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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesMore than half a year after first seeing it at Watches and Wonders in Geneva, Time+Tide Managing Editor Jamie Weiss is still smitten with Zenith’s G.F.J. Calibre 135. For him, its appeal comes from the way a historically significant movement, an unusual blue dial and a platinum case come together as one coherent watch—not from nostalgia alone.
Why the G.F.J. still feels compelling
G.F.J. stands for Georges Favre-Jacot, Zenith’s founder. The modern watch takes its name from the Calibre 135, a movement with a strong place in the brand’s chronometry history, but Weiss’s enthusiasm is as much about the present-day design as the reference to the past. He calls it “such a neat, cohesive expression of Zenith’s history and future.” Time+Tide Watches
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That cohesion is the key to the watch’s character. Its formal styling is quietly bold: rich blue materials, a distinctive textured chapter ring and precious metal are used with restraint rather than piled on as decoration. The result is not a conventional, anonymous dress watch, even though its proportions and materials suit formal wear.
What makes Calibre 135 historically important
Weiss reports that Zenith took part in timing trials as early as 1897 and had amassed 2,333 chronometry prizes across the brand. The original Calibre 135 was produced from 1949 to 1962 and, according to his article, won 235 prizes. Those are different figures: the first is brand-wide, while the second is specific to the calibre. They are reported figures in the article, not independently verified here against Zenith or observatory records.
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The calibre’s story also includes a 2022 revival collaboration between Zenith, Kari Voutilainen and Phillips. Weiss says the project produced 11 watches using new-old-stock Calibre 135 observatory-trial movements, which retailed for well over CHF 100,000. The contemporary G.F.J. is a separate modern interpretation, not one of those 2022 watches.
How the modern movement updates the original
The new manual-winding Calibre 135 is described as retaining the historic movement’s dimensions and overall design while incorporating practical updates. Its reported power reserve is 72 hours, compared with 40 hours for the original, and it adds hacking seconds so the seconds hand stops when the crown is pulled for precise time-setting. Spring-mounted jewel settings are intended to protect the balance staff.
Several traditional details remain: a double-arrow regulator, a Breguet overcoil, a 2.5 Hz beat rate and a 13 mm balance wheel. Weiss reports COSC certification and regulation to ±2 seconds per day. These are specifications reported in his article, rather than the results of an independent accuracy test.
The bridges carry a brick-shaped guilloché pattern inspired, according to Weiss, by the red-and-white brick façade of Zenith’s manufacture. He did not establish whether the finishing was hand-guillochéd or machine-made, so the pattern can be described, but its production method should not be assumed.
Why the dial and platinum case work together
The dial combines three distinct blue elements: a brick-pattern guilloché outer ring, a central section of lapis lazuli and a blue-dyed mother-of-pearl small-seconds display at six o’clock. Applied 18-carat white-gold indices complete the arrangement. The combination is unusual, but Weiss’s positive reaction rests on how the materials and textures feel coordinated rather than competing for attention.
The 950-platinum case gives that colorful dial a more restrained frame. At 39.15 mm wide, 10.5 mm thick and 45.75 mm from lug to lug, the dimensions are measured rather than oversized. The case has sapphire crystals on both sides and a stated water resistance of 50 m.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Straps, bracelet and practical details
The reported package includes a dark-blue alligator strap with a platinum pin buckle, plus black smooth calfskin and dark-blue Saffiano calfskin straps. Each uses quick-release spring bars. An optional seven-link platinum bracelet is also mentioned, but no bracelet price or lug width is stated in Weiss’s article.
That flexibility gives the watch a useful shift in formality: the blue alligator keeps the dial-and-case palette coordinated, while black or Saffiano calfskin changes the look without changing the watch itself. The 50 m water-resistance rating is a specification, not a reason to treat a platinum dress watch as a dedicated sports or water-use model.
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Price and availability are time-sensitive
In an article published November 9, 2025, Weiss listed the 160-piece limited edition at £44,900, US$49,900 and A$78,400, and reported availability through Zenith boutiques and the brand’s e-commerce platform. Those are prices and channels reported at that date; current pricing, stock and purchase routes have not been verified.
The appeal is therefore specific: a historically rooted movement updated for contemporary use, expressed through a distinctive but cohesive dial and a platinum case. Whether that combination merits its luxury price is a personal judgment, but it explains why Weiss’s initial enthusiasm endured beyond the first encounter.
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