Zeno-Watch is a Swiss watchmaker in business since 1868, but only using the Zeno name since 1922. Specializing in aviation watches, they exist today as one of the few independent Swiss watch manufacturers still in operation, and make watches in their factory in Basel, Switzerland.
Zeno's history begins in 1868 with watchmaker Jules Godat, the founder of a small pocket watch manufacturing company (Godat & Co.) in La Chaux-de-Fonds, located in the heart of Swiss watch manufacture. He produced, in very small quantities, fine pocket watches featuring solid silver cases and lady pendant watches. He built a small factory, which was taken over in 1920 by the company, A. Eigeldinger & Fils.
The family business, Eigeldinger, specialized in wrist watches for the army. They produced watches in stainless steel, silver, gold and platinum, with mechanical movements up to 43mm. They assembled different guaranteed horology. Their registered brands were ZENO, STRAND and SOLVEX. The son of the owner, Andre-Charles Eigeldinger, introduced Zeno. The name was influenced by the Greek philosopher, Zeno, and comes from Zenodopolus, which means "Gift of Zeus."
The first ZENO watches were made in 1922. Each piece was marked with a Swiss cross on the back of the casing. The company has since continued to innovate watch manufacturing techniques. In 1949, the ZENO watches were exhibited for the first time at the Swiss Watch Fair in Basel.
In 1966, wholesalers Dr. Peter Atteslander and Eric Enggist bought the rights to ZENO, and later sold them to Mr. Felix W. Huber in 1973. Mr. Huber had worked for the company since 1964.
Zeno's workshops gained international attention in 1969 with the legendary and futuristic "Spacemen," with the production of the vacuum diver watch "Compressor," and with the takeover of several well-known Swiss watch factories.
The timeless star of ZENO is the famous "Pilot Classic" collection (40mm). A remake of our pilot watches from 1965 (37mm), today's model compares very favorably with the vintage ZENO Pilot Basic 1965 original. Their technical features, however, give them an undeniable advantage.
Today Zeno watches are produced by one of the last independent Swiss watch manufacturers and traditional company, ZENO-WATCH BASEL.
The Swiss brand name ZENO symbolizes an excellent choice in marketable wrist watches. Zeno is a small, but traditional, watch factory with a stylish watch collection. The watches are known and recognized internationally for their quality, design and innovation, exhibiting exceptionally high standards of quality while offering competitive prices.
The range of products extends from mechanical to quartz technology wrist watches with analogue display for ladies or gents in every combination of materials: mechanical and quartz technology wrist watches with analogue display, collectors' wristwatches, pocket watches, military, scuba diving watches or sport chronographs in every combination of materials.
Zeno has enlarged their successful Pilot watch family of products. Since 1999 they have produced the very special "Pilot Oversized" watches (47.5mm), a huge range of pilot watches in new sizes, and many COSC certificated chronometers.
Zeno also makes dive watches used by the Swiss Army for their frogmen — there is no Swiss 'navy' per se. Their classic ZENO ARMY Diver 300m is a large, chunky diving watch, with a large heavy 40mm polished stainless steel case, large uni-rotating bezel, thick domed acrylic crystal, and large protected screw-down crown at the 4 o'clock position. This watch is rated for 300 meters (1000 feet) depth. The Zeno Diver uses a 21 jewel, non-hacking self-winding automatic ETA 2846 movement, with quickset date display at 4. Zeno has expanded their Diver line since its introduction in 1966 to include other models with different dial colors, movements, and case sizes.