Luxury / news
Zenith Proposes High-End Pivot With Up to 200 Job Cuts and Retail Exit by 2029
LVMH-owned Zenith Watches has opened a staff consultation on a strategic repositioning toward higher-priced watches, a plan that could remove up to half its Swiss workforce and roughly 100 international roles. The brand also intends to discontinue many collections and wind down its retail operations by 2029.
The Swiss watchmaker said a staff consultation process began on Thursday covering a proposed strategic repositioning of the Maison, without disclosing further specifics. A person close to the company said the plan centres on the high-end segment, drawing on Zenith's expertise in complex watch movements — a bracket that typically covers timepieces priced above 3,000 Swiss francs ($3,650).
Under the proposal, up to 100 jobs could go at the company's Le Locle plant in Switzerland, representing around half the workforce at that site. A further 100 or so positions in international operations, including sales and marketing, are also in scope.
Zenith would additionally discontinue many of its watch collections and is set to shut down its retail operations by 2029, according to the person familiar with the matter.
Zenith is among the smaller brands in the LVMH watch portfolio. The group's Watches and Jewellery division reported 2025 sales of €10.49 billion ($11.74 billion) and profit of €1.51 billion.
The move comes amid a prolonged stretch of weak demand for Swiss watches from inflation-hit consumers, alongside intensifying competition from smartwatches. Only the most expensive brands have proved resilient through that period, pushing mid-market players to reassess their positioning.