Zenith has just announced it will now offer both an extract from its archives, as well as a certificate of authenticity, joining the long list of brands that do the same.

Zenith Espada chronographs from the seventies, from the collection of P. Vidhayapat

For a modest fee, Zenith will now provide an extract from its archives concerning any watch it has manufactured in the past.  According to Zenith, the extract will contain information like “the date the watch was manufactured in Le Locle and other information related to its production.” In addition, Zenith notes, “Wherever possible, we will also provide historic catalogue extracts and historical advertisements along with this document.” The extract costs 120 Swiss francs for a soft copy sent via email and 150 Swiss francs for a paper copy through the post. With this, Zenith joins a growing number of watch brands seeking to provide a service sought-after by collectors, as well as to improve the collectability of its timepieces by providing more information to collectors. Patek Philippe was one of the earliest, and most successful at monetising its archives, but now the brands that do this include IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Omega and Vacheron Constantin. And Zenith will also authenticate any vintage Zenith timepiece for a 500 Swiss franc fee, but if the vintage watch is restored by Zenith, the fee is waived. Any timepiece sent to Zenith for authentication or restoration has to be routed through its authorised retailers, boutiques or service centres; the manufacture itself in Le Locle will not accept timepieces. More information on these services can be found on Zenith’s website.