This is rather interesting, display back and all: http://www.ebay.it/itm/RARO-ZENITH-...olso&hash=item35c501414c&_uhb=1#ht_500wt_1390Purchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network

Analysis?

 

Good spot. Gotta stop killing the memory cells.....

 

The Zenith-Universal link is longstanding and deeper than UG's other "ghost authored" chronographs for JLC, GP and others. The documentary evidence is ample.

I agree that is is largely an academic question if Zenith used Martel's movements independently (before 1950 at least). I would argue that Zenith chronographs of the period are UG-derived, simply because they carry UG-pattern case reference and serial numbers that have nothing to do with the serial numbers and references we see for clearly in-house Zenith pieces, but fit very well into the UG sequences. In the end, we are debating whether the Martel factory shipped its output directly to Zenith, or to UG which shipped them on to Zenith with cases or already cased. I favor the latter, for the above reason, and since the cases are unmistakably UG designs (from the various suppliers UG bought them from, of course). Many of the cases are found in both UG and Zenith chronographs (the Jeanneret springs to mind), each sporting different reference numbers.

Mostly. A muddy period occurs in the 1950s, after UG cut Martel loose to focus on its microrotor investment, and before Zenith brought it in house. @MMMD can show off some Martel-branded product from the period, but curiously, I have yet to see a Martel branded chronograph, which leads me to believe they were still supplying one or both houses under contract.

 

Yes, if you have images of one, I'd love to see it. I have seen Martel moonphase calendars with the cal 291, Universal name drilled out.