Shopping Cart
There are no more items in your cart
Zodiac Watch Co. is one of those Swiss watchmaking companies that have changed hands several times and whose history is difficult to trace.
Zodiac still exists, but the history available on the current company's website is rather fanciful [1] .
Most of the information currently available on the Internet seems to come from an article in The Swiss Watch magazine from 1957, written for the company's 75th anniversary [2] . This is the case, for example, on Wikipedia [3] , or on several American sites [4] as the article was also written in English.
But the article contains many errors and omissions. It is therefore necessary to delve into the watchmaking archives to try and piece together the story of Zodiac and the Calame family from Le Locle.
1. The Calame dynasty
Ariste Calame senior set up a small workshop in Le Locle in 1882. He assembled watches for other manufacturers, such as Favre Perret [5] .
His son, also named Ariste, joined him in 1895. He was an excellent watchmaker: trained at the Le Locle watchmaking school and a pupil of Jules Grossmann [6] . He was not afraid of complicated watches, and patented a repeater system in 1898 [7] .
In 1899, the company moved to rue du Marais, and a year later Ariste Fils took over its management. The business grew: in 1901 the Zodiac trademark was registered, and in 1908 the first Zodiac factory in Le Locle was built on rue Bellevue. At the time, the factory employed around twenty workers.
1915
Ariste Jr. made an important decision around 1915: from now on, the company would manufacture its own ébauches [8] . At that time, production was running at 100 watches a day, pocket watches of course, but also wristwatches, models of which were registered in 1915.
In 1922, Ariste's son René, trained at the Technicum in Le Locle, joined the company. From then on, the company produced "neat" anchor watches with 8 to 19 lines, in gold and silver, which were increasingly exported to Japan, where unsigned watches were purchased. At the time, Japan was the 4th market for Swiss watches, behind the United States, Germany and Great Britain [9] .
In 1928, the company changed its name to Manufacture d'Horlogerie Zodiac [10] .
1930
1930 was a paradoxical year for Zodiac. In addition to its magnificent ultra-slim 16-line caliber, it released a remarkable rectangular 8-day caliber measuring just 32 x 21 mm, developed in conjunction with Manufacture Angélus, also based in Le Locle. Ariste Jr. had married Mathilde Stolz, sister of the Stolz brothers who founded Manufacture Angélus. But 1930 also saw the start of the severe economic crisis that was to hit the watchmaking industry, with disastrous consequences for Zodiac: Japan closed its doors to imports.
The Calame family was reduced to selling their watches themselves [11] : "We had to start practically from scratch. The manufacture of ébauches was abandoned, and the workshop sold. My father and I, with our collection under our arm, set off to sell watches to watchmakers in Switzerland and France."
But a decision was taken that would prove salutary: the introduction of a brand policy: all watches would henceforth be called Zodiac. In 1933, the company became Zodiac SA.
In 1934 Ariste Calame son became vice-president of the Association des Fabricants d'Horlogerie du district du Locle.
1934
When all companies are suffering, you sometimes have to be opportunistic. Fabrique Election was in dire straits, and Zodiac bought out its patents for an anti-shock system. In 1929, Les Fils de L. Braunschweig, Fabrique Election in La Chaux-de-Fonds, had patented [12] a system protecting against both axial and lateral shocks. This was probably the first anti-shock system to be industrialized, since it was fitted on Election watches as early as 1930 [13] . Zodiac used it as a selling point in 1934, calling its watches "unbreakable". This rather optimistic appellation was replaced in 1937 by "Incasécurit".
1936
1937
1941
From 1935 onwards, business picked up steadily, and the Second World War did nothing to halt the company's progress: 1936 saw the first water-resistant watches, which would later give the company undeniable experience; 1940 saw the first chronographs, the first automatic watches; 1941 saw the first calendar watches, the first chronometers and the first water-resistant chronographs.
In 1943 Zodiac claimed to be the official supplier to the Swiss Post Office and the Swiss Railways [14] .
1945
In 1945, Zodiac introduced a stop-seconds system that would be used regularly thereafter: by simply pressing the winding crown, the seconds hand is blocked, enabling precise time-setting [15] .
1945 was also the year in which Maurice Calame, René's brother, joined the company [16] . In charge of sales, he quickly developed an efficient network of distributors around the world, particularly in the United States. Marketing was modernized with international advertising campaigns.
