Few roles in modern watchmaking carry as much quiet weight as shaping the timepieces that will represent a historic manufacture tomorrow. Romain Marietta is entrusted with that vision — translating heritage into watches that remain relevant today.

Nearly two decades after joining Zenith, he now serves as Chief Product Officer, guiding the evolution of one of Switzerland’s longest-standing manufactures. His path to the role was not sudden. He grew up around the industry, in a household where watch components and production were part of daily life, before building his career inside the very walls he now helps shape.

Based in Le Locle, where Zenith has operated continuously since 1865, Marietta works within an environment defined by permanence. His task is not reinvention for its own sake, but direction: deciding how a manufacture with deep history continues to move forward without losing clarity.

In this conversation, we speak to Marietta about the relevance of mechanical watchmaking, the discipline behind product development, and how a historic house approaches change with restraint.

TC: What was your first exposure to horology, and what did it spark in you?

RM: My earliest memories of watches are the ones my father gave my brother and me when we were children. They were early Swatch chronographs, and I still keep them in my safe. At the time, they were simply exciting objects. I remember looking at my father’s wrist and wanting something of my own, something that felt grown-up and personal.

He worked in the industry and owned a dial company, so watches were part of everyday life at home. There were always discussions about production, suppliers, design details. He wore brands like Ebel, Girard-Perregaux, Zenith, IWC and Breguet. As a child, I did not understand the technical side, but I understood that these objects carried meaning. They were not disposable.

I grew up surrounded by that environment, but I am not sure my passion began there consciously. It felt normal at the time. The real shift happened when I joined Zenith nearly 20 years ago. Being inside the manufacture and seeing how things were made changed my perspective. What impressed me most was the craftsmen. Their precision, their discipline, and the pride they took in even the smallest components. That is when I began to see watchmaking not just as a product, but as a profession and a responsibility.

TC: What is the relevance of horology today?

RM: For me, watchmaking is an art. It is completely useless, yet absolutely necessary.

We no longer need mechanical watches to tell the time. Technology has replaced that function. But watchmaking represents something else. It carries history. It carries values. It carries emotion and passion.

Watches have accompanied human progress for centuries. They reflect technical achievement, but also discipline and continuity. That is why they remain relevant today. Not because of necessity, but because of meaning.

“Watchmaking is an art. It is completely useless, yet absolutely necessary.”

Zenith G.F.J. Calibre 135 Limited Edition, the most awarded movement from the golden age of observatory chronometer competitions.

TC: What sets Zenith apart from other maisons, and what defines its philosophy?

RM: Zenith has always operated as a true manufacture. From the beginning, the decision was made to develop and produce our own movements, and to equip every watch with an in-house calibre. That choice still shapes how we think about product development today. It creates a certain discipline. When you control the movement, you also carry the responsibility for its performance and its evolution.

Another defining element is continuity. Zenith has been operating for more than 160 years in the same location, in Le Locle, within the same buildings. That kind of permanence is rare. Generations of watchmakers have worked under the same roof, passing on knowledge and methods. There is a cultural continuity that you can feel when you walk through the manufacture.

Because the company never relocated, we also retained our archives. They extend over more than a kilometre. That matters in practical terms. It allows us to authenticate vintage pieces properly and to study our past work with precision. It also prevents us from reinventing history incorrectly.

At the same time, we do not see heritage as something static. It is a foundation. Our role today is to continue building on it, using modern tools and technologies, while remaining consistent with what Zenith stands for.

TC: As a product developer, how do you balance reverence for the past with the need to innovate?

RM: Having such a long history gives us perspective. It reminds us that what we produce today will eventually become part of the company’s story as well. That creates a certain level of accountability.

"Respecting the past does not mean copying it. It means understanding why certain designs, movements or ideas were successful in their time, and deciding whether those principles still hold value."

Sometimes they do. Sometimes they need to be adapted.

Today we have access to materials, manufacturing techniques and technical capabilities that did not exist decades ago. It would not make sense to ignore them. The challenge is to integrate modern solutions without losing clarity in design or purpose.

For me, balance comes from asking a simple question: does this product still feel unmistakably Zenith? If the answer is yes, then innovation and continuity can coexist.

Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar Lapis Lazuli

TC: The chronograph is a pillar complication and central to Zenith. What must never change, and what should?

RM: The El Primero remains one of the defining chronograph movements of the modern era. Introduced in 1969, it is still in production today, which is rare in our industry. That continuity reflects the strength of its original architecture.

We continue refining it. Chronographs have established codes that collectors recognise and expect, but respecting those codes does not mean avoiding progress.

