Zenith’s Double Signed programme has produced a notably thoughtful meeting of old-world chronometry and contemporary American independent watchmaking.
The new G.F.J. Calibre 135 Double Signed with J.N. Shapiro takes Zenith’s modern home for the historic Calibre 135 and gives it a dial and movement treatment rooted in traditional hand decoration.
Limited to 25 pieces in 18-carat rose gold, it’s a collector’s watch aimed less at spectacle and more at the pleasure of close inspection.
At a glance
- Zenith has collaborated with American independent watchmaker J.N. Shapiro on a 25-piece G.F.J. Calibre 135 limited edition.
- The watch features a California-made silver guilloché dial with three hand-executed patterns and a damaskeened hand-wound Calibre 135.
- Priced at CHF 68,900, the 18-carat rose gold reference is delivered with three leather straps, with a rose gold bracelet available on request.
A California dial for a Le Locle calibre
J.N. Shapiro is a natural fit for a project built around engine turning.
Founded by Joshua Shapiro in California in 2018, the independent maker began with guilloché dials before developing into a watchmaking company with its own Caliber 26 movement and the Resurgence collection.
For Zenith, Shapiro’s atelier has produced the dial entirely in California, using a silver base decorated with three distinct hand-executed guilloché patterns.
The outer section carries a barleycorn motif, while the centre is finished with a basketweave pattern.
At 6 o’clock, the small seconds display uses Shapiro’s characteristic Infinity Weave, giving the dial its most recognisably American independent signature.
The result is a dial that doesn’t try to disguise its craft, but it also doesn’t overwhelm the classical layout of the G.F.J.
The Calibre 135 receives an American finishing cue
The G.F.J. collection was introduced in 2025 and named after Zenith founder Georges Favre-Jacot.
Its purpose is to give the historic Calibre 135 a contemporary setting, and this Double Signed edition leans into that idea by treating the movement as both a technical object and a decorative canvas.
Visible through the sapphire caseback, the hand-wound Calibre 135 has bridges finished with damaskeening.
The technique combines elements of Côtes de Genève and guilloché, and was traditionally associated with American pocket watches.
That choice gives the collaboration a second layer beyond the dial, connecting Zenith’s movement heritage with a finishing language tied to the United States.
The movement retains the modern Calibre 135 architecture, including a large variable-inertia balance wheel and a Breguet overcoil hairspring.
It also includes a double arrow-shaped regulator for fine adjustment, a stop-seconds mechanism and spring-mounted jewel settings protecting the balance staff.
Running at 18,000 vibrations per hour, or 2.5 Hz, the movement offers a 72-hour power reserve.
Zenith states that the watch is adjusted to within ±2 seconds per day, and its precision is certified by COSC.
Rose gold proportions and strap options
The case is made from 18-carat rose gold and measures 39.15 mm across, with a thickness of 10.5 mm.
Its 45.75 mm lug-to-lug measurement should keep the watch in the restrained, dress-adjacent territory that suits the Calibre 135 format.
Water resistance is rated to 5 ATM, which is consistent with the watch’s refined rather than sporting character.
Zenith supplies the edition with three leather straps in brown Cordovan, beige nubuck alligator and black calf leather.
Each strap is fitted with an 18-carat rose gold pin buckle engraved with the G.F.J. initials.
An 18-carat rose gold bracelet is also available on request, adding a more substantial option for collectors who want the watch to wear less formally.
Details & Specifications
| Brand | Zenith |
|---|---|
| Model | G.F.J. Calibre 135 Double Signed with J.N. Shapiro |
| Reference | 18.1865-1-0135/01.C215 |
| Case size | 39.15 mm |
| Case thickness | 10.5 mm |
| Lug-to-lug | 45.75 mm |
| Case material | 18-carat rose gold |
| Dial | Silver guilloché dial with barleycorn, basketweave and Infinity Weave patterns |
| Movement | Hand-wound Zenith Calibre 135 |
| Frequency | 18,000 vibrations per hour, 2.5 Hz |
| Power reserve | 72 hours |
| Certification | COSC certified |
| Stated rate adjustment | ±2 seconds per day |
| Water resistance | 5 ATM |
| Straps | Brown Cordovan, beige nubuck alligator and black calf leather |
| Buckle | 18-carat rose gold pin buckle engraved with G.F.J. initials |
| Bracelet | 18-carat rose gold bracelet available on request |
| Limited edition | 25 pieces |
| Price | CHF 68,900 |
The G.F.J. Calibre 135 Double Signed with J.N. Shapiro is most compelling as a meeting of specific disciplines, rather than a simple co-branded exercise.
It gives Zenith’s chronometric lineage a dial made by one of America’s most distinctive contemporary specialists, and it does so in a size, material and production run that speak directly to collectors who value handwork over volume.
