Zeppelin Watch Review – Do They Make Good Watches?
If you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Details
The 1900s saw the greatest leap in the aviation industry with the invention of zeppelins, also known as airships. The majestic and titanic behemoths would traverse across the globe while patrons enjoyed the ultimate luxury. Celebrating this engineering marvel of the past, the Zeppelin watch brand creates iconic and timeless pieces.
Founded under the POINTtec brand, the German watchmaker entered the watchmaking industry renowned for its styling, durability, and price. The Zeppelin brand in its second decade of existence has consistently produced great quartz and mechanical watches. In addition, the brand has garnered quite the following in both men and women.
Table of Contents
Zeppelin Brand History
To trace back the origins of the Zeppelin brand, we need to start with POINTtec. The parent company POINTtec came to be in 1987 by Wilhelm Birk and soon took off as a well-recognized brand. After initial success with brands like Maximilian Munchen and Junkers, POINTtec launched Zeppelin watches in 2002.
The Zeppelin brand looked towards the pioneers of early aviation. Airships were all the rage in the early 1900s and a result of technological perseverance. Traveling in zeppelins was the ultimate high and reserved for the elite. In celebration of the classical and majestic mode of transport, the Zeppelin watches feature an airship motif on their dials.
In 2017, the parent brand celebrated three very successful decades in the watchmaking industry. A good degree of the German watch brand’s thirty-year journey is a result of Zeppelin’s success. As of today, the POINTtec brand is amongst the largest watch manufacturers in Germany with many brands in its portfolio. As a family-run business, the capital finds itself back into the company for R&D.
Zeppelin Watch Collection
The German-made watch brand currently offers some of the most sought after collections for both men and women.
FOR MEN
The Zeppelin brand currently showcases 180 different men’s watches under fourteen collections. Amongst them all, the below mentioned are some of Zeppelin’s most preferred collection.
The Atlantic lineup currently offers 18 unique watches. The name Atlantic derives as a throwback to the days of the Zeppelins crossing the majestic Atlantic Ocean. Furthermore, the timepieces invoke a classical aura with a modern finish, given the minimal design of the dial. The watches feature crystal exhibition backs and are water-resistant up to 5 atm. In addition, the watches featured under this collection come equipped with automatic quartz movement or mechanic self-winding, giving the customers an option to choose. All the timepieces under the Atlantic collection have power reserve and K1 mineral crystal.
The LZ 129 Hindenburg, named after the infamous airship features a unique hour hand. Most importantly, this lineup is a recent update. The watches feature new dial colors, a big date display, and a refined design language. The 8048M5 being the newest member. The 40mm diameter watches bring Swiss-made movements. In addition, check out the LZ 129 Hindenburg Moonphase and the LZ 129 Hindenburg ED. 1 for a more retro look. Above all, Zeppelin gives you the option of ETA quartz movement or mechanical self-winding with 21 jewels. This collection is available for women as well.
This collection currently holds thirteen stunning timepieces. The design celebrates Italian styling and all that is Rome. Additionally, the slightly domed dials and the elongated digits give this watch a unique signature. The watches are water-resistant up to 5atm and come with fashionable leather straps with white, black or beige dials. Resonating the looks of the yester era, the watches under this collection come equipped with the Sellita quartz movement.
As the name suggests, the Night Cruise line of watches embraces the glowing cities in the night as seen by zeppelin voyagers. The dark dial watches are chunky, sporty and have luminous digits. Night cruise watches come in black, dark green and beige dial options. Reflecting on the impressions of the night journey, the Night Cruise collection comes in 13 different timepieces. The movement made by Citizen watches featured in this collection ensures accurate visibility at complete darkness.
The iconic night blue dial and the snow-white inscriptions/digits celebrate the Zeppelin’s journey to the North Pole in 1931. These ageless timepieces are an ode to adventure and the beauty of the polar geography. The Nordstern dial also hosts a freely adjustable second time. With three timepieces featuring under this collection, they come equipped with the Ronda quartz movement. Above all, you have the option to choose between 41 mm diameter or 36 mm diameter case. With a radiant blue dial, you can also pick between a black strap or stainless steel strap to go with your personality.
This Chronometer Glashuette Collection features two watches; black dial with black strap and white dial with brown strap. A testament to the build quality and durability Zeppelin offers, this collection undergoes testing strictly for 15 days straight. The watches go through rigorous tests for daily accuracy and to withstand extreme temperature variations. As a result, these timepieces bear a certificate from the Glashuette Observatory, where the collection derives its name. Furthermore, the watch comes equipped with ETA quartz mechanical self-winding movement.
Special Edition: 100 Years Zeppelin Ed. 1 and Ed. 2
Zeppelin 100 Years Special Edition (Image: Amazon)
Celebrating the success of Zeppelin watches, the brand introduces two special edition collections. Most of these watches have additional sub-dials for minutes, seconds and even for alternative time zone. Moreover, the Special Edition 1 features almost 29 watches and Edition 2 features just three more variants.
Additionally, the Zeppelin brand also features the following collections – Flatline, the LZ 126 Los Angeles, the LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin, and the LZ 127 Transatlantic.
FOR WOMEN
While mostly known for its many men’s watches, the brand has also released some sought after women’s timepieces. Out of all the collections for women, the below mentioned rank the best by watch lovers for their design and styling.