1949
In 1948, Zodiac caused a sensation by presenting the Autographic, the first automatic watch with power reserve, whose patents [17] were registered in association with Manufacture LeCoultre of Le Sentier. It may seem surprising that a watchmaker, obliged by the statut horloger to buy from Ébauches SA, should be able to innovate in this way, even in association with a Manufacture. René Calame explains a few years later: "We have considerable latitude thanks to our close collaboration with Ébauches SA. Sometimes we make our own designs and ask Ébauches to manufacture calibers for which we have patents. Our caliber with power reserve indicator is an excellent example of this collaboration [18] ."
New plant and workshops in 1951
1951 was a banner year for Zodiac, which inaugurated a new, ultra-modern factory built into the hillside above the Le Locle train station [19] .
The elegant building, designed by architect Paul Davoine, cantilevers slightly over the slope, giving it a very airy appearance. Inside, vast workshops with large bay windows house ergonomic workstations featuring the latest technical advances.
1954
In 1952, Zodiac launched two new models: the Captain and the Glorious. The Captain had a relatively short life, probably because the Captain trademark had already been registered by Zenith in 1945 [20] . It was also in the early 1950s that Zodiac began mass-producing chronometers, which were tested in official control offices.
In 1953, Ariste Calame, who could be proud of his achievements, retired from the company. He died two years later.
1954
In 1954, Zodiac decided to apply a new emblem to the dial of its watches: a circled cross applied in relief. This decision seems to have been taken to combat the numerous counterfeits of the Zodiac brand appearing in the world [21] .
By 1957, production was running at 80,000 watches a year. The following year, Zodiac presented one of its most emblematic models at the Basel Fair: the Sea Wolf diver's watch.
1959
In 1958, under the impetus of René Calame, the CHP (Communauté d'Horlogerie de Précision) was created. The CHP brought together 9 independent watchmakers who decided to pool their efforts in the manufacture and technical improvement of watches. They were Doxa, Ernest Borel, Ebel, Eberhard & Co, Favre-Leuba, Girard- Perregaux, Heuer, Juvénia and Zodiac [22] .
This racket fine-tuning system was developed for CHP members.
Factory extension in 1964
In 1961, René's son Pierre joined the company. It was around this time that Zodiac launched a handful of "electric" watches. These were watches equipped with the Landeron 4750 electric caliber, a movement with a spiral balance maintained by an intermittent electromagnetic field, as used by Hamilton and Lip.
In 1964, the Le Locle factory was enlarged. Technically, the oscillation frequency of mechanical calibers increased from 18,000 to 21,600 A/h, reinforcing the production of chronometers in series [23] . The increase in oscillation frequency continued in 1967, thanks to CHP's involvement in the development of 36,000 vph calibers [24] .
1967
1968
In 1967, Zodiac launched its "Kingline 36,000" range, later renamed "SST 36,000" (for Split Second Timing). But Zodiac was also interested in electronics, and that same year launched its "Spacetronic" electronic pendulum watch. Unfortunately, the Spacetronic was a failure: the Dynotron caliber was supplied by Ébauches SA to a number of companies who undercut the price, and Zodiac had to sell off its electronic watches [25] .
Zodiac was one of the very first Swiss companies to offer a quartz watch as early as 1970, thanks to the adoption of the beta 21 caliber developed by CEH (Centre Electronique Horloger) and marketed by several other manufacturers such as Universal, Ebel, Jaeger- LeCoultre and others. It was also in 1970 that Zodiac introduced the Astrographic model, with its highly avant-garde design.
1971
In Switzerland, this period saw the creation of numerous groupings of watchmaking companies, to strengthen their position in the face of foreign competition. Examples include Manufactures d'Horlogerie Suisses Réunies (MSR), which brings together Buser, Phenix, Revue and Vulcain, and the impressive General Watch Holding, which includes Certina, Edox, Era, Eterna, Mido, Oris, Rado and Technos. Zodiac was of course approached, but the desire for independence was fierce: "A company like Zodiac has a lot to offer in terms of relationships, experience and reputation, and can only agree to sacrifice part of its freedom in exchange for such concrete contributions, both technical and commercial [26] ."
It must also be said that the company was doing well: in 1971, it produced 200,000 watches and had 150 employees. Its market distribution was as follows: USA 35%, Europe 30%, Asia 20% [27].
