We, watch enthusiasts, like to meet up at more or less organized parties. During one of them, I met one of the watchmakers of the Maier boutique in Lyon. He describes his training path and his daily routine. Of course, I am absorbed. I also notice the watch he is wearing: ZRC. Apart from its crown at 6 o'clock, so characteristic of the brand, the color catches my eye: orange. He tells me that it is a collaboration between ZRC and Maier, produced in a very limited edition. My interest in ZRC was increasing dramatically. I tell him that I would like test this watch and feel what it can bring on my wrist. The evening went on. A few weeks later, I am invited to meet Mr. Jean-Louis Maier, founder of the Maier boutiques. We are in his office and our conversation is punctuated by the sound of watches passing in the his office, through transparent pipes which link the watchmaking workshop to the various Maier boutiques in the Président Herriot street, in the heart of Lyon. He agrees to lend me a Maier ZRC, and not just any ZRC. He hands me his personal ZRC Maier, numbered 52/99, a symbolic number for him. I leave the boutique delighted and enthusiastic at the idea of wearing this watch to test it. Above all, this loan comes at the right time. Like a return to the roots, it will accompany me during the weekend in Annecy and its region, the town where the ZRC Grands Fonds was conceived.
I knew that Lake Annecy, surrounded by its relief, would allow me to clear my mind. Indeed, as soon as we arrived, we were caught up in the atmosphere that was conducive to contemplation. The snow, unexpectedly, added the extra soul we were secretly hoping for.
Just parked, we put on our hiking boots and set off to enjoy the freshly fallen snow.
Silence surrounds us. Only our footsteps in the deep snow betray our presence. We pass through scenery that seems timeless. In the middle of this white and silent world, the ZRC Maier does not go unnoticed.
After half an hour, we arrive on a plain of immaculate white, in the middle of which stands a majestic horse. This is a the time to take a break and get to know each other.
After having carefully admired the surroundings, I take the time to observe this dial a little more closely. This dial is intense and mat. One can also guess the granularity of it, trapping any light that might venture onto it.
The sky starts to get cloudy and we decide to go back to the car parked down the hill. The snow perched on the branches of the trees starts to melt and falls to the ground, breaking the absolute calm...
Arrived at the car, we decide to make a stop at Lake Annecy before leaving that evening for Lake Bourget.
The small boats are just waiting to be released on the lake. We remain quite motionless, just looking at the calmly undulating water and leave.
Once we arrive at the gite on the edge of Lake Bourget, I sit down at the desk with a hot drink and my computer. This the right time for me to write down my first impressions of this watch.
Collaborations between a manufacturer and a watch distributor are rare. As a brand, associating a model with a boutique is not neutral. It is a proof of confidence and strong recognition, without concession. The Tudor Black Bay green was created in collaboration with the London luxury shop Harrods. There are also Bucherer Blue watches made up of special editions of watches such as Oris, IWC or Audemars Piguet sold by Bucherer.
Here, ZRC 1904 and Maier have gone one step further. The ZRC Maier is not content to be adorned with the orange color so appreciated by the Lyon-based retailer. In addition to the ZRC logo present on most ZRC models, notably in the "Spirit 1964" range, the word Maier appears at 6 o'clock.
For Jean-Louis Maier, the choice of ZRC was a natural one. It was about collaborating with a brand that he and his team appreciate for its timepieces and its history. This choice is easy to understand. ZRC equipped the French Navy from 1964 to 1982. ZRC can thus boast of having equipped prestigious units, in particular the 3rd Group of Demining Divers of TOULON (GPD III) which intervenes all year long to neutralize historical devices (shells, mines, torpedoes...), and the Commando Hubert, still the only unit of combat swimmers of the French National Navy.
Like the landscape around us, the dial is full of relief. Every 5 minutes, a drop of luminescent material has been generously but precisely applied. This is followed by stick indexes or Arabic numerals, also applied in the same color as the bronze of the case.
At 3 o'clock we can read the date. I tend to be one of those people who do not want a date on a dive watch. The function of a dive watch is to indicate the immersion, not to indicate the date. Often, the date takes the place of a luminescent index, which is useful for reading the dive time.
I now see things differently. In the first place, many watches designed for professional diving displayed a date. A well known example: the Rolex Submariner Comex, reference 16610. I cannot deny the professional use of this watch.
