Hodinkee
Happenings: Come Hang With HODINKEE And Zenith: We're Hosting A 'Master Of Chronographs' Event Next Week In New York
Explore the history of Zenith's El Primero at Phillips – and meet the HODINKEE editors.
Results for El Primero 3600
730 articles · 400 videos found · page 17 of 38
Hodinkee
SJX Watches
Zenith Introduces the Calibre 135 Observatoire
Having already designed its own El Primero limited edition, Phillips has collaborated with Zenith and Voutilainen to create the Calibre 135 Observatoire, a limited edition of 10 watches each powered by a cal. 135-O. The movement was the specially-regulated variant of Zenith’s flagship chronometer wristwatch movement of the mid-20th century, conceived solely to participate in observatory chronometer contests. As such, the movements were never cased and sold, until now. Contained in a platinum case, the movements were light decorated by Voutilainen, which also supplied the guilloche dial via its dial making subsidiary Comblemine. Initial thoughts The Calibre 135 Observatoire is a good looking watch. It’s evidently modelled on the vintage model and doesn’t change too much of the original design, but instead injects a few elegant details that give it more refinement, like the guilloche chapter ring. These discreet flourishes are enough to set it apart as a higher end watch than the vintage original, which are more of a functional precision chronometer. More broadly, it’s a three-way collaboration that reflects the strengths of the collaborators to different degrees. For Phillips, the Observatoire is a sensible collaboration since it chimes with its strength in selling both vintage and modern watches at the top end of the price spectrum. And it also a perfect base for the auctioneer to utilise the discerning eye of the gentlemen behind the project, namely Aurel Bacs a...
Hodinkee
Introducing: The Zenith Chronomaster Sport Has A Rosy Future
Rose-gold fans, now's your chance to grab an El Primero movement in the pink.
Revolution
Introducing the Zenith Airweight Cover Girl – The Heavyhitter That’s As Light As Feather
A new reissue of the popular A3818 with the El Primero movement and a new look created in collaboration with Revolution Magazine, the Airweight Cover Girl is a melding of past and present.
Deployant
Quick Takes: Zenith DEFY 21 Chroma new from LVMH Watch Week
The DEFY 21 Chroma is a colourful execution of the high-frequency El Primero 21 1/100th of a second chronograph model, crafted in a 44mm matte white ceramic case with rainbow-coloured movement visible through the open dial set with markers in a gradient of tones. The white rubber strap also features rainbow stitching. Limited edition of 200 pieces.
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I Bought a $3000 Seiko - Is It Worth the Money?
Deployant
New: Zenith Chronomaster Revival Lupin The Third – Final Edition
Zenith announces the Final Edition of the Chronomaster Revival Lupin the Third - black and white dial in an A386 case with the El Primero 400 movement.
SJX Watches
Introducing the Zenith x SJX Chronomaster Revival “Poker Chip”
I’m pleased to announce the Zenith Chronomaster Revival “Poker Chip”, a collaborative edition loosely inspired by the disco-era El Primero G383, but reimagined with lots of lume – the dial is disco at night and also in the day. Update: Sold out, thank you for the interest. A brief background Zenith is a brand that appeals to me on an intellectual level because it’s historically significant for its chronometers and chronographs, but also on a personal level, simply because the brand makes watches that are both appealing and affordable. So it was a no-brainer for me to work with Zenith – since it meant I could create my fantasy El Primero. One of my favourite vintage Zenith models is the G383, a truly funky watch with a design that is unmistakably of the late 1960s and 1970s – the dial is over the top and truly disco. The El Primero G383 of 1969 But a one-for-one vintage remake has never interested me (plus I’m not a fan of the tiny lugs of the G383). So in early 2020, I got in touch with Romain Marietta, Zenith’s head of product development, and together we spent several months refining the concept, creating the Chronomaster Revival “Poker Chip”. (Full disclosure: The several months spent tweaking the idea produced more than one outstanding design, so a variant is a possibility.) At the same time, the Poker Chip will also be more accessible than our past editions. It’s as affordable as Zenith watches typically are – in fact it costs just 10% more t...
