As part of the brand’s celebration of 160 years, Zenith has released a limited edition tribute to founder Georges Favre-Jacot in the form of a dress watch powered by a 21st century update of their Calibre 135.

Favre-Jacot was a movement obsessive, his calibres winning over two thousand chronometery prizes. The calibre 135 for which this new watch, named in his honour, may have come much later on in the brand’s history, but it was still a testament to a watchmaking culture that he started. An initiative of then technical director Charles Ziegels, with engineer Ephrem Jobin its designer and maker, it was launched in 1948, with some 11,000 units produced from 1949 until 1962, and used in a myriad of models. There was a further model using this movement called the ‘Zenith 2000’ in the mid 1960s.

The movement was specifically developed to compete, its ‘135’ cablire name a reference to its dimensions – 13 lines (ie. 30mm), the maximum size allowed in Neuchâtel Observatory’s wristwatch category, and 5mm thickness. There were two versions made during its lifetime – the 135 used for commercial production and the ‘O’ calibre variant (135-O) that was the one entered into the observatory competitions.

During its lifetime, the Calibre 135-O won Zenith the wristwatch category chronometer competition five times at Neuchâtel between 1950 and 1954, as well as similar competitions at Kew Teddington, and Besançon. In total, it won a record-breaking 235 chronometry prizes.

It was was revived in 2022 in a collaboration between Zenith and Kari Voutilainen with Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo. Ten ‘O’ movements from 1950-1954 were restored and decorated by Kari Voutilainen’s team – the result was ten pieces in a 38mm sized platinum case with black dials. There was also a single piece in a niobium case with a salmon-coloured guilloché dial whose movement had a pink gold finish – the proceeds of its auction went to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation – it sold for CHF315,000.

So we come to 2025 and the G.F.J. Chronometer Limited Edition. The platinum case is 39.1mm (thickness of 10.5mm), with water resistance of 50m. With a box-style sapphire crystal on top, it features a stepped bezel and curved stepped lugs, and the notched crown is marked with ‘G.F.J.’ initials.

The dial is blue chosen because of its common usage by the brand, and the design features a subtle almost whimsical nod to the founder. Favre-Jacot opened a brick factory to supply the materials for building the Zenith manufacture – there is a guilloché brick pattern on the outer dial ring, on the centre links of the bracelet, and on the buckle of the strap version. This outer ring has white gold markers and pearl minute markers. The central part of the dial is Lapais Lazuli with gold pyrite flecks. At 6 o’clock is a seconds sub dial which is mother-of-pearl. All the hands and applied hour markers are 18k white gold.

The G.F.J. Chronometer’s new manually-wound COSC-certified Cal. 135 has 19 jewels, beats at 18,000 VPH and has a power reserve of 72 hours (3 days), much greater than the original 40 hours. It is not a reproduction but a new version with the dimensions and architecture of the original (offset centre wheel for example), re-engineered for modern watchmaking with the accompanying improved reliability, precision, and performance. There is a new gear train and the balance wheel features regulation screws and a Breguet overcoil hairsprin. Present is a signature feature of the 135-O – the double arrow-shaped regulator allowing for precise adjustment. A stop-seconds has been added, and the balance staff is now protected by spring-mounted jewel settings. The brick decoration also makes an appearance on the new Cal.135, whose bridges have brick guilloché finishing. The barrel features circular a satin finish and the crown wheel is black-polished.

Zenith’s new G.F.J. Chronometer comes with three straps – dark blue alligator with a platinum pin buckle engraved with ‘G.F.J’, black calfskin, and a blue “Saffiano” calfskin straps. There is also a platinum bracelet option with a double folding clasp.

Released in a limited edition of 160 pieces, it has an Australian RRP of $78,400 (EUR 52,900). If you’re wondering, yes, there are vintage 135 watches are available if you do some searching, so you can have one each of the old and the new,

[Photo credit: Zenith]

Categories: Limited Editions, Watch movements, Watch Profile, watches, Watches & Wonders Geneva 2025, Zenith