Turning one hundred years old (by the way, worn in an extraordinary way), watchmaker Ephrem Jobin, the man who created the award-winning 135 calibre of Zenithlaunched in 1948. The calibre 135 had many innovative and highly refined features that allowed it to win numerous chronometry prizes during the various competitions organised by the Neuchâtel Observatory, five of which were won in successive years, from 1950 to 1954. Thanks to this exclusive mechanism, Zenith has won 200 individual awards, taking first place on two-thirds of the occasions, and five series awards.
The success of the Calibre 135 lies mainly in the use of a larger barrel, which increases the power reserve, and an oversized balance, which, as part of the regulating organ, plays a key role in greater precision. This approach involves a completely different construction of the movement, including off-centring the minute wheel in relation to the central axis, in order to have the necessary space to accommodate the new balance wheel. The version presented at the Observatory's competition (Calibre 135.0) was equipped with a Breguet balance spring and a single or double arrow-shaped regulator or index to ensure balanced friction and promote optimum regulation.
The chronometric precision of Calibre 135 has obviously limited its manufacture, reserving the exclusive movement for haute horlogerie models. Total production today amounts to 11,000 pieces, so watches with this calibre have become highly coveted objects for connoisseurs and collectors.
Yesterday, therefore, the celebrations for the very nice old man held at the Le Locle factory coincided with the official presentation by Jean-Frédéric Dufour, Zenith's new president and CEO since last June, of a special series, limited to 100 pieces dedicated to Ephrem Jobin, together with the model bearing the number 100 to celebrate his birthday in an original way. It is a pink gold model adopting the Elite 689 calibre, visible through the sapphire crystal back, perfected over time thanks to Ephrem Jobin's contribution.
