Zenith will make its most awarded movement “from the golden age of chronometry competitions” available again, thanks to an idea from Phillips? Aurel Bacs and Alexandre Ghotbi. Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo also managed to bring in independent watchmaker Kari Voutilainen to restore and hand-decorate a batch of Zenith Calibre 135-O movements, all of which took part and won in observatory chronometer competitions. The result is a contemporary chronometer produced in a series of only 10 pieces (Ref. 40.1350.135/21.C1000), and sold exclusively by Phillips in association with Bacs & Russo. Zenith CEO Julien Tornare: ?I?ve known Aurel Bacs and Alexandre Ghotbi for years. We?ve had discussions about Zenith?s patrimony and what were the hidden treasures that remained to be uncovered. Specifically, they asked about the Calibre 135. Then I had the idea, why don?t we collaborate with Phillips to create a special series around this movement"?
Calibre 135-O

Since its foundation in 1865, Zenith has won well over 2?330 chronometry prizes, with one movement outshining all others during the golden era of observatory chronometer competitions, the Calibre 135-O. Developed from 1945 onwards by Ephrem Jobin, the Calibre 135 was produced from 1949 until 1962 in two distinct versions: a commercial variant, and a second iteration made solely for taking part in chronometry competitions at the Observatories of Neuchâtel, Geneva, Kew Teddington, and Besa...