I do not believe anything should be frozen in time. What must remain intact is the core identity of the El Primero, its architecture and its high frequency. Around that foundation, we can improve reliability, precision and execution. Evolution should strengthen the movement, not change what makes it recognisable.

TC: What are some underrated gems of Zenith’s past that collectors are still overlooking?

RM: Zenith’s vintage heritage is still not fully explored. Early El Primero models already resonate strongly with collectors, but the broader historical production remains less visible.

For many years, the vintage market focused on a relatively small group of highly publicised brands. As a result, a large part of Zenith’s history has not yet received the same level of attention. That does not reflect the depth of what was produced, especially in terms of chronometry and movement development.

We see this as an opportunity rather than a frustration. Through the Revival collection, we try to bring certain references back into focus and help collectors rediscover pieces that deserve a second look. The recent G.F.J. collection with the Calibre 135 is a good example. It brings back a movement that was highly respected for its chronometric performance in the early 1950s.

There are still many chapters of our archives that have not been revisited. Our approach is to study them carefully and reintroduce them in a way that makes sense today, rather than simply reproducing them for nostalgia.

TC: Tell us about the Zenith Icons collection, and what is the Maison’s approach to tasteful restoration?

RM: The Zenith Icons programme, launched in 2019, is a structured way for us to engage directly with our vintage history. It offers collectors a trusted channel to acquire original Zenith pieces that have been carefully sourced and verified by the manufacture itself.

The process is deliberate. We identify watches, acquire them, authenticate them against our archives, and assess their condition. Restoration is only carried out when necessary, and always with the objective of preserving as much originality as possible. We prioritise pieces that retain the maximum number of original components.

Because we have retained our historical records and many original parts, we are able to restore in a way that remains consistent with how the watches were originally produced. The goal is not to over-refinish or modernise them, but to ensure they are correct, mechanically sound and true to their period.

For collectors, that transparency and traceability are important. It creates confidence, especially in a vintage market where information is not always complete.

“For me, it is more important to be relevant. Being timeless is often judged in hindsight.”

TC: Trends come and go, but also drive commercial interest. Is it more important to be timeless or current?

RM: For me, it is more important to be relevant.

Being “timeless” is often something that can only be judged in hindsight. Being “trendy” can generate short-term attention, but that alone is not enough. What matters is whether a product feels coherent at the moment it is launched.

If the design is well proportioned, if the movement makes sense for the watch, and if the story behind it is honest, then it can connect with people. That connection is what sustains interest beyond the initial launch cycle.

We do not develop products by chasing trends. At the same time, we cannot ignore the environment in which we operate. The key is to understand the context without being driven by it.

Relevance, for me, sits between those two extremes.

TC: Do you think watches will still be worn on the wrist in 50 years?

RM: I believe they will.

Wearing a watch on the wrist has become part of how we interact with time. It is immediate and visible, but also personal. Over the last century, it has proven to be a natural format for something that combines function, design and identity.

Technology will continue to evolve, and different ways of accessing information will emerge. But the wrist remains a practical and expressive place for an object. It allows a watch to be both useful and symbolic at the same time.

"Mechanical watches are worn by choice. That choice is important."

As long as people value objects that reflect craftsmanship and taste, the watch on the wrist will continue to make sense.

Lapis Lazuli main dial, with mother-of-pearl subdial. Most impressively the minute markers are spherically sculpted.

TC: What role do watch communities such as SWC play in today’s horological landscape?

RM: Communities like yours play an important role because they create dialogue.

Today, collectors are more informed and more connected than ever. Information moves quickly, and opinions form quickly as well. A community provides a space where that knowledge can be exchanged in a structured and thoughtful way.

For brands, this creates both opportunity and responsibility. It allows us to listen more closely to how our products are perceived and discussed. At the same time, it challenges us to be transparent and consistent.

Education is also key. When collectors understand the technical and historical context of a watch, their appreciation becomes deeper. Communities help facilitate that understanding. They help keep the conversation around watchmaking alive and informed.

In speaking with Romain Marietta, what stands out is not urgency, but steadiness. In an industry that often oscillates between revival and reinvention, his outlook remains measured. Decisions are framed less as statements and more as responsibility.

There is a clear parallel between how Zenith approaches its vintage pieces and how Marietta approaches the brand itself. Study carefully. Intervene only when necessary. Preserve what defines the original. Improve what strengthens it.

For collectors, that philosophy offers reassurance. Progress does not have to mean reinvention. Sometimes it means knowing what to leave untouched.

-FIN-