More specifically to the ZRC Maier, the rotating bezel has luminescent dots every 5 minutes. This means that the immersion time can be read off perfectly thanks to these markings on the bezel.
Talking about the bezel, the matte black of which it is adorned confirms the utilitarian spirit of the watch. The luminescent markers mentioned earlier have a certain originality: three successive luminescent markers are present at 12 o'clock, then 2 every quarter of an hour. When reading in the dark, this can be disconcerting but once accustomed, the show is superb. The whole dial, hands and bezel offer a real constellation.
The ZRC Maier's bezel also has a special technical feature: the patented ECS (Easy Clean System) for cleaning the inside of the bezel. Salt and sand cannot take up residence there.
The hands also contribute to the watch's charisma. Called "Magnum", they are luminescent and perfectly distinguishable from each other. No danger of confusing the hour hand with the minute hand. Vintage lovers will also appreciate the "lollipop" type seconds hand, without counterweight.
The next morning, I have breakfast with pen and notebook to jot down some ideas. If it's not already on my wrist, the watch is never far away.
Wanting to enjoy the first rays of sunshine to visit the shores of Lake Bourget, I take the ZRC with me and jump in the car : direction the lake a few minutes drive down.
The winding road is deserted and clogged with an opaque mist. The pleasure of driving is nevertheless there. Halfway along the road, everything clears up and I faced with an unexpected view. Impossible to continue my way without stopping there.
A thick layer of clouds hangs over the lake like a protective dome. The sapphire crystal of the ZRC Maier also overhangs the dial, the case and the bezel. However, unlike the clouds in front of me, it lets us admire the dial.
Many people love them, including me. As I said about my Oris Big Crown Pointer Date, I love domed sapphire crystals. It is scratch resistant, but most of all, I can't get enough of the deformation of the indexes created by these domed lenses.
Again, the visibility is getting worse. I take some final shots and head back to the lake.
Once parked at the edge of the lake, I get out of the car, camera on my shoulder and ZRC on my wrist, always. I hear faint voices. They come from the lake. People are practicing rowing, under the benevolent but no less demanding eye of their coach.
Like Lake Annecy, Lake Bourget has something hypnotic, almost mystical about it.
Further on, I notice a multitude of small boats moored. I could get into any boat, the surroundings being always intoxicatingly quiet. These boats are covered in frost. Ice crystals have formed on the ropes, pulleys and various steel parts that have weathered over time. The ZRC Maier is also patinated. The bronze case no longer has the shine it had when it was first built, and that's the point. Just like these weatherproof boats, this watch prints the passing of time thanks to its non-magnetic bronze case, which comes in beautiful grey and brown tones.
In this marine environment, wearing the ZRC makes sense. The watch draws you to the lake. You imagine yourself on one of those boats, stopping in the middle of the lake and diving for lost treasure.
The sun is now high in the sky. I sit down on the nearest bench.
I've been wearing the watch for two days and never felt the need to change it. It provides determination and boldness. It is loyal to you in your adventures. The comfort is also present. The strap is definitely a real asset. The ZRC Maier is sold with an orange leather strap. The choice of leather may be surprising for a diver's watch. As I have written, nothing unforgivable in my eyes. I myself sometimes wear my personal diver's watch on a leather Nato. Every occasion has its own strap.
During these few days, I had in my hands the ZRC Maier mounted on a rubber strap, orange of course, and stamped ZRC.
This "Swiss Made" bracelet is in my opinion a total success. Flexible and resistant, it contributes to the diver's soul of the watch. Strongly openworked, it allows the skin to breathe, especially in summer. It also has some nice details, notably an appendix inside the mobile loop that slides into the holes of the strap to stay in place. Another appreciable detail: the bronze buckle signed with the ZRC crown.
Associated with a very mobile bronze piece next to the crown, this rubber strap allows the watch to fit even relatively thin wrists.
Perfect match.
It was a perfect match in many ways: the bronze of the ZRC Maier and its orange color, but also wearing this watch in the middle of lakes bordered by snowy reliefs.
The ZRC Maier, which is by nature a cleaver watch, seduced me from the very first minutes on my wrist. In addition to being comfortable to wear, this watch exudes authenticity and dedication. Like a well-tailored suit, this watch gives you the confidence to dare, experiment and test your limits.
The charisma and heritage of this ZRC Maier will capture you. Once on the wrist, it confirms its adepts and convinces the most reluctant.
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