It’s a landmark occasion when two iconic brands come together to share design philosophies and create something memorable. Zenith and Land Rover's partnership does just that, uniting a precision timepiece designer and a world leading luxury SUV maker. It's a marriage of superlatives described by Aldo Magada, President & CEO of Zenith, as "bringing Zenith to another level," resulting in inevitably iconic product design.
However, for every great product there are hundreds, if not thousands, of duds; so what makes a product truly iconic? Passing trends rarely inspire great products, like the trend itself, the product becomes merely a brief fad. For something to stick it must contain more than momentary value; it needs to be of the highest quality, exists with purpose, and transcends the sum of its parts.
Defining “quality” as a general term is harder than it first appears; however when applying it to products, a few fairly basic requirements should be met. Quality craftsmanship means something performs the way it is designed to, it’s reliable, durable and will exist as a physical product in its essential form for years to come. Land Rover’s commitment to craft is immediately evident, its robustly built and iconic off-road vehicles reputably function across all terrains and in the harshest environments.
Zenith’s quality craftsmanship is most evident in its infamously precise El Primero chronograph movement; first developed in 1969, the El Primero Range Rover Special Edition features the original’s worthy heir, vibrating 36,000 per hour to power a tenth of a second display.
Alongside physically withstanding the effects of age, timeless design guarantees a product doesn’t lose aesthetic quality or run the risk of "going out of fashion.” A great product can be used as regularly as needed, and ugly design will make this an unpleasant experience, another reason aesthetic quality is important. Neither brand sacrifices aesthetics, despite performance being so critical to their products.
"We looked to the reductive nature of a modern Range Rover interior, and the Zenith team translated that into the dial of the watch, keeping it simple and unfussy,” explained Gerry McGovern, Land Rover Chief Design Officer. "The matt finish simultaneously suggests understatement, sophistication and durability. Like a Range Rover, it's an object you look at and immediately feel an emotional connection." Excessive features reduce a product's value; instead, they should remain uncluttered so not to detract from their purpose.
Without purpose, a product is not a product. It is art, meant for display and visual appreciation. A great product’s use should add intuitive value to a user's life. This might sound like a big ask but all a great product must do is fulfill or appeal to basic human needs, emotions or desires. Zenith and Land Rover's products appeal to these fundamental instincts respectively by tracking time and enabling faster and safer travel.
Through purpose, a product can achieve transcendence if it ultimately transcends the sum of its parts and comes to symbolize something greater than itself. Together, Zenith and Land Rover’s physical elements represent luxury, innovation and a passion for discovery. In some cases, an item functions symbolically in a manner completely detached from its original purpose; for example, clothing that evolves to symbolize a revolutionary movement or an electronic device that metaphorically makes the world smaller.
In a serendipitous story, the brands coincidentally came together to symbolize adventure and overcoming adversity when explorer John Blashford-Snell crossed the Darién Gap—an inhospitable marshland and virgin forest area on the border between Colombia and Panama—at the wheel of an early Range Rover and with an El Primero chronograph on his wrist.
When quality, purpose, and transcendence conspire, tales like this become a natural part of a product's character. Zenith and Land Rover's partnership involves a story spanning more than four decades spent crafting quality products intended to better user's lives. As a result, both brands have grown emblematic beyond those products, their names signifying more than watches and cars.
For more information on the brands, their legacies and the future of their partnership, visit the link below.
