The History of Zodiac Watches
Zodiac was founded in 1882 by Ariste Calame in Le Locle, Switzerland. The company initially focused on producing pocket watches, but they created their first wristwatch in 1895.
The Zodiac name itself was patented in 1908, with focus on precision—resulting in the launch of one of the first automatic wrist watches in the 1930s.
Later, in 1953, the Zodiac Sea Wolf was introduced, becoming one of the world’s first serious diver watches manufactured for the masses.
The Sea Wolf grew in popularity among military and professional divers, establishing Zodiac as a much respected name in the world of dive watches.
Who Makes Zodiac Watches?
The Quartz Crisis during the 1970s and 1980s affected the Zodiac watch production, as it did for many other Swiss watch brands. Finally, in 1984, the company declared bankruptcy, and while they were acquired twice during the 1990s, the efforts to recover and improve the brand recognition failed. Then, in 2001, Zodiac was acquired by Fossil, Inc., a global fashion accessories company. Under Fossil’s ownership, Zodiac underwent an explosive and inspiring renaissance, focusing on the brand’s heritage and the reintroduction of popular classic models.
Are Zodiac Watches Luxury?
While there are no clear definitions for the categories, we classify Zodiac as premium, or high-end watch brand. While Fossil Group, who owns Zodiac, is known for their entry-level fashion brand watches, Zodiac stands as a distinguished beacon of brand legacy, acquired through their longstanding commitment to quality and reliability.
Zodiac Watch Movements
Most of the Zodiac watches use automatic movements, mainly STP (Swiss Technology Production) movements. STP is owned by the Fossil Group, and they manufacture their automatic movements in Switzerland. The most used calibers are the STP 1-11, and the STP 3-13. These movements are on par with Sellita and ETA movements when it comes to quality.
Some Zodiac watches use Sellita movements, and the quartz models are usually equipped with Ronda movements.
Zodiac Brand Reputation
Zodiac continues to be recognized for its history of innovation in dive watches and remains a popular choice among watch enthusiasts. The brand frequently flies under the radar, which is probably due to some of their challenges around brand awareness during the 1990s, and early 2000s.
With the acquisition by Fossil Group, Zodiac certainly reestablished their place in the world of watches as a heritage brand. Staying true to their original designs, they create high quality, reliable timepieces.
Takeaway: Are Zodiac Watches Good Watches? Are They Worth the Money?
Zodiac watches are indisputably reliably made, high quality timepieces. Both on the outside and in, complete with top quality Swiss movements. Boasting rich history reaching back all the way to the late 1800s / early 1900s, the current models are thoughtfully designed with the original ideas in mind. Zodiac certainly plays a significant role in the history of watchmaking, and we’re excited to see what the future has in store for the brand.
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Buyer’s Guide: Zodiac Watch Collections
Super Sea Wolf Collection
An evolution of the original Sea Wolf, with enhanced features and capabilities. The first Sea Wolf emerged in 1953 as one of the pioneering dive watches produced for widespread consumer use. Over the years, it saw numerous iterations until the turn of the millennium when the Fossil Group took ownership of Zodiac in 2001. A decade later, in the early 2010s, Zodiac launched a new series of Sea Wolf watches, which paid homage to the vintage aesthetics of the 1950s originals.
Zodiac is constantly updating their iconic Super Sea Wolf collection with different features and functionality. We’ve collected some of the most unique pieces:
Super Sea Wolf Compression
Specs:
- Ref # ZO9270
- Movement: Automatic
- Caliber: STP 1-11
- Power Reserve: 44 hours
- Case Width: 40 mm
This Zodiac Super Sea Wolf Compression boasts a stainless steel case and a uni-directional top ring made of mineral crystal. It showcases an orange and white matte dial, paired with a matte blue rubber strap. The hands and markers are enhanced with C3 SuperLumiNova for improved visibility. At its heart is an STP 1-11 Swiss-made automatic movement, ensuring reliability and precision. Additionally, it offers water resistance up to 200 meters, making it a versatile choice.
Super Sea Wolf Pro-Diver
Specs:
- Ref # ZO3552
- Movement: Automatic
- Caliber: SW200
- Power Reserve: 38 hours
- Case Width: 42 mm
The Zodiac Super Sea Wolf Pro-Diver is an excellent example of using classic dive watch design elements combined with a few well placed modern twists to create a timeless design. Its 42 mm case width is not too small and not too big. The black sunray dial is paired with a black bezel, further extending the watch visually. No Roman or Arabic numerals are used for the dial, the only pop of color we have is the bright orange used for the minute hand. A versatile design that’s very straight-to-the-point, functionality remaining its focus, but at the same time possessing a flair of sophistication, making the Wolf Pro-Diver a very well rounded timepiece suited for even elegant occasions.
Super Sea Wolf GMT
Specs:
- Ref # ZO9409
- Movement: Automatic
- Caliber: Soprod C125
- Power Reserve: 42 hours
- Case Width: 40 mm
The Zodiac Super Sea Wolf GMT World timer is a popular piece thanks to its evergreen classic design combined with modern elements. Gray dial with wide baton hour and minute hands, combined with a vibrant red GMT hand – these elements create a very robust, masculine look. The 24-hour scale for the GMT functionality is part of the dial, and the adjustable bezel has major cities displayed so you can accurately track the time at your current location and at your home time zone as well. The watch is equipped with the reliable Swiss Soprod C125 automatic movement, providing around 42 hours of power reserve.
Olympos Collection
Specs:
- Ref # ZO9711
- Movement: Automatic
- Caliber: STP1-11
- Power Reserve: 44 hours
- Case Width: 37 mm
The Zodiac Olympos watch, first introduced in 1961, quickly gained the nickname “manta” for its distinct case shape that resembled the wings of a manta ray. The modern re-release of this watch preserves the original design, maintaining the signature silhouette that nods to its historic lineage. Concurrently, it embraces contemporary preferences by incorporating updated materials, ensuring the timepiece aligns with current style trends. The Zodiac Olympos watches have a very elegant design, with a touch of ruggedness due to the angles of the case and the sunray dials that provide some exciting depth.
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