In 1972, Pierre Calame takes over the management of Zodiac. The share of the U.S. market grew rapidly, leaving the company highly exposed: in 1973, 40% of sales were made in the USA, rising to 50% in 1975. But this market was in upheaval with the arrival of inexpensive quartz watches, sold not by watchmakers but by electronics manufacturers such as Texas Instrument and National Semiconductor. What's more, the dollar is collapsing, losing 33% against the Swiss franc [28] .
1974
In 1975, Zodiac integrated Horelec with SGT, Aetos, Camy, Enzo, Ogival, Kelek, Eska, Catena and Gramex [29] . The aim was to produce an affordable Swiss quartz caliber. Pierre Calame is lucid: "The main handicaps that make it difficult to sell Swiss watches are often mentioned: a general economic crisis and the cost of the Swiss franc, which is far too high. The reason which is often overlooked, however, and which must be mentioned, is: a considerable technological backwardness[30] ."
In 1976, while Zodiac was presenting the first LCD quartz chronometers at the Basel Fair [31] (with Wittnauer and Yves Saint Blaise), the Zodiac distributor in the United States went bankrupt [32] . The blow was too great for Zodiac, which desperately tried to reconvert to luxury watches, but was bought out by Dixi in 1978 [33] . It was the end of the Calame dynasty. The brand was gradually mothballed.
Dixi, well known as a manufacturer of machines for the watchmaking industry, was in fact a highly diversified group with interests in compressors, measuring instruments, armaments, furniture and even watchmaking, thanks to the takeover of the Paul Buhré company in 1963. In the 1970s, Dixi's watchmaking pole became impressive, with the buyout/save out of no fewer than 6 companies, most of them based in Locle: Robert Cart, Henry Moser & Cie, Jean Perret, Luxor, Zénith-Movado and Zodiac.
1991
In 1989 the brand was acquired from Dixi by Willy Monnier, former CEO of Heuer. Paul Castella, who heads Dixi, remains on the board, and the watches are to be manufactured by Zenith, one of Dixi's companies [34] . The watches are classic, "chic and sporty", but strongly inspired by competing designs. The results did not live up to expectations: in 1997, Montres Zodiac SA went bankrupt [35]. The brand was mothballed once again.
In 2002, the American company Fossil Inc. bought and relaunched the Zodiac brand, which is still active today.
2.2. Landmark models
In the 1950s, Zodiac set itself apart from its competitors by creating original models with distinctive designs, some of which are still sought after by collectors today.
The Autographic model of 1949 certainly stood out for its power reserve at 6 o'clock [36] , but the design of the case and hands was very classic.
Zodiac Captain
1953
In 1952, Zodiac inaugurated a series of creations under the banner "A new face for watches [37] ". First came the Captain model, with a domed central dial and a flat enamel periphery with high-relief hour-markers. But it's above all the Glorious model, with its large, raised indexes on the periphery that give the dial a 3-dimensional appearance. An Autographic version of the Glorious was released in 1955, and a date version in 1956.
1955
1957
While the Datographic model from 1955 is a classic automatic with date window, the Pharaon model from 1957 is not: this original watch features the twelve signs of the zodiac on the periphery of the dial.
Automatic caliber with CHP fine adjustment
It was at the Basel Fair in 1958 that Zodiac presented its most famous watch to date: the Seawolf. It's an automatic steel diver's watch, with rotating bezel, water-resistant to 100 m. It was developed in collaboration with Cdt Cousteau's laboratory [38].
Several sources give 1953 as the year of birth of this model [39]. This date is not innocent, since it coincides with the release of two iconic diving watches: the Rolex Submariner and the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms. But no reference is given to confirm this date. In fact, according to the company itself, design work began in 1955 and the first models were marketed in 1956 [40].
The presentation at Basel in 1958 probably means that the watch underwent modifications before its official presentation, which is not surprising for a technical watch designed for professionals.
1960
In 1959, at the same time as the Seawolf's water resistance was improved to 200 m, the asymmetrical New-Look model was launched, with a partially transparent hour hand. This model was renamed Olympos in 1960.
Around 1965, Zodiac watches also featured technical features that set them apart from other brands. They feature high-frequency movements (21,600 vph instead of 18,000), an original adjustment racket, and a stop-second system that is activated by pulling on the crown.
Aerospace GMT
In 1967, Zodiac adopted high frequencies thanks to its membership of CHP. This was the Kingline 36,000 line, later called the SST 36,000. The same year sees the launch of the Aerospace GMT, with a hand and 24-hour rotating bezel for a second time zone.
