Having recently been revived, Zenith’s Calibre 135 took its place in the brand’s top echelon in the new G.F.J. collection. Produced in extremely limited quantities and in special materials like tantalum, the G.F.J. now opens a new avenue – that of double-signed watches – beginning with a collaboration with Japanese independent brand Naoya Hida. Named the Zenith G.F.J. Calibre 135 Double Signed with Naoya Hida & Co., it features the COSC-certified Cal. 135 and the platinum case of the Zenith, with a hand-engraved, solid silver dial reminiscent of Naoya Hida’s recent escapades. The result is nothing short of spectacular, and limited to just 10 pieces, it’ll without doubt become a future collectible.
What is it?
A bit of an intro into what the two brands are about, then. Zenith you’ll no doubt be familiar with for their famous El Primero, but the Calibre 135 was historically nearly just as important. For such an important movement, only the finest case would do, which led Zenith to craft this multi-stepped 39mm beauty, here rendered in platinum and in a full mirror polish.
The work of Naoya Hida is best viewed from up close, where you’re treated to hand-engraved features filled with Urushi lacquer, and baton hands machined from solid gold. This configuration is something the brand has perfected in their Lettercutter models, now applying it to a lovely set of serifed numerals – just look at that 12! Here, you can also see the beginnings of Zenith’s Double Signed program – Zenith and Naoya Hida & Co. sit proudly above the pinion.
A champion of the observatory competition era, the new 135 is a re-engineered variant of the original movement, now sporting an improved power reserve and hacking seconds, with its accuracy certified by COSC and regulated to +/-2 seconds per day. That large balance beats at a leisurely 2.5Hz, with the hairspring finished with a Breguet overcoil. This traditional approach to watchmaking goes hand-in-hand with the broad Geneva striping and hand-finished chamfers.
First impressions
With the lust for high-end independent watchmaking at an all-time high, Naoya Hida has been among the brands that have garnered an impressive amount of interest. They have perfected the amalgamation of the golden age of mid-century Swiss watchmaking with a renewed, Japanese craftsmanship flavour, most easily visible with their intricate dials. The G.F.J. Double Signed is no different – the dial is made of three separate pieces, with the minutes and seconds tracks applied separately to the stepped main dial. But nobody was doubting the skill of Keisuke Kano, NH’s master engraver.
On the wrist, 39mm is a modern sweet spot, and while 10.5mm isn’t exactly ultra-thin by dress watch standards at this price point, it’s still more than manageable and feels quite proportional. What could be a little disproportionate is the pricing – which is set at a whopping CHF 10,000 more than the lapis-dialled version in the same case. That said, all ten examples have already sold – so what do I know?
Zenith G.F.J. Calibre 135 Double Signed with Naoya Hida & Co.
The Zenith G.F.J. Calibre 135 Double Signed with Naoya Hida & Co. was a limited edition of 10 pieces, all of which are now sold. Price: CHF 58,900 (~A$105,000)
