Zenith

Founded in 1865 by 22-year-old Georges Favre-Jacot in Le Locle, Switzerland, Zenith pioneered the concept of centralized watch manufacturing under one roof. The company earned its name from the zenith star observed during a particularly clear night, symbolizing the pinnacle of excellence. Zenith accumulated over 2,333 prizes in chronometry competitions and produced more than 600 movement variations. In 1969, Zenith unveiled the legendary El Primero caliber, one of the first integrated automatic chronograph movements and the highest-frequency series-produced chronograph movement. During the quartz crisis in the 1970s, watchmaker Charles Vermot famously hid the El Primero tooling and plans, preserving the movement for future generations. The El Primero was later used by Rolex in the Daytona for nearly three decades.