SJX Watches
Seiko Introduces the Prospex Speedtimer Chronograph
Seiko’s current offerings are wide-ranging in both style and price, but its mechanical chronographs aren’t particularly outstanding – a surprise given the Japanese watchmaker’s historical prominence with the complication. Seiko, after all, was one of the first brands to debut an automatic chronograph in 1969, the same year Zenith unveiled the El Primero. Closing the gap is the latest launch from Seiko, the Prospex Speedtimer Mechanical Chronograph (refs. SRQ035 and SRQ037), a blend of two historically-significant Seiko chronographs. The grey-dial automatic chronograph is based on Seiko’s 1964 chronograph wristwatch, while the white-dial version is modelled on the 1964 stopwatch Design-wise, it is modelled on the timepieces Seiko conceived for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics where the brand was the official timekeeper, namely a hand-wind chronograph wristwatch and a stopwatch. But the new Prospex chronograph is a self-winding chronograph with a full-spec movement. So technically, it takes its cues from the the Speedtimer ref. 6139 of 1969. Like the ref. 6139, the new chronograph is equipped with an automatic movement incorporated both a column wheel and vertical clutch for the chronograph. Initial thoughts Seiko has launched countless vintage-inspired models in recent years, with diver’s watches forming the bulk of the remakes, which makes the new chronographs unusual, simple because they are chronographs. At the same time, they are aesthetically unusual since the di...
Time+Tide
HANDS-ON: The Zenith Chronomaster Original Collection offers vintage perfection on a 38mm dial
Zenith have a track record for having their fingers on the pulse of the watch world. In the ‘60s, they spent nearly the entire decade developing the El Primero to be the world’s first integrated automatic chronograph movement. Back then, the world was crying out for innovation: new techniques, new designs and new possibilities. Now, … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Zenith Chronomaster Original Collection offers vintage perfection on a 38mm dial appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
VIDEO: The Zenith Chronomaster Original Collection hits the sweet spot in three different forms
In the 1960s, Zenith developed the El Primero to be the world’s first integrated automatic chronograph movement. Back then the world was crying out for innovation: new techniques, new designs, and new possibilities. Now watch buyers increasingly seem to appreciate tradition, vintage reissues and smaller sizes. The Zenith Chronomaster Original offers both progress and nostalgia … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The Zenith Chronomaster Original Collection hits the sweet spot in three different forms appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Is this Sub $600 Flyer GMT the best for the Money?
Quill & Pad
Zenith And Swiss Open Gstaad: Reaching For Tennis Stars With The Chronomaster Sport And Chronomaster Original
As Zenith is a sponsor of the Swiss Open in Gstaad, Elizabeth Doerr had the opportunity to attend the 2021 edition where she handled a number of Zenith’s most recent watch releases, falling in love with two in particular: the new Chronomaster Original and Chronomaster Sport Gold, both powered by the legendary (and now updated) El Primero chronograph movement.
Deployant
New: Zenith Chronomaster Original – a successor to the A386
Zenith presents the long awaited successor to the A386 with the new Chronomaster Original in a 21st century rendition of the iconic El Primero.
WatchAdvice
2021 Zenith Chronomaster Original Revealed
Let’s rewind a little, back to 2019. Zenith was celebrating the 50th anniversary of the El Primero and presented a box of 3 watches limited to 50 sets. Included in the set was the highly sought after A386 re-edition in steel. The only way to get your hands on this piece was to buy the box set, which came with a fourth slot for a forth-coming “1/1000th of a second” chronograph, to be released at a later time. Yes there were other A386 anniversary editions that can be had separately, but they came in precious metal. What people wanted was the steel A386. Zenith kept teasing the market with various versions of it, but not the exact iconic version that was released in 1969, as one of the first to house this ground-breaking chronograph movement. Then in 2020, the Manufacture edition dropped, with a prototype dial that was found in a little box up in the attic where Charles Vermot hid the tools, parts, and plans to build the El Primero back in 1975. The idea was that you could only purchase the Manufacture edition when you visit the Zenith Manufacture. Sort of like a gift shop purchase at the end of the tour. It would be extremely difficult to come by as you’d have to have made the trip to Switzerland to pick one up. Look, we gotta give it up to the product designers and planners. hats off to Romain Marietta, who probably has one of the best jobs in the industry. This was a superb idea. This guaranteed exclusivity and collectability. But then we all knew what happene...
Hodinkee
Introducing: The Zenith Chronomaster A385 Revival
The last of the 1969 El Primero Revivals completes the original steel trilogy.
Hodinkee
Introducing: The Zenith Pilot Type 20 Chronograph Silver
A sterling case to complement the El Primero's sterling reputation.
