Zenith Manufacture, Le Locle NE

Back

Zenith Manufacture, Le Locle NE

Founded in 1865 by Georges Favre-Jacot, the Zenith watch manufacture was one of the very first examples of vertical integration in Swiss watchmaking: this explains the scale of the site, which also included a quarry, a brickworks and a foundry.

Modifications and additions have been made up to the present day, in line with the evolution of its business. Nevertheless, the site has largely retained its original buildings, erected between 1865 and 1905. A common foundation is evident in most of these buildings: concrete brick walls and a load-bearing structure comprising cast-iron columns supporting a network of wrought iron or steel beams and girders.

The roofs, however, have undergone various alterations, resulting in a variety of materials: ceramic tiles, lacquered aluminium tiles, galvanised and/or painted steel sheets, zinc sheets, or even flat roofs covered with gravel – and, more recently, solar panels.

Our Questions

  • How can historic iron alloy components be effectively preserved in regions where, during the winter, rain is gradually replacing snow? 
  • What solutions would allow these older parts to be showcased whilst repurposing them for new activities within the company? 
  • Last but not least, what are the risks associated with landslides in this marshy area, where most of the buildings on the street below have suffered damage due to gradual subsidence?
A view of a section of the façade featuring a window at the Zenith watch manufacture in Le Locle © HE-Arc
The rain is undoubtedly responsible (along with the freeze-thaw cycle) for the delamination of the plaster, the erosion of the bricks and mortar, and the corrosion of the iron frames. This is the case for a building that has been preserved in its original state but is not currently part of the production process.

Participants