====== Zodiac ======

{{wst>menue|Zodiac}}
{{wst>image_cr|Zodiac|Super Sea Wolf Pro-Diver}}

**Zodiac** is a historic Swiss watch brand, currently owned by [[Fossil Group]].

===== History =====
Watchmaker [[Ariste Calame]] began making watches in [[1882]], coining the Zodiac brand in [[1908]]. The [[Zodiac Autographic]] of [[1932]] featured the first [[power reserve indicator]]. Zodiac created their own [[8-day]] movement in [[1937]] and launched an [[automatic]] watch with one of the earliest [[power reserve indicator]]s in [[1949]].

In [[1953]] the [[Zodiac Sea Wolf]] was launched, a model that would establish the company's reputation for [[dive watch]]es.

Although there are claims of a "quartz" Zodiac watch as early as [[1932]], it was the [[1968]] launch of the [[Zodiac Dynotron]] that really mattered. This was one of the first Swiss electronic watches, and Zodiac also participated in the launch of the [[Beta 21]] quartz movement]] in [[1970]]. By the 1970s, Zodiac was known as a maker of [[upscale]] and [[luxury]] watches.

==== Zodiac Killer ====
The watch logo with the cross-circle symbol was used by a serial killer who became famous in Northern California in the 1960s/1970s and who was therefore called [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zodiac_Killer|Zodiac Killer]]. The Zodiac Sea Wolf model is shown in the film [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zodiac_(film)|Zodiac]], directed by David Fincher, where one of the suspects wears this watch. 

===== Zodiac, Zenith, Dixi =====
The Zodiac brand faltered through the [[quartz crisis]] and was purchased by [[Paul Buhré]] (part of [[Dixi]], owner of [[Zenith]]), in [[1979]]. Zodiac watches continued, now sold by Montres Zodiac SA (also called Zodiac Precision Watches) of [[Le Locle]]. These were produced by Zenith, with quartz models using movements from [[ETA]]. Zodiac officially became part of Zenith in [[1982]]. The brand was not successful and disappeared after [[1985]].

On October 29, [[1988]], Zodiac (along with [[H. Moser & Cie.]], [[Jean Perret]], [[Luxor]], [[Paul Buhré]], [[Robert Cart]], and [[Terrasse]]) was dissolved. These brands were officially abandoned in [[1989]].

The Zodiac brand was re-launched in [[1990]] at the [[Basel Fair]]. Watches were produced by [[Zenith]], but Zodiac maintained its own design, marketing, and distribution. This incarnation went bankrupt in [[1997]].

===== Zodiac and Fossil =====
The brand was purchased by the American [[Genender]] company in [[1998]], which re-introduced the iconic models, the [[Zodiac Sea Wolf|Sea Wolf]] and [[Zodiac Astrographic|Astrographic]].

[[Fossil Group]] stepped in to purchase this company in October, [[2001]]. The next month, Fossil also purchased Montres Antima SA, Meliga Habillement Horloger SA, and Synergies Horlogeres SA to establish a Swiss watchmaking operation.

==== Weblinks ====
  * [[https://www.zodiacwatches.com/|zodiacwatches.com]]


{{tag>Watch_brands Watch_brands_Switzerland Fossil_Group}}