Video
How is this Watch Under $300 - Affordable, Functional, and Goodlooking Chronograph that's a Bargain
SJX Watches
Zenith Introduces the Chronomaster Revival Safari
In a year where green dials have become a major fad, Zenith is keeping up with the Chronomaster Revival Safari, a chronograph “inspired by the great outdoors” according to the brand. Pairing a matte khaki-green dial with faux-aged “lume” and an El Primero A384 in blasted titanium, the Chronomaster Revival Safari is one of the more unusual El Primero remakes to date, despite its fashionable colour. Initial thoughts If the Chronomaster Revival Safari looks familiar, that’s because it’s essentially the Chronomaster Revival Shadow in green. The Shadow was one of my favourite recent watches from Zenith, so that’s a good thing. In fact, the microblasted titanium case suits the safari theme better than the monochromatic Shadow. Lightweight and non-reflective, titanium makes sense for a watch that’s meant to be for the great outdoors. However, “faux-patina” on the hands and indices is a tad affected, especially considering the Safari is not a vintage remake, but rather a modern design conceived to capitalise on green dials being in vogue. With a price tag of US$9,000, the new Chronomaster Revival Safari costs about 10% more than the Shadow and the A385 on a bracelet, making it less of a value proposition compared to the rest of the Revival lineup. Nevertheless, it’s still a fair buy relative to the rest of the market. And given the current popularity of green-dial watches, the Safari will prove to be a commercial success. Jungle ready The green dial has a mat...
SJX Watches
Zenith Introduces the Chronomaster Revival A3817
Having remade its most famous vintage El Primero chronographs, namely the A384, A385 and A386, Zenith is now turning to a more obscure corner of its archives to bring back the El Primero A3817. Best described as a tri-colour A386 dial within the A384 tonneau case, the A3817 released in 1971 as a limited run of 1,000 watches, making one of the rarest vintage first-generation El Primero models. Like Zenith’s other remakes, the modern-day Chronomaster Revival A3817 stays true to its vintage inspiration in dimensions, design, and movement. Initial thoughts The A3817 has always been one of my favourite El Primero models. I’m surprised it took as long as it did for Zenith to reintroduce the A3817, but glad that it did. Zenith is one of the best in the business when it comes to vintage reissues – evidenced by the remakes released for the 50th anniversary of the El Primero in 2019, as well as reinterpretations like the Chronomaster Revival “Shadow”. In the same vein, the Chronomaster Revival A3817 remains faithful to the original. In many ways, the vintage A3817 represented the best of the iconic 1969 El Primero models, merging the tonneau case with the striking tri-colour dial. Like the earlier remakes, the A3817 was revived by examining historical blueprints and reverse engineering vintage examples. Consequently, the remake is spot on in reproducing the look and feel of the original. The case is the same diameter and finished identically, and the dial is a dead ring...
Time+Tide
INTRODUCING: The Zenith Defy 21 Spectrum collection turns the volume up to 11
You know the phrase “Business on the outside, party on the inside”? Well Zenith has flipped that with the new, very limited-edition Zenith Defy 21 Spectrum line. The business is on the inside with that magnificent dual-escapement El Primero 9004 automatic movement – but there’s no doubting that it’s party time on the outside. A … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Zenith Defy 21 Spectrum collection turns the volume up to 11 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
WatchAdvice
2021 Zenith Defy 21 Ultrablue Review
Pros: Calibre El Primero 9004 and it’s 1/100th of a second Chronograph Skeletonised Ultrabule dial Microblasted titanium case Cons: Wrist sizes smaller than 6.5ich won’t be able to enjoy the 44mm case size Some may find it to be too thick on the wrist Spend countless minutes staring at the 1/100th of second hand in motion Over All Rating: 8.4/10 Value for money – 8.0/10Wearability – 8.0/10Design – 9/10Build Quality – 8.5/10 In June 2020, Zenith introduced the first new “spectrum” of colour for their DEFY 21 chronograph model. The DEFY 21 model was given an ultraviolet finish, which let’s be honest was absolutely stunning! The ultraviolet treatment was given to the majority of the timepiece, the main plate, the rotor on the case back and the colour on the fabric effect strap. Combine this with the subtle matte finish of the micro-blasted titanium case, and what you are left with is a timepiece that is hard to put down. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Chamath Gamage (@champsg) Now, Zenith has released this DEFY 21 model in their latest colour scheme, Ultrablue. Never being afraid to create artistic masterpieces in watchmaking, Zenith has introduced this latest colour on the back of what can only be seen as a successful launch to the DEFY 21 Ultravoilet. The colours used in the Ultrablue to produce the standout effect are cool tones of deep indigo and electric blue. The only question is, does the Ultrablue live up to the same hype as the...
Deployant
Zenith Chronomaster Revival A385 – we take a good look at this latest release
The Zenith Chronomaster Revival A385 is a faithful reproduction of one of the original three stainless steel El Primero models from 1969, which featured Zenith's first gradient dial in a smoked brown tone and pronounced vignette effect that darkens towards the edges.
