern on a watch with a kevlar-like dial finish, instead of putting two schools in the same product.

Now, about the Zenith strategy... What could we say? Maybe, we both think that the future of our loved Manufacture lays in a tick fog. The much anticipated "refoundation" produced only some beautiful crackles. The 175th anniversary didn't leave a mark. The new Elite 6150 (but.. does it really exists???) is only a shy attempt. They even didn't realized the limited series I was expecting for PuristSPro!!!

Well, Magnus, we don't have to forget that Zenith is a very tiny part of a very big group like LVMH. The "watches & jewelry" house of LVMH hosts Bulgari, Chaumet, De Beers, Fred, Hublot and TAG Heuer, beyond Zenith. Do you know their strategy? Of course, not. As a consequence, how could we guess on the Zenith's strategy? And how could we express our opinions without having a iota of sales data?

Thank you for let me meditate on a Brand I'm so attached to.

Ciao,

Elio

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