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The 1969 36,000 vph automatic chronograph saved from the quartz crisis by Charles Vermot.
Zenith's 1969 column-wheel automatic chronograph caliber at 36,000 vph, saved from quartz-era destruction by Charles Vermot in 1975 and supplied to the Rolex Daytona ref. 16520 (1988-2000).
Deployant
Zenith continues to support the Extreme E electric rally race with a new 20 piece limited edition DEFY Extreme E Copper X Prix in carbon fibre and titanium with earthy tones and the El Primero 9004 movement. Press Release information with commentary in italics. New: Zenith DEFY Extreme E – Copper X Prix Edition TheRead More
Hodinkee
There's a reason the El Primero movement is so good, and this watch proves that it's still getting better.
SJX Watches
Louis Vuitton is now in its 20th year as a watchmaker. In that time it has gone from basic, ETA-powered watches to a variety of impressive complications, including its signature Spin Time, and even a minute repeater with automaton. To mark the occasion, Louis Vuitton (LV) has just announced the Tambour Twenty Chronograph, a remake modelled on the brand’s first serious mechanical timepiece. The two-decade journey has seen LV’s watchmaking division evolve from a shared space inside TAG Heuer’s factory to its own expansive facility in Geneva that includes not only a complications workshop but also its own dial-making facility. While LV does make some of its own movements now, the Tambour Twenty is a nod to its origins as a watchmaker. The 200-piece limited edition is modelled on the Tambour LV277 of 2003, the brand’s first chronograph that was powered by the Zenith El Primero. Initial thoughts Despite its odd proportions – a big case with tall, sloping sides and narrow lugs – the Tambour case is attractive in my eyes. And it’s distinctive and recognisable although its form is fairly simple. In short, it’s a successful design. The Tambour works especially well with complications since that gives its size – especially its thickness – a sense of purpose. Ordinarily I am not a fan of brown dials, but this is one of the few dials in the colour that looks good. LV executes its dials well – most of them are made in-house – and the reflective metallic brown o...
Hodinkee
Explore the history of Zenith's El Primero at Phillips – and meet the HODINKEE editors.
SJX Watches
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...
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Hodinkee
Rose-gold fans, now's your chance to grab an El Primero movement in the pink.
![Auction Watch: Zenith Chronomaster Revival “Poker Chip” on Loupe This [Updated with Result]](https://watchesbysjx.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Zenith-Chronomaster-Revival-Poker-Chip-Loupe-This.jpg)
SJX Watches
A limited edition launched at the end of 2021, the Zenith Chronometer Revival “Poker Chip” was the result of a collaboration between our founder and the watchmakers in Le Locle. One of them just popped up for sale at online auctioneer Loupe This – the first example to go under the hammer. The 200 pieces sold out at launch, making this a perfect opportunity for anyone who missed out last year. If the funky dial appears familiar, that’s because the Poker Chip reimagines the G383, one of the standout designs from the first references of the El Primero. While the G383 had a lavish, gold-on-black palette, the Poker Chip is entirely contemporary. Its dial is generously “lumed” – even the strap glows in the dark – bringing it to life at night, with the aesthetic alluding to the disco era of 1960s and 1970s when the G383 was born. [Update March 17, 2022: The Poker Chip sold for US$16,500 including fees on Loupe This.] The case is a micro-blasted titanium coated in DLC, which complements the military-esque dial. Notably the Poker Chip was the first – and remains the only – classic, 38 mm El Primero with a titanium case. Continuing the blend of new and old, the movement is the original El Primero 400 that’s almost identical to the 1969 original. As it is being phased out, this movement was chosen instead of the latest-generation El Primero 3600 (which has a lightning seconds), making the Poker Chip one of the last watches with the landmark calibre. Accompani...
Revolution
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
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.
Deployant
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.
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SJX Watches
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...
Revolution
In celebrating ZENITH DREAMHERS a pair of Chronomaster Original models in diamonds are being announced with the El Primero 3600 movement.
SJX Watches
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
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
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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Quill & Pad
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
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
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
The last of the 1969 El Primero Revivals completes the original steel trilogy.
Hodinkee
A sterling case to complement the El Primero's sterling reputation.
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SJX Watches
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
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...
SJX Watches
Introduced just earlier this year, the Chronomaster Sport is the first regular-production model equipped with the El Primero 3600, the latest iteration of Zenith’s storied chronograph movement. Having debuted the line with versions in steel, Zenith now unveils the rose gold Chronomaster Sport, adding a touch of luxe to the sports chronograph. Initial thoughts While not the most novel, the new Chronomaster Sport is a sensible addition to the line. Flagship sports chronographs – Daytona, Speedmaster, Big Bang et al – are offered in solid gold, so it makes sense that Zenith would take the same approach with the Chronomaster Sport. I’ve handled the watch in the metal, and it is eminently striking in gold and black. Admittedly, it does have a passing resemblance to the Daytona in the same livery, but I would say that the Chronomaster Sport more than holds its own, especially considering its movement. The dial is recognisably Zenith with its signature tri-colour registers, as well as the date at 4:30. More crucial is the inscription on the bezel that hints at the movement within. The calibre has a 1/10th second resolution for the chronograph, surpassing most chronographs in its price segment. Funnily enough, one of my favourite aspects of the watch is actually the gold flange with the minute track that circles the white dial – the colour pops and works wonderfully against the precious metal case. Priced at US$21,300, the rose gold Chronomaster Sport is substantially m...
SJX Watches
The headline lot at Sotheby’s upcoming Hong Kong watch auction, the Rolex “Zenith” Daytona in platinum is one of just five known. Already a million-dollar watch before, the Daytona just got that much more unusual with a fresh discovery: the dial is not a blue-lacquer “Stella” dial as previously believed, but it is actually turquoise mineral stone. According to Sam Hines, Sotheby’s head of watches, the discovery came about only recently when light fell on the watch just right, revealing a detail that was not obvious before: the sub-dials are of a slightly different colour and texture. So the dial and movement were removed from the platinum case for inspection. And a close look at the reverse of the dial revealed it to be mineral stone. “What appeared to be a classic ‘Stella’ dial is actually a natural hardstone turquoise dial with a lacquer coating on top,” explains Mr Hines, “The lacquer coating hides the natural grain that can normally be seen in any hardstone.” While a revelation, the mineral stone dial is an eminently logical feature. Only five platinum Daytonas with the Rolex cal. 4030 (based on the Zenith El Primero) were ever produced, reputedly at the behest of the late Patrick Heiniger, then the chief executive of Rolex. It is believed he gifted four examples to important business partners, and kept the final watch for himself. (One watch was gifted to a member of the family that owns a long-established Rolex store in Italy – we told the...
Time+Tide
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.
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