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Best Watches That Are Actually Affordable - Watches under $300 that are Actually Good
Time+Tide
IN-DEPTH: The new Zenith Chronomaster Sport has earned the right to take a trick from a rival
Ok, here’s a fact: The Rolex Daytona owes a debt to the Zenith El Primero. A modified version of the El Primero movement powered the Daytona for 12 years, and marked the first automatic Daytona models. This all happened when I was merely 12 years old, in 1988. And now, Zenith is taking that debt … ContinuedThe post IN-DEPTH: The new Zenith Chronomaster Sport has earned the right to take a trick from a rival appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
WatchAdvice
Zenith Chronomaster Revival “Shadow” Review
The Zenith Chronomaster Revival “Shadow”, a timepiece clouded in such mystery that its existence was all but forgotten, until recently. The story behind this timepiece goes back to 1970, where after the iconic El Primero movement was produced by Zenith, the manufacture also produced a prototype for a manual winding chronograph. This chronograph model was housed in a blackened steel case, which was quite rare during the ’70s. The manufacture produced only a handful of these concepts, with the watch never making it into full production. Soon after, the quartz crisis hit, which forced Zenith’s El Primero savior Charles Vermont to store all the plans and designs for mechanical watches including El Primero designs in a secret walled off attic in the manufacture. Just imagine though, if this beautiful all-black timepiece was never to be uncovered by the manufacture! Luckily this wasn’t the case, as in 2019 when Zenith began celebrating their 50th anniversary of the El Primero Chronograph caliber, the team at the manufacture decided to go through all the plans, designs, and parts that they found in the secret attic. Among the numerous items hidden away, was a box that contained the original prototype of this special black chronograph model. A model that hasn’t been seen by anyone since the early 1970s. The Chronomaster Revival “Shadow” project is a remake of the original 1970 model. Zenith, however, decided that instead of faithfully reproducing a replica of...
Deployant
Hands-on review: Zenith Chronomaster Revival “Shadow”
A timepiece shrouded in mystery. Its existence has eluded collectors and Zenith collaborators alike for decades. As the legend goes, in 1970, not long after Zenith debuted the groundbreaking El Primero calibre, the manufacture had produced a prototype of a manual-winding chronograph, housed in a blackened steel case – a rarity for the time. Only Read More
SJX Watches
Zenith Introduces the Chronomaster Revival Liberty
Just days after unveiling the Lupin the Third edition inspired by a Japanese anime series, Zenith has rolled out a limited edition for countries on the other side of the world. The Chronomaster Revival Liberty is similarly based on the El Primero A384, but dressed in red, white, and blue. Initial thoughts Zenith has released several limited edition A384s this year, which can feel a bit too frequent. But to the brand’s credit the editions have all been appealing, and the El Primero in general remains a well-priced chronograph. The Chronomaster Revival Liberty is a good looking watch that retains the 1970s spirit of the A384 while giving it a totally new colour. The tricolour combination brings to mind the American flag, but it is an attractive combination that’s helped by details like the whimsical candy-cane central seconds hand. Gradient blue The key element that sets this A384 edition apart from the others is the dial, which is finished in a matte, graduated blue that darkens towards the edges. The smoked or fumé finish is popular today, but not especially common at Zenith. It’s matched with the red and white striped seconds hand, as well as a red-on-white date disc. The rest of the watch is stock A384, which means it remains true to the 1969 original in size and finish. It’s 37 mm in diameter and finished with radial brushing on its top face, just like the original. And inside is the El Primero 400 movement. Key facts and price Zenith Chronomaster Revival Li...
SJX Watches
Zenith Introduces the Chronomaster Revival Lupin The Third – 2nd Edition
Zenith had a surprise hit last year with the El Primero A384 Lupin The Third, a limited edition modelled on a fictional Zenith chronograph found in the Lupin III manga and anime series. Though available only in Japan, the 50-piece edition gained traction internationally with its striking gold-and-black livery. Now another Zenith watch found in the Japanese comic has been realised as the Chronomaster Revival Lupin The Third – 2nd Edition. Launched to coincide with the opening of Zenith’s new boutique in Tokyo’s posh Ginza district, the new Lupin edition is a “panda” – featuring a white dial with black sub-dials as well as a parchment-coloured Super-Luminova. It’s based on the El Primero A384, a faithful remake of the vintage original of the same name, and shares the same specs. Initial thoughts The second Lupin edition lacks the high-contrast look of the first, but it does have a more classically vintage look that goes well with the angular A384 case. Zenith – or more accurately, the artist behind Lupin III, Monkey Punch – smartly removed most of the branding under 12 o’clock. The traditional four lines of text is now just one, bringing to mind similarly-clean Zenith dials of the 1970s. Perhaps the only weakness of the new edition is the short interval between this and the last one, about 11 months but feeling like a shorter span of time. And the new edition of 200 pieces is not large by watch industry standards, but substantially larger than the 50-pi...
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