According to the Zenith history book, Zenith produced approximately 200,000 copies between 19. As you can see on the detail picture, the company only appears in the metal frame the slot of the piggy bank.
Interestingly enough, the name of the insurance company was not promoted that much at all.
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Besides a huge full date clock, there was the compact basic brick-size model that you see today. In comes Zenith, that saw this as an opportunity and created their own saving clock to be sold for other insurance houses. Based on the program the insured signed for, he was supposed to save one, two, or five Francs a day. The original La Pendastrava for La Travail had three major variations. Once installed in the client’s home, the clock still remained property of the insurance company.Īfter one year of payments, even if the insured stopped contributing, he could keep the clock. If you forgot to contribute regularly once a day, the movement was stopped. There was a simple sub-assembly attached to the movement that was controlled by a coin falling through the slot on the top. If my research was correct, the early execution of this idea came with the La Pendastrava clock from the previously mentioned insurance company La Travail. All without experiencing a big one-off monthly payment. Regular daily contributions also kept the family happy (and aware of time), as they ensured a full accountable sum ready to be paid on the day the agent visited. Restarting it was not possible, as the key to the lock was kept by the insurance agent only. Failing to keep it ticking would be a great shame. The piggy bank clock, that came as a gift from the insurance company La Travail, was a prestigious accessory to any household in the 1930s. It was the inefficiency of collecting regular payments was the real problem that inspired the marketing genius behind this clock.Ī clock that would work only if it was fed a coin every single day. He often collected nothing, as people had other unpredictable costs they had to cover.
Once a month or every two weeks, an insurance agent went to visit his customers. In the 1920s and 1930s, life insurance companies were collecting payments in person. When I brought the clock home and started digging through French and Italian forums, I found that the clock served the exact same purpose I spontaneously bought it for. Lesson learned? Never be afraid to try your luck, the worse thing that can happen is getting a NO. He said he doesn’t use it much and his girlfriend doesn’t like it as it is too loud. I think after the fourth unsuccessful attempt I just picked up the phone and texted my friend if there is any chance he would sell it to me. The same scenario repeated a few more times when the Zenith piggy bank clock resurfaced in my mind. Right after the lunch I hopped behind the screen and started searching for one. I see her learning to count as we keep track of our savings each month. Something like creating a small father-daughter ritual as we sink a Euro into it together every evening.
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I just liked the idea and decided to get the clock and use it to teach my daughter how to save money. That time I didn’t even think there might be an interesting backstory to it. Without studying the story behind the Zenith piggy bank clock I drew up a plan right on the spot. The number jumps up with every single coin he throws in. The only thing he knew was that there is a counter from zero to 20 at the back panel. “What did you just say? A vintage piggy bank clock?!” Quite surprised I picked on this one, Matej pulled out his phone and showed me a brick-like Zenith. When he then started talking about his Seiko again, I stopped him.
Matej mumbled first about some Seiko watches he likes a lot, then jumped over to a great deal he made on Cartier, and finished with three words on an old Zenith clock that works as a piggy bank. I knew immediately I would hear something that would keep me from sleeping. The one all curious watch nerds give and get all the time: “Any new vintage additions to your watch collection?” As proven on multiple occasions, I didn’t even have to wait until he opened his mouth. I was about to give him the Seiko back when my subconscious autopilot threw a mandatory question at him. I met my friend Matej a few weeks after he lent me his Seiko Superior to be reviewed for 52Mondayz. This is the story of a clock that helped people save money. The Zenith Piggy Bank proves marketing genius lives for centuries.
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