Zodiac

In 1882, Ariste Calame founded a workshop for watch production in Le Locle, Switzerland, originally under the name Ariste Calame. The Zodiac name was used earlier but not officially registered until 1908. Louis Ariste Calame, the founder's son, attended watchmaking school and took over the company in 1895. The brand launched its first flat pocket watch in 1928 using the Zodiac calibre 1617 movement. In 1930, Zodiac designed the first automatic sports watch and the popular Autographic, featuring self-winding mechanism, power reserve gauge, unbreakable crystal, radium dial, and water/shock resistance. The landmark Sea Wolf dive watch debuted in 1953, predating the Rolex Submariner. The Super Sea Wolf followed in the early 1970s with improved 750-meter water resistance and was adopted by U.S. Navy SEALs. After financial difficulties in the 1990s under Willy Gad Monnier's ownership, Montres Zodiac SA went bankrupt in 1997. Genender International acquired the brand in 1998, and Fossil Inc. purchased worldwide rights in October 2001 for $4.7 million. The Sea Wolf line was relaunched in 2015 with the Fossil Group-manufactured STP 1-11 movement. Manufacturing remains in Bienne, Switzerland.