Zenith Academy Christophe Colomb Hurricane (18.2212.8805/36.C713)

GMT - Automne-hiver 2009Interview by What image did you have of Zenith when you were offered the job of CEO?
The same I still have, meaning that of a magnificent watch manufacturer with an uninterrupted history of 144 years behind it, and which makes the finest self-winding chronograph movement on the market: El Primero, the first and only high-frequency chronograph calibre, produced in Le Locle since 1969.We have made 600,000 of them in 40 years and we repair less than 1% per year - figures that provide the best possible proof of its reliability.

What image do your customers have of the brand?
Since I began on June 3rd, I have visited over 100 points of sale representing Zenith in Europe, the United States and in Asia. Everyone agrees that Zenith is a brand with an excellent image in terms of quality and precision. Customers interested in our watches are looking for authentic added value. We can offer them just that thanks to our expertise which has gained ever greater credibility by the registration of over 170 patents, along with the 1,500 prizes we have received.

What has happened at Zenith since you took the helm on June 1st?
A lot of things! Some tough events such as the activation of a redundancy plan, as well as some exciting projects such as the launch of preparations for our new collections to be presented at Baselworld 2010. I want to try and unite the full range of teams encompassing our 44 professions behind me in order to confirm Zenith's place on the high-end chronograph market in the coming years. The chemistry is good; I feel at ease in my position at the head of this brand and I am fortunate in being able to look forward to coming to work every morning. I think I can honestly say that I get on well with the various crew members of the Zenith ship.

What opportunities for Zenith do you perceive in the current crisis?
Every time we go through a crisis, the cards are re-dealt. I have read that in Chinese the word crisis translates as "danger" and "opportunity". We will be careful, and at the same time we will do everything in our power to consolidate our leadership position on the chronograph and mechanical watch market.
Don't you think the race for grand complications is going to run out of steam and that watchmaking connoisseurs are likely to return to more useful and restrained functions?
What will run out of steam is the fact of just any brand being able to offer a tourbillon or another complication without any credibility. Today, allthe watches manufactured by Zenith are equipped with Zenith movements. We are capable of repairing all the watches we have made, without any time limit. We offer genuine added value. That is what customers are looking for today when they invest money in a timepiece.
What kind of new product directions are you planning to take in the medium term? Will you for example maintain ladies' watches in the Zenith collections?
There will of course always be a place for women's models at Zenith. We produce 100% in-house mechanical watches and there is a real demand for this kind of product today. With regard to the collection as a whole, we are going to focus on Haute Horlogerie collections, Defy in the field of sports watches, El Primero as the chronograph "benchmark", and Elite for classic watches.
What can brand enthusiasts expect to see at the next Baselworld?
We are working extremely hard on a new project for our El Primero collection. We want to revive the powerful emotions of 1969 within a 21st century product! We have a certain number of great surprises in store which I look forward to unveiling six months from now.
On which markets do you plan to concentrate your efforts in the coming years, and why?
Zenith is distributed around the world and no particular market is particularly favoured. There are however certain markets that are coping with the crisis better than others, such as Asia.