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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Archive · Le Locle, Switzerland

Zenith Heritage Archive

Home of the El Primero records and historical watchmaking equipment preserved in the original attic.

Overview

Zenith Heritage Archive is a archive based in Le Locle, Switzerland. Home of the El Primero records and historical watchmaking equipment preserved in the original attic.

As an archive, its value lies in documents rather than displayed objects: ledgers, registers, patents, correspondence, drawings or production records.

Production and sales ledgers can confirm when and to whom a specific numbered watch was delivered — evidence that marks on the object alone cannot give.

This is a company heritage collection. Whether it is open to outside researchers, and on what terms, is not documented here; brand archives are often private and accessible only by request through the company.

Diagram

12345let downstripcleanoilregulateorder of work; never skip letting down the mainspring
Schematic: order of work at the bench. An outline schematic drawn to show the arrangement of the parts discussed here. It is not a dimensioned working drawing and does not depict a particular maker's calibre.

Using it for research

  • Ask whether the archive issues extracts or certificates for individual serial numbers, and on what terms.
  • An extract confirms what the records state about the original object; it does not by itself prove that every part of a watch today is original.

Before you visit

  • Archives are usually accessible by written request or appointment only.