Sea-Chron chronograph
1968 was a banner year for Zodiac with the release of several remarkable models: the waterproof Sea-Chron chronograph, and above all the 750 m waterproof Super Seawolf and its 750 m waterproof Super Seawolf chronograph version!
1975
In 1970 Zodiac introduced a new, original model: the Astrographic. The hands are printed on transparent discs, and a red dot for the seconds appears to float on the dial. This was to be Zodiac's last original watch: quartz watches were to become fairly commonplace, despite commendable design work with an independent designer [41].
Thanks
Most of the watchmaking archives were consulted at the Musée International d'Horlogerie in La Chaux-de-Fonds, and I'd like to thank the museum's curator, Régis Huguenin, and his team for their warm welcome. The archives of the Fédération Horlogère, Le Davoine and L'Impartial are available online at www.doc.rero.ch
[1] https://www.zodiacwatches.com/en-us/zodiac-legacy/
[2] The Swiss Watch, 1957, 7, pp 31 ss
[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zodiac_Watches#cite_note-6 consulté en février 2024
[4] Par exemple : https://expertswatches.com/pages/zodiac-swiss-1882-watches
[5] The Swiss Watch, 1957, 7, p. 34
[6] Revue Internationale d’Horlogerie, 1930, 18, p. 207
[7] Brevet CH 16959A
[8] L’Impartial, 13 avril 1972, p.17
[9] La Fédération Horlogère, 1928, 8, p.1 - Accessible sur Rero.doc
[10] La Fédération Horlogère, 1928, 8, p.7 - Accessible sur Rero.doc
[11] Journal Suisse d’Horlogerie, 1957, 5-6, pp 190-194. Accessible sur The Watch Library
[12] Brevet CH 141098
[13] Revue Internationale d’Horlogerie, 1930, 4, p. 37-39
[14] La Fédération Horlogère, 1943, 39, p. 579. Accessible sur Rero.doc
[15] In the 1950s, this stop system was modified so that stopping was achieved by pulling on the crown rather than pushing.
[16] Journal Suisse d’Horlogerie, 1957, 5-6, p. 192 - Accessible sur The Watch Library
[17] Brevets CH 260 356 et CH 280 369
[18] Journal Suisse d’Horlogerie, 1957, 5-6, p. 193 - Accessible sur The Watch Library
[19] Journal Suisse d’Horlogerie, 1951, pp 374 ss - Accessible sur The Watch Library
[20] FOSC 1945
[21] La Suisse Horlogère, 1954, 4, p. I
[22] L’Impartial, 11 Juin 1958, p.9. The composition of the CHP will subsequently vary.
[23] Journal Suisse d’Horlogerie, 1966, 5, p. 748 - Accessible sur The Watch Library
[24] La Suisse Horlogère, 1968, 1, pp 20-26
[25] L’Impartial, 15 mai 1971, p.5
[26] Interview de René Calame dans La Suisse Horlogère, Edition hebdomadaire, 1970, 23, p.861
[27] Journal Suisse d’Horlogerie, 1972, 4, p.447 - Accessible sur The Watch Library
[28] L’Impartial 20 novembre 1974, p.5
[29] L’Impartial 20 novembre 1975, pp 1 et 3
[30] L’Impartial 11 décembre 1975, pp 1 et 5. In fact, this technological lag was relative, since many quartz watches were produced in Switzerland. But American electronics companies were able to lower their prices from month to month.
[31] L’Impartial 29 avril 1976, p. 15
[32] L’Impartial 7 août 1978, p. 3
[33] L’Impartial 22 novembre 1978, p. 5
[34] L’Impartial 11 août 1989, p.4
[35] L’Impartial 27 août 1997, p.6
[36] Elle sera placée au centre du cadran à partir de 1952
[37] Journal Suisse d’Horlogerie, 1952, 1, p.39 - Accessible sur The Watch Library
[38] Journal Suisse d’Horlogerie, 1958, p. - Accessible sur The Watch Library
[39] Par exemple : https://www.gearpatrol.com/watches/a679061/watches-you-should-know-1953-zodiac-sea-wolf/ consulté en février 2024
[40] Journal Suisse d’Horlogerie, 1964, 2, p.274 - Accessible sur The Watch Library
[41] L’Impartial, 1er mai 1976, p.5