The new Zenith G.F.J. Calibre 135 Double Signed with Naoya Hida & Co. bridges the gap between a historic Swiss pioneer and the Japanese independent’s artisanal beacon. Historically, double-signed watches (think Rolex, Patek Philippe or Audemars Piguet with Tiffany & Co. for example) are highly coveted by collectors. Zenith is reinventing this tradition partnering up with revered independent watchmakers instead of with retailers. The first is Naoya Hida.
In this platinum piece, one of Swiss chronometry’s great movements is interpreted through a Japanese eye trained on proportion, craft and almost forensic detail. Originally tied to the age of observatory trials, Zenith’s Calibre 135 belongs to a period when precision was kind of a public contest, measured under institutional scrutiny. In its modern form, this hand-wound movement beats at a stately 18,000 vibrations per hour, carries a 72-hour power reserve and is regulated to +/-2 seconds per day, with COSC certification. Seen through the caseback, its large balance, Breguet overcoil and double arrow-shaped regulator speak to a culture of accuracy before accuracy became digital and invisible.
Naoya Hida’s contribution is far from being just a decorative overlay. Founded in 2018, his Tokyo-based house has built its reputation on watches that revisit the 1930s to 1960s era combining handwork with contemporary microfabrication. That thinking fits the G.F.J. beautifully. The 39.15mm platinum case is formal without stiffness; the solid silver dial has all its indications, including both signatures, hand-engraved by Keisuke Kano and filled with blue Japanese urushi lacquer. The result has the presence of an instrument, but the feeling of something written by hand.
The connection is as subtle as it is elegant. Swiss observatory chronometers were born from the study of the heavens; Japanese urushi is a slow art of layering, drying and polishing. One measures time by pursuit of exactitude, the other by patience. In this G.F.J., those two ideas meet on the wrist. Even the straps extend the conversation: Himeji Kurozan leather lacquered with urushi, Kyoto Wagyu leather and Kaihara denim from Hiroshima.
At CHF58,900 and limited to ten pieces, this unique cross-cultural collaboration represents a rare “win-win” in horology: giving a mainstream luxury brand deep credibility with independent watch collectors, while putting a massive global spotlight on a niche Japanese master.
Author: Julia Pasarón
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