Hands-On: Zenith’s Resurrected Caliber 135-Powered ‘G.F.J.’
The revival of a storied caliber is a vintage lover’s dream come true, and if there’s been a movement I’ve been dreaming about for a while, it’s the caliber 135. The reissue of the Zenith Caliber 135 Observatoire – with original observatory movements – put a once-legendary movement on the map for many modern consumers. Unfortunately, that release was so expensive and so limited that there was no way it would scratch the itch of most enthusiasts. So Zenith went and did something that brands have rarely been willing to do – rebuilt an old movement from the ground up (while also making it better).
The 1950s and 1960s were the era of chronometry as a core tenet of building a good brand. Before the existence of quartz movements for accuracy and automatic calibers for ease of use, having a great hand-wound three-hand watch with phenomenal accuracy was a must. While we associate Zenith with the El Primero (and how it saved the brand in many ways), long before that caliber, Zenith was known for precision, entering chronometry contests back to 1897.
From 1948 to 1962, the Caliber 135-O won over 230 chronometry awards, and 11,000 production versions of the Cal. 135 were made. But going back to the movement over 60 years later wasn’t as simple as bringing the Zenith El Primero. That caliber was only “asleep” for a short time, and reviving the caliber 135 was a whole different effort. But I’ll leave that story there – we’ll have more on that process in the next issue of Hodinkee Magazine. Let’s get back to the watch.
There’s no doubt that the new G.F.J. is a distinctly modern approach. The watch is a vehicle for a story – something that vintage brands would never think of. The dial features a brick guilloché outer track with a lapis lazuli center and blue mother of pearl subdial. These kinds of things would have been unheard of in 1962, but now, they’re a way for Zenith to tie the watch into their slate of other 160th anniversary releases with blue ceramic cases – something that would have been a bridge too far on this watch. Instead, the brand went with a platinum case measuring around 39mm by 10.5mm
When you compare the watch to the Zenith x Kari Voutilainen x Phillips 135-O, it’s easy to see that the brand went a different direction. Again, it’s all about the story to capture attention for the revival, and the place that’s most obvious is the brick finishing that goes from front to back. The watch is named G.F.J. after Zenith’s founder Georges Favre-Jacot. When he built the manufacturer, Georges Favre-Jacot took the idea of an “integrated manufacture” to a whole new level. Favre-Jacot owned the company that made the bricks that you can still see on the buildings today, and now on the front and back of the watch.
But from a practical standpoint, that’s not the biggest change to the movement. The brand decided that they couldn’t really just take the old designs they had (which I got to handle – something that was really quite cool) and only leave it there. There are practical issues; earlier watches and later watches had different tolerances for bridges, for example, so there would have been a risk of designing a watch with parts that just wouldn’t go together.
Then there’s the modern consumer. The movement has gone from 40 hours of power reserve back in the day to 72 hours now. The new caliber 135 is also COSC-certified while exceeding their metrics, with accuracy at +/-2 seconds per day. Service intervals are meant to be longer too, all things that weren’t possible – or even necessary – 60 years ago.
For those that aren’t sold on the aesthetic execution but like the idea of the caliber 135 in a modern watch, you’re in luck. The brand plans to release a more traditional version of the watch, with certain aesthetics that I’ve seen (but can’t share) that will satisfy the vintage lovers like myself a bit more than the release this year. Even more, they’ve quietly begun offering a bespoke program for this watch (as they’ve done with others) that allows you to request the dial and movement design you like with a little extra cost.
As a 160th anniversary limited edition (160 pieces to match), the watch plays into the theme that Zenith chose across the board while wearing quite well. The case shape has been refined, which is worth noting. Thankfully, the case and its shape are not an afterthought for Zenith. But beyond the very comfortable 39mm by 10.5mm measurements, the stepped bezel and lugs are great reminders of the days when makers used to care about all the small details.
While the new G.F.J. has a list price of $49,900, there’s also an optional platinum bracelet that adds about $50,000 to the price. There’s a bit of a misconception that the price of platinum – less than gold right now – should yield less expensive product. But platinum cases and bracelets are 95% solid platinum, while gold cases are usually only 75% gold. Platinum is also a more difficult material to machine and finish. Cartier reportedly sold platinum brick bracelets for $80,000 or more for Cintrées in their now-defunct NSO program, making the premium here feel like a steal in comparison.
When I first viewed the watch, I didn’t quite understand it. It’s not the vintage watch I was hoping for, but the idea of the caliber 135 returning got me excited. After some thought, I wasn’t wrong about it not being a vintage reissue, but I also now understand that wasn’t the point. Sure, as much as the caliber 135 watches are about the movement, I also think of the dauphine hands and indices as much as anything.
You can see the watches below, whether vintage of Kari Voutilainen’s collaborative effort, already hit that mark, and with nice vintage examples hovering around $10,000, maybe we didn’t need a vintage reissue right away. I have a feeling we’ll get it soon enough. With millions of dollars put into the revival of the caliber 135, this is certainly not the only version of the G.F.J. we’ll see, and I’ll be looking forward to seeing what comes next.
For more information, read our Introduction story or visit Zenith’s website.
Hodinkee