ZENITH honors this tradition with the Double Signed program. Driven by the belief that true excellence can be amplified through partnership, the series invites select independent watchmakers and craftsmen to bring fresh perspectives to a watchmaking legend while preserving its core identity. For its first Double Signed release, ZENITH headed East with Tokyo- based Naoya Hida & Co. For its second, the Manufacture now turns West, joining forces with American independent watchmaker J.N. Shapiro to demonstrate once again how the G.F.J. and its iconic Calibre 135 can serve as a compelling canvas for creative collaboration.
Named after Georges Favre-Jacot, the founder of ZENITH, the G.F.J. was conceived as the contemporary home of the legendary Calibre 135, the most awarded observatory chronometer movement in watchmaking history. Beyond its commemorative dimension, the collection also serves as a platform for distinctive watchmaking collaborations brought to life through the Double Signed program. In this new iteration, ZENITH joins forces with J.N. Shapiro to explore new creative territory, presenting an exclusive 25-piece limited edition of the G.F.J. in rose gold infused with the distinctive design codes of the American independent watchmaker.
Founded by Joshua Shapiro in his home workshop in 2018, J.N. Shapiro Watches began by creating guilloché dials and has steadily expanded its capabilities. Today, the company manufactures its proprietary Caliber 26 movement and has introduced the Resurgence timepiece. It now comprises a dedicated team committed to the highest standards of engineering, manufacturing, guilloché and finishing, with the goal of keeping the storied tradition of American watchmaking alive while continuing to evolve it.
Engine-Turned in California
True to J.N. Shapiro’s signature style, the dial of this new G.F.J. Calibre 135 Double Signed is crafted entirely in his California atelier. It features a silver base decorated with three distinct guilloché motifs, meticulously applied by hand using rose-engine and straight-line machines. A barleycorn pattern adorns the outer section, while the center of the dial features a basketweave motif. The small seconds subdial is distinguished by Shapiro’s signature Infinity Weave. These contrasting guilloché textures are framed by applied 18k rose gold rings, hour markers and plates bearing the double signature ZENITH | J.N. Shapiro, as well as the G.F.J. initials.
Damaskeening the Calibre 135
Visible through the sapphire case back of the 39mm case, the elegant architecture of the hand-wound Calibre 135 is a testament to its history of excellence. While Naoya Hida focused on the dial and hands for the first ZENITH Double Signed creation, J.N. Shapiro takes the collaboration a step further by bringing his signature aesthetic directly onto the movement.
The bridges of the Calibre 135 feature a distinctive finish known as “damaskeening”. Combining elements of Côtes de Genève and guilloché, this decorative technique was frequently found on historic American pocket watches and brings a distinctly American expression to the Swiss calibre.
Beating at 2.5Hz, the hand-wound Calibre 135 is equipped with a large variable- inertia balance wheel with a Breguet overcoil, as well as Charles Fleck’s characteristic double arrow-shaped regulator for fine adjustment. This modern re- engineering of the legendary observatory chronometer movement offers an extended 72-hour power reserve and incorporates a stop-second mechanism. Its balance staff is protected by spring-mounted jewel settings. The Calibre 135 is regulated to ±2 seconds per day, with its precision officially certified by the COSC.
The G.F.J. Calibre 135 Double Signed with J.N. Shapiro comes with three distinct leather straps: brown Cordovan leather, beige nubuck alligator leather and black calf leather. Its 18k rose gold pin buckle is engraved with the G.F.J. initials. An 18k rose gold bracelet is also available upon request.
The G.F.J. Calibre 135 Double Signed with J.N. Shapiro is released as an exclusive limited edition of 25 pieces.
Benoit de Clerck, CEO of ZENITH WATCHES: “Double-signed watches have long stood as the ultimate mark of collaborative mastery. Celebrating the power of shared expertise, each collaboration infuses the G.F.J. design and its legendary Calibre 135 with fresh creative visions. Following the collaboration with Naoya Hida, the partnership with Joshua Shapiro once again demonstrates that the G.F.J. is a unique platform, capable of embracing radically different artistic and horological expressions while preserving its essential identity. Beyond the timepieces themselves, the Double Signed program is also, in our own way, a contribution to the wider watchmaking community—bringing together different talents, traditions and perspectives, and celebrating what we can create and learn from one another.”
Joshua Shapiro, Founder and CEO of J.N. Shapiro: “This type of collaboration of a Swiss brand working with an American brand has never happened before… The Calibre 135 is one of the holy grails of watchmaking. To get to beautify such a functionally historic calibre has been really exciting. We are making watches at the highest level possible. Working with ZENITH on this project is a recognition of the watchmaking we are building and preserving here in California.”
Romain Marietta, Chief Product Office r of ZENITH WATCHES: “ True magic in watchmaking happens when two distinct visions meet—not simply to merge logos, but to blend their DNA into a single, cohesive timepiece. Working with Joshua and his team on this project was particularly rewarding: exploring how his distinctive creative universe and signature craftsmanship could be translated through the language of the G.F.J was both exciting and inspiring.”