MANDALA
Zeppelin Mandala 81315 (Image: PointTec Zeppelin)
Zeppelin’s latest offering is an artistic successor to the LZ 120 Rome. The intricately detailed floral motif referred to as theMandala in the Far East is an ode to the Zeppelins of the 1920s. With just one timepiece under this collection, the dial features a beautiful ornament and an even more artistic strap. In addition, the timepiece is water-resistant up to 5atm. With a 36mm case diameter, the watch comes equipped with the Ronda quartz movement.
Commemorating the 100 years of the Zeppelin anniversary, the brand introduced Princess of the Sky with a callback to the glamourous twenties. The Princess of the Sky collection stands apart from all other Zeppelin watches for women, given its unique feature to wear it on the wrist or around the neck with a neckband. All the watches come equipped with mechanic self-winding movement. The skeletal dial showcases the intricate workings of a watch elevating this timepiece to an ornament.
An ode to legendary British journalist Grace Marguerite Lethbridge, the first woman to circumnavigate the globe in a Zeppelin – the Grace Lady. With 6 intricately designed dials, the collection features timepieces embody minimalism and sophistication as a reflection of design from the 1920s. Therefore, ideal for either morning or evening events, the Grace Lady is a true style icon. The watches come in shades of brown and black leather strap with black, white and brown dial; and also in silver and gold stainless steel strap with a similar dial preference.
Mother of pearl inserts and Swarowski crystals. Need we say more? The collection features 12 stylish and elegant timepieces, ranging from leather strap to stainless steel. All the watches under this collection come equipped with Ronda quartz movement, a second small dial for seconds and a slot for the date. Above all, you have the option to pick the moon phase dial as well.
Overall, the brand scaled the watch industry given its stylish dials and design. However, Zeppelin watches do not come equipped with traditional hand-assembled components and are also not highly functional. Customers who have invested in Zeppelin have nothing to say about its attention to detail or accurate readability. The main selling grace for the brand is its inexpensive price.
If you are looking to invest in a stylish gift for your loved ones, Zeppelin may fit the bill but do keep in mind that the brand does not fair well for its reputation with long-lasting watches. Although, on the other hand, some forums draw focus on certain timepieces by Zeppelin that go down in history as a marvel. One such is the Hindenberg Collection. With retro finish and a military look, the watches from this collection showcases Zeppelin as leading watchmakers. But, the brand also shares the parent company with Junkers watches that repudiates any good value attached to it.
The German brand, known for its stylish and affordable watches receives mixed reviews from watch aficionados. The fact that the brand markets the watches as German-made also attracts lots of criticism, for most of the components have Asian roots. To the extent, not all the watches have the tag “Made in Germany“. Watch lovers also note that none of the movements equipped come from Germany, but instead uses movements like ETA, Ronda, etc.
Furthermore, Zeppelin boasts of dome-shaped dials to resemble the majestic zeppelins of the bygone era. In light of this, watch forums debate on the quality as dome-shaped dials are more prone to damage and breakage. Hence, watch enthusiasts believe Zeppelin falls under the category of watches best used for stylish daily wear but not for functionality or watchmaking know-how; making Zeppelin a contender of fashion watches.
Some forums also report that the water-resistant feature fails even in slightest rains where the dial fogs up with water droplets that are extremely hard to remove.
With regard to the Zeppelin watch straps, customers point out that they are not high-quality as they wear out very easily within a couple of years. If you are lucky you might get your hands on Zeppelin timepieces that work flawlessly but if history proves anything, it is that the watches cannot stand the test of time. However, in comparison to other brands like Seiko and Citizen, Orient or Tissot, the latter brands take over for their durability, accuracy, and functionality.
Where To Buy Zeppelin Watches?
While the official website showcases the extensive collections under the Zeppelin brand, there is no online purchase option. The Store Locator option details that Zeppelin watches are available for retail and service exclusively with official POINTtec dealers. Currently, Germany houses all the physical stores with one expectation to a store outside German borders in Amstetten, Austria. If you are looking to buy a Zeppelin watch in Germany, make sure to visit the Store Locator as only select outlets deal with the Zeppelin brand.
The brand prides itself as a German watchmaker and has always strived for exceptional timepieces. In its own words, they vowed to create stand out watches that are unique in design, price/performance ratio, and great product quality. According to the website, in 1990 the brand’s strategy was to manufacture all watches in the German town of Ruhla, Thuringen.
To date, expert watchmakers manufacture Zeppelin to maintain the highest German quality standards. As a family-run company, the POINTtec company ensures faster decision times to react to changing markets and customer needs.
While the brand considers its products as Made in Germany, the movements come from either Switzerland or Japan. The Quartz watches use movements by the Swiss manufacturers ETA and Ronda. In a similar vein, the mechanical watch movements come from both Swiss (ETA and Sellita) and Japanese (Miyota and Seiko) manufacturers.
Zeppelin Watch Warranty
All watches under the Zeppelin brand and the parent brand POINTtec provide guaranteed for a period of two years. To claim warranty the manufacturer will require the purchase receipt and the warranty certificate mentioning the article and serial number.
The brand will consider the warranty void for improper use, third-party intervention, broken glass, and improper battery replacement. Essentially, watches that have suffered shock, improper use or impact damage. Furthermore, the brand also does not offer any warranty on technical wearing parts (mechanical watches only) that are subject to aging.
Finally, keep in mind to check the authorization of the dealer. The markets are rampant with fake watch manufacturers, it is easy to get your hands on a fake or damaged piece. Consequently, this will render any warranty void.
My love of watches started almost 30 years ago when I inherited my grandfather’s watch. A watch that is still in my collection and one of my most prized possessions although not the most valuable in terms of money.
