The Zenith G.F.J’s Movement Is A Modern Re-Creation Of The Legendary Calibre 135
Winning a record 235 prizes during the heyday of chronometry trials, the Zenith G.F.J is an ode to high-performance watchmaking of the past.
Launched early last year as a 160-piece limited edition, the Zenith G.F.J (RM230,600) shines a spotlight on one of the watchmaker’s golden eras: the chronometry trials of the 1950s. Lest we forget, in this age of quartz watches and smartphones, mechanical watchmaking once served an essential function, and accuracy was paramount. Chronometry trials were where watchmakers could distinguish themselves among the best, and Zenith had been taking part since 1897. In fact, over the years, its movements won 2,333 chronometry prizes, more than any other manufacture can claim.
One of these is particularly legendary — Calibre 135, which was produced in a commercial variant and, as the 135‑O, designed especially for observatory chronometry trials. This version won a record 235 prizes on its own, including five first places in the wristwatch category at the Neuchâtel Observatory from 1950 to 1954. Last year, for its 160th anniversary, the manufacture elected to carry on the legacy of Calibre 135 by recreating it from the ground up, maintaining its award-winning qualities but introducing modern convenience updates such as an extended power reserve of 72 hours.
It is this movement presented within the Zenith G.F.J. Manually wound and ticking at a vintage 2.5Hz, it is rated to +/- 2 seconds per day and is, of course, COSC‑certified. The case is in platinum, and is a balance of vintage and modern proportions with a 39mm diameter and 10.5mm thickness. The dial is a vivid blue lapis lazuli centre, while the circumference has a brick-pattern guilloché that was inspired by the external design elements of the manufacture building in Le Locle, where the watchmaker has been based since its founding in 1865. ‘GFJ’ refers to founder Georges Favre‑Jacot, whose initials also grace the outside of the building in a typeface reproduced very closely on the dial — right down to the slightly questionable kerning. The significance of this timepiece was acknowledged at the 2025 GPHG awards, where it won the Chronometry Prize.
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