When Benoit de Clerck joined Zenith as its CEO at the start of last year, he was already an industry veteran with decades of experience with watchmakers such as TAG Heuer, IWC Schaffhausen and Panerai. But he already knew a thing or two about Zenith, of course—because it is a storied brand that is historically important to the industry. “You cannot be in the watch industry and not know about Zenith. It was always on my radar,” de Clerck says. The manufacture is most famous for its El Primero chronograph movement, touted as the world’s first automatic integrated high-frequency chronograph calibre when it launched in 1969. However, even more famous is the story of its almost-demise, when watchmaker Charles Vermot ignored directions to dispose of its production line and instead hid plans and tooling behind a secret wall in the manufacture—an act that allowed its production to be later revived.
Being cognizant of such legend is one thing; actually staring at the attic space that was once a hiding place is another. “It adds authenticity to the story—the story is real!” de Clerck explains of this feeling. “I could touch the wall, you know. That was a real wake-up call.” As a historical manufacture established in 1865, he also found a past filled with plenty of stories that need to be told and re-told. “There is so much behind Zenith. I was happily surprised by the richness of the brand, and the heritage that the brand has,” he adds.
View more images of the launch event
de Clerck was recently in Kuala Lumpur to witness the official opening of Malaysia’s first standalone Zenith boutique. It is located in The Exchange TRX and is operated in partnership with Swiss Watch by Valiram, and gives local watch connoisseurs access to boutique exclusives such as a special run of the Defy Skyline Chronograph with slate grey dial contrasted with a gold-toned four-pointed star pattern. “It’s proof of our commitment to our new and existing customers,” de Clerck says of the new boutique’s importance. “We’re celebrating 160 years, and we will celebrate another 160 years. Having a boutique is an expensive exercise, but the satisfaction of our customer is more important. We’re here, and we’re here to stay.
“I have a couple of friends that are collectors here, and you would be surprised how much they know about the watch industry,” he says of Zenith’s Malaysian clients. “The information they collect is unbelievable. The customer from Malaysia is sophisticated and embodies perfection. Why? Because they have the choice—it works for us, because we are a watch brand for people in the know. We have authenticity and we have heritage. That’s very important.”
Lead image: Zenith CEO Benoit de Clerck
