At Zenith’s A Star Through Time exhibition, the story of the Swiss watchmaker’s past, present and future were highlighted in a continuous gallery of storytelling. This worldwide exhibition tour began with Singapore as its first stop, at Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza. It began with the Zenith’s history, which began in 1865, with displays of vintage documents, advertising, and timepieces, before moving on to the mid-century highlight: the El Primero. Debuting in 1969 as the world’s first automatic chronograph, it is now a celebrated icon of a timepiece—one better appreciated after knowing how it was nearly lost.
In 1975, and in the midst of the quartz crisis, the owners of Zenith at the time ordered the abandonment of mechanical watchmaking—and with it, the discarding of the tools, stamping presses and other machinery required to manufacture the El Primero calibre. A watchmaker, Charles Vermot, defied these orders and secreted the equipment away, where they would be recovered over a decade later for production to resume. A reconstruction of one of these attic hiding places immersed viewers in this story, as did a short film honouring Vermot’s efforts.
“We still talk about the El Primero today, 50 years later,” says Zenith CEO Julien Tornare. “It’s a legendary movement that should last forever.” This year also saw the release El Primero A386 Revival, a vintage-accurate reissue of the first ever El Primero. As a testament to the El Primero’s staying power, this limited edition includes a 50-year warranty, as well as an invitation to celebrate with Zenith the 100th year anniversary, in 2069—and if they show up, Tornare promises another 50 years of warranty. “The movement is forever,” he says. “I want people to remember this incredible movement that went through the times.”
The last stages of the exhibition were devoted to the latest in Zenith’s Defy collection, including the new Defy Inventor and its silicone oscillator. The Defy collection has made a name for itself with its avant-garde looks and technological advancements, such as the Defy El Primero 21, a chronograph capable of measuring 1/100th of a second. Zenith is a relative rarity in the watchmaking world in the way it gives equal weight to both its heritage and to innovation. “We cannot hide the fact that we have 154 years of history, so we need to continue to capitalise on what has been done,” Tornare says, while cautioning against watchmakers only repeating past creations.
“I think the only way to continue is to create and innovate,” he says, and hopes that in the future, people will say that Zenith was just as innovative in 2020 as it was in 1969.
