Time to reach your star: Zenith 2020 keynote lays out the path ahead

Zenith has always accompanied those who had big dreams and the determination to chase and fulfil them. “Time to Reach Your Star” has been Zenith’s creed ever since its foundation. Far more than a slogan or tagline, it is a philosophy and mindset that has encompassed all the brand’s activities from the very beginning of its story. Over the past two years, the Time to Reach your Star mantra has been carefully woven into all of Zenith’s facets, including its products, brand identity, boutique design, and the unique individuals who best embody it – past and present.

It all began with Georges-Favre Jacot, a 19th century visionary who dreamed of making the most precise watch known to man and, at only 22 years old, took on the challenge of creating Switzerland’s first integrated watch manufacture, One night, while leaving the Manufacture after finalizing the last details of the launch of his new chronometer calibre (which would go on to win countless prizes), Georges Favre-Jacot looked up at the starry night sky and came to the realisation that he had reached his star, his 'zenith' – the highest point in the sky. It was then and there that he decided to name the calibre as well as his manufacture Zenith, the peak of a star’s trajectory.

Since then, Zenith has gone on to accompany extraordinary figures who went on to achieve exceptional feats. Like Louis Blériot, who became the first man to fly across the English Channel, or Felix Baumgartner who jumped from the edge of space, the legacy of Zenith is lined with the stories of individuals who turned their dreams into reality.

Today, Zenith highlights this unique and inspirational journey that puts the emphasis on human achievement and individual fulfilment with a new campaign that is as much about people as it is about experiences and products. Surrounding itself with likeminded individuals who share the same passion and relentless drive, like tennis coach and mentor Patrick Mouratoglou and superstar DJ Carl Cox, Zenith remains true to its guiding star. To bring this philosophy to a global audience, Zenith is embarking on a new visual advertising campaign that depicts men and women looking forward towards their objectives. No matter what the dream is, Zenith stands with those who reach towards it.

A 21st CENTURY VIRTUAL SHOPPING EXPERIENCE

At Zenith, innovation isn’t limited to just watchmaking. Being the first Manufacture to open its doors to the public, the brand has always sought new and creative ways to share its unique and inspirational story with the world. With the launch of its new website earlier this year came the Zenith 360° Video Virtual Experience, where users can take a trip through space and time and discover the Zenith Manufacture as well as the heroes that have shaped its unique trajectory. During the COVID-19 lockdown when the Manufacture couldn’t welcome visitors, the 360° video Zenith shared was wholly appreciated for its virtual immersion into the Manufacture’s workshop and even Charles Vermot’s secret attic.

Now, the visit is growing into something unprecedented in the watch world: an immersive, shoppable virtual experience, taking customers on a magical shopping journey enabling seamless from social media and digital content to the 360° experience and finally the e-commerce platform for a uniquely interactive shopping experience, users will get to live the stories and discover the watches in 3D, starting with the Defy Midnight, the Pilot Type 20 and the Chronomaster Revival Shadow.

ZENITH ICONS COLLECTION – A NEW ERA OF VINTAGE

The past and the future are undoubtedly intertwined; even for a brand as forward-thinking as Zenith. Today, many of the brand’s historical watches have become highly prized collectibles among discerning watch aficionados. Wishing to offer its customers exceptional experiences on all fronts, Zenith is proposing a special new service, providing the possibility to acquire vintage watches sourced, restored and certified by the Manufacture and sold through a trusted channel: ZENITH ICONS. 

To give a second life to these historical creations, the Manufacture’s Heritage department sources the finest examples of coveted vintage Zenith references, which are then faithfully restored by a specially dedicated team within the Manufacture’s Restoration atelier. Given that Zenith has a complete archive of its entire history’s production and a vast inventory of historical components, its vintage watches can be restored in the very same place that they were originally made and, using historical components; a feat very few watch manufactures can claim.

Zenith invites its customers to discover and shop a curated Zenith Icons collection of refurbished iconic vintage pieces from the comfort and convenience of a Zenith boutique, with the peace of mind in knowing that there can be no doubt about the watch’s provenance and history, and that it has been restored faithfully and by the Manufacture with complete traceability.

DREAMHERS – A CELEBRATION OF WOMEN’S ACCOMPLISHMENTS 

2020 is a noteworthy year for Zenith and its approach to women’s watches. It marks the introduction of Zenith’s first-ever collection tailored solely for women: the DEFY Midnight. Modern, versatile and full of character, the line is dedicated to confident and driven dream-chasers: The ZENITH DREAMHERS.

Zenith is launching a new global campaign, highlighting local inspirational and visionary women who have strived to reach their star and fulfil their dreams, no matter the adversity that stood in their way; the kind of women who live the “Time to Reach your Star” ethos to the fullest and best represent the spirit of DEFY Midnight, a decidedly 21st century watch for women who live an active life, always working towards making their dreams a reality. And because Zenith celebrates uniqueness, the DEFY Midnight offers a variety of easily interchangeable straps in different colors and materials, as well as its ergonomic integrated steel bracelet. 

Dubbed “DreamHers”, the campaign will be rolled out from mid-September 2020, and will begin with British ballet dancer Precious Adams of the English National Ballet, Spanish architect-turned-painter Teresa J. Cuevas and Japanese television reporter and Zenith’s newest Friend of the Brand, Airi Hatakeyama. You can look forward to discovering more about Zenith DreamHers and their inspirational stories in the coming weeks and months.

ZENITH: TIME TO REACH YOUR STAR.

Zenith exists to inspire individuals to pursue their dreams and make them come true – against all odds. Since its establishment in 1865, Zenith became the first watch manufacture in the modern sense of the term, and its watches have accompanied extraordinary figures that dreamt big and strived to achieve the impossible – from Louis Blériot’s history-making flight across the English Channel to Felix Baumgartner’s record-setting stratospheric free-fall jump. 

With innovation as its guiding star, Zenith features exceptional in-house developed and manufactured movements in all its watches. From the first automatic chronograph, the El Primero, to the fastest chronograph with a 1/100th of a second precision, the El Primero 21, as well as the Inventor that reinvents the regulating organ by replacing the 30+ components with a single monolithic element, the manufacture is always pushing the boundaries of what's possible. Zenith has been shaping the future of Swiss watchmaking since 1865, accompanying those who dare to challenge themselves and break barriers. The time to reach your star is now.