Zodiac Is Killing the Collaboration Game Right Now

zodiac x craft and tailored collaboration
Zodiac Is Killing the Collaboration Game Right NowLouis Cantillo

The world of watches is, by and large, a pretty conservative place. Sure, you’ve got brands like Swatch playing against type by combining Swiss provenance with playful provocation. And upstart microbrands aplenty are no doubt having a lot of fun shaking things up. But when you get into the space occupied by century-old (or older) makers with deep catalogs of historical references, you’re generally less likely to encounter a penchant for messing around with the classics—especially with outside collaborators.

One notable exception to that is Zodiac, which was founded in 1882 in Le Locle; introduced one of the first commercially available dive watches, the Sea Wolf, in the 1950s; and was acquired by the Texas-based Fossil Group in 2001 (keeping production in Switzerland, naturally). On iconic designs and new models alike, bold color pairings—think flamingo pink and white or mint green and orange—have become something of a signature in recent years.

zodiac x ebay super sea wolf compression dive watch
Zodiac

Today, the brand’s team-up with eBay on the 40mm Super Sea Wolf Compression brings another shot of colour. This time around, instead of splashes of solid hues on the bezel or chapter ring, you get doses of red, green, yellow, and blue on the hour markers and the “countdown” timer on the bezel inspired by eBay’s reverse-running auction clock. It would be a bit much if everything else weren’t rendered in black, white, and stainless steel.

“We strike a balance by honouring Swiss watchmaking tradition and our archives while pushing creative boundaries,” says Ryan White, creative director of Zodiac, who credits eBay with “preserving our legacy to collectors and introducing the brand to new generations.” Clearly the love goes both ways. Mari Corella, eBay’s GM of global luxury, calls the limited-edition timepiece “a first-of-its-kind collaboration for eBay in the watch world...a collectible and fun watch that embodies the passion of enthusiasts who shop our marketplace.”

zodiac x craft and tailored super sea wolf ref 691
Louis Cantillo

On the more restrained side of the collaborative spectrum is a reference released a couple weeks ago that’s also limited—but luckily still available. Created along with Cameron Barr, founder of the watch site Craft + Tailored, the Super Sea Wolf Ref. 691 delves all the way back into the archives. In a period-accurate 36mm case with a tapered steel bracelet, the design is a modern interpretation of the “unsigned” 691 dive watch from 1953, created prior to the Sea Wolf branding. With a hand-wound movement and a screw-down crown, it blends old-school cues with modern innovation. And while there’s a black dial available, the Craft + Tailored exclusive version with a supremely handsome cream dial is limited to just one hundred pieces.

“We wanted to create something that would appeal to true enthusiasts and the collector community, so the original 691 was an obvious choice for inspiration,” explains Barr. “This is a legendary watch that Zodiac made very few of—it’s hard to find and has become a bit of a grail. The case size is a tribute to the original 36mm, which sounds small by today’s standards, but when you slip it on, the proportions are perfect on the wrist. It actually wears more like a 38mm or even a 40mm, which feels like a home run.”

Considering how much goodness Zodiac has packed into just the past couple weeks, there’s surely more to come. In other words: Watch this space.

You Might Also Like