Zeno Watch Basel
It all began in an idyllic house in La Chaux-de-Fonds,
where Jules Godat had
set up a modest workshop. Like many watchmakers in his day, his spent
the
cold winter
months as a seasonal worker. In 1868, he
set up in business on his own and
by doing
so laid the foundation for
ZENO watch production
as we know it today. In his little workshop,
he made silver Pocket watches. After Jules Godat had left, production was
converted to the
manufacture of railway Clocks and watches. In 1900 the workshop was
enlarged and equipped
with electric power to drive the machines.
In 1920, André-Charles Eigeldinger took over
Godat watch production. He
specialized in the manufacture of observation watches for military
purposes,
slide rule watches and Pocket watches in silver, gold and platinum. In 1922,
Eigeldinger & Söhne registered the ZENO brand.
This name is a
reminder of the Greek philosopher Zeno of Kition and means
“gift of Zeus” or “god
given”.
The rapid pace of progress is bringing constant changes to our lives. But
in the
ZENO watch work-shops, mechanical wrist and
Pocket watches are still
being made by traditional techniques with the
exceptional calm and concentration of experienced
watchmakers. For over eighty
years, ZENO watches have been produced
largely by
hand.
In 1966, Felix W. Huber developed the first mechanical
ZENO watch which
set the tone for all future ZENO
models. When the company was taken over by the Huber family, the
assembly of
wristwatches and the service department were transferred to Basel, on the river
Rhine.
With the new addition of the first airmen’s watches made in 1965,
ZENO is celebrating the renaissance of a truly great
classic. The
wristwatches in the latest Air Force collection follow on
from the
great tradition of professional airmen’s watch making. The mechanical
timepieces are
intended for connoisseurs of timeless design and a transparent
cost-benefit ratio.
ZENO does not invest in
advertising but in the product.
Experience for yourself the quality, love of detail and expert workmanship with which the different materials are crafted.
