Cover Romain Marietta, product development & heritage director director of Zenith
Romain Marietta, product development & heritage director director of Zenith
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Despite 17 years with the company, the product development & heritage director of Zenith still finds his role exciting
Upon graduation in 2006, Romain Marietta joined Zenith as part of its marketing team. He has not left the company since, working his way up the ranks to head of product in 2011 before being promoted to his current role as product development & heritage director in 2020. His responsibilities include developing new novelties that bridge the past and the present.
“I love the story of Zenith—[founder Georges Favre-Jacot] was a visionary man. The brand has a rich history and legacy,” Marietta says. For example, foreseeing the market potential for watches created specially for pilots, Favre-Jacot registered a trademark for the word “pilot”. To this day, Zenith is the only brand to have the word “pilot” appear on its watch dials. This adds a unique layer to its Pilot range, something that continues to intrigue Marietta.
“There's also a parallel between me and [Favre-Jacot]: he started the brand when he was 22 while I joined Zenith at 22. I also met my wife here, so there's a lot of emotional attachment,” Marietta shares.
See also: How CEO Julien Tornare made Zenith relevant again
At Watches and Wonders 2023, Zenith updated its Pilot watches with a more modern look and a new material—ceramic. Comprising an automatic and a big date flyback in a choice of microblasted ceramic or stainless steel case, it features a flat top round bezel, a large crown, and a black opaline dial with horizontal grooves that recall the corrugated metal sheets that made up the fuselage of older aircrafts. Both automatic and big date flyback are powered by the El Primero 3652 movement that beats at 5Hz with 60 hours of power reserve.
Above Romain Marietta, product development & heritage director director of Zenith, has been with the company for 17 years
Romain Marietta, product development & heritage director director of Zenith, has been with the company for 17 years
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What is different about the updated Pilot?
The last refresh we did with the pilot watches was in 2012, and the design was very vintage because they were inspired the the watches of the 1920s and 1930s. The new pilot watches are definitely more modern with a very specific look. We wanted to escape from the vintage design and give it a more contemporary appeal to attract a broader audience. The new design is definitely fresher and I don't think anyone else has the same kind of aesthetics.
Why did you decide to introduce ceramic to the Pilot watch?
It’s highly technical material that we had never used for the Pilot. It’s sleek, stealthy, modern, and highly scratch resistant. The Pilot watch is all about ruggedness and functionality, so the material is a perfect fit.
Above Zenith Pilot Automatic in ceramic
Above Zenith Pilot Big Date Flyback in ceramic
Zenith Pilot Automatic in ceramic
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One of my favourite releases from Zenith this year is the Defy Revival Shadow, which was based on the original Defy watch from 1969. Please tell us more about it.
We thought Defy's octagonal case was the perfect vintage piece that could be moulded in a modern way with microblasted titanium and a “ladder” bracelet that made it stand out. It's a super cool piece that is only our second offering in the Revival Shadow series.
Do you find it challenging to balance the past and the present?
Sometimes it can be hard. When you have a lot of history, you need to be respectful to what your predecessors had done before because at the end of the day, the brand will survive beyond our time.
But to have such a history also offers a unique opportunity. It’s really cool to be able to build bridges [between the past and the present] because of the stories we could tell.
In case you missed it: Breitling x Singapore Airlines pilot watches
Above Zenith Defy Revival Shadow
Zenith Defy Revival Shadow
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There has been a lot of talk about how the next generation of consumers will be more open-minded, more willing to explore other alternatives when it comes to luxury. Any thoughts on this?
The next generation will definitely want to see different content, and more designs that are fresh. They will ask different questions, and they want to see more interesting collaborations. We’re always listening to the market and to our audience.
Thankfully, we're a “small” brand so it’s easier for us to be reactive and adapt to these changes. The fact that we’re an integrated manufacture allows us to be quick too: if we have a great design that we would like to realise as an actual watch quickly, we can do it because we don't need to wait for the movement from a supplier. It’s important to note that while we’re always adapting, we’re also mindful of our DNA.
Above Julien Tornare, CEO of Zenith
Julien Tornare, CEO of Zenith
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You had worked under five different CEOs. What is it like working with current CEO [Julien Tornare]?
He’s open-minded and really wants people to bring him ideas. His door is always open, providing you ample space to embrace additional responsibilities. He gives a lot of confidence to his executive committee, of which I’m a part.
After 17 years, why is it still exciting at Zenith?
We always have different challenges and right now, I believe we’re on the right track. I would go as far as saying it’s more exciting than ever.
Can you tell us more about what’s coming up next?
All I can say is that our next project is very exciting. And then in 2025, Zenith will be celebrating its 160th anniversary, so there will be a lot of cool stuff.
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Brian Cheong leads the watch (Tatler GMT) and jewellery content at Tatler Malaysia, combining sharp editorial insight with years of luxury lifestyle experience. A seasoned journalist in luxury watches based in Kuala Lumpur, Brian had previously helmed World of Watches, Men's Folio and Prestige Malaysia.
