One other Friday, one other record! This week, we enter the fantastic world of the El Primero motion. As most of you already know, Zenith launched its well-known El Primero trio of watches in 1969. The model was a part of the illustrious race to launch the primary computerized chronograph, competing with Seiko and the consortium of manufacturers fashioned by Heuer, Breitling, Hamilton-Buren, and Dubois Dépraz. Over time, a number of completely different manufacturers used El Primero calibers. Most famously, Rolex purchased El Primero actions to energy its first technology of computerized Daytonas. However many extra examples of El Primero-powered watches are price testing. For this record, we picked our 5 favorites.
The most effective issues about working at Fratello is collectively digging up watches from the previous. Numerous contenders got here up once we mentioned the subject of this week’s record. Finally, it was fairly a process to select our 5 favorites, however they present that Zenith’s El Primero motion powered a number of fascinating watches. This subject actually sparked a seek for any cool doable additions to our collections. Now, with out additional ado, listed here are our 5 favourite watches powered by the legendary El Primero motion.
Picture: The Watch Boutique
Zenith El Primero A384
Let’s kick issues off with the apparent decide — or possibly it’s to not a few of you. If given the selection, most individuals would decide the Zenith El Primero A386 as an alternative of the A384. The A384’s case form is extra divisive but additionally extra distinct. I want it over the A386, however there’s nothing fallacious with both one (or the A385, for that matter). The El Primero A384 encompasses a blocky 37mm case that’s 13mm thick, together with the domed crystal.
Picture: The Watch Boutique
The watch got here on the well-known Homosexual Frères ladder bracelet. It’s a type of options that defines the A384, however it’s additionally the one ingredient that didn’t usually stand the take a look at of time. At present, a whole lot of these bracelets are in unhealthy situation and want a superb cleansing as a result of they’ve collected fairly a little bit of undesirable wrist substances.
Picture: The Watch Boutique
Fairly a number of classic A384s now have discolored dials. What began as a panda dial usually modified to a cream-colored dial with brown registers. The enjoyable factor is that these discolored fashions take extra after the A385, which truly debuted with a gradient brown dial. However as you’d count on, these additionally change colour over time, making fairly a number of of them look tremendous good.
Picture: Watches of Knightsbridge
The legendary first-generation El Primero motion
Contained in the case, you can find the caliber 3019 PHC. It’s the first-generation El Primero motion. This high-beat caliber operates at 36,600vph and affords 50 hours of energy reserve. This built-in chronograph caliber with a horizontal clutch is usually thought of royalty within the watch business. The preliminary run of the El Primero actions, nonetheless, was short-lived because of the quartz revolution.
Picture: Watches of Knightsbridge
The manufacturing of the El Primero caliber was resumed within the Eighties because of the demand for an incredible chronograph motion by Ebel and Rolex. However the El Primero legacy began with the good trio of watches which have turn out to be Zenith icons. Concerning the A384 particularly, count on to see costs beginning at roughly €12K and transferring as much as €25K for one in good situation.
Picture: The Watch Membership
Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 16520
One other traditional powered by Zenith’s El Primero motion is the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 16520. Most of you’ll know that Rolex positioned a big order of El Primero calibers to energy the primary technology of the automated Daytona. This watch was in manufacturing from 1988 to 2000 with both a black or a white dial. Regardless of there being solely two dial colours, collectors distinguish no fewer than 5 dial variants. The well-known “Patrizzi” dials with discolored sub-dial rings and the “Porcelain” dials have been amongst them.
Picture: The Watch Membership
Contained in the Daytona’s case, you can find the Rolex caliber 4030. The unique El Primero motion was closely modified to suit Rolex’s manufacturing requirements. A very powerful modification was the discount of the working frequency to twenty-eight,800vph. Moreover, the Rolex watchmakers eliminated the date complication and fitted a brand new escapement with a free-sprung Glucydur steadiness wheel, Microstella regulating screws, and a Breguet overcoil. With these modifications, half of the unique elements have been changed. However the consequence was a caliber that’s usually thought of an incredible and dependable first computerized chronograph motion from Rolex.
Picture: The Watch Membership
Discovering an El Primero-powered Daytona ref. 16520 just isn’t exhausting, however put together to pay some critical money for one. The costs for one begin at round €17K and transfer as much as €80K for among the uncommon dial variants. Most significantly, although, this technology of Rolex’s well-known chronograph will perpetually be often known as the “Zenith Daytona.”
Ebel Sport Basic Chronograph ref. 1134901
Subsequent up is a watch that Robert-Jan owns and that almost all of us at Fratello love. The Ebel Sport Basic Chronograph was first launched in 1982 and was famously worn by Don Johnson in Miami Vice. He wore a full-gold model, whereas RJ owns a bicolor model. As he defined in his article concerning the watch, there was additionally a metal model with a white gold bezel.
Irrespective of which one you select, the watch’s design is immediately recognizable and has turn out to be an instance of ’80s design brilliance. However in true ’80s style, the two-tone model is the one to go for. The mixture of gold and metal appears tremendous stylish, and the gold components on the dial add to the watch’s nice character.
The watch encompasses a 38mm case that’s 11mm thick and measures 42mm from lug to lug. It got here fitted with an attractive wave bracelet that tapers gracefully from 20mm to 15mm huge. It’s a type of bracelet designs that’s well-known within the business and nonetheless appears actually cool.
Ebel began out utilizing the Zenith 3019 PHC motion for its Sport Basic Chronograph. After Zenith restarted the manufacturing of the El Primero with the caliber 40.0 in 1986, Ebel switched to that model and the caliber 400 in later years. Whereas current-day Ebel is much from the model it was up to now, the Sport Basic Chronograph is a good reminder of its heyday. Costs for certainly one of these watches begin at roughly €2.5K and transfer as much as €5K for one in nice situation.
Picture: Classic Watch Chief
Movado El Primero Chronograph ref. 01.0180.434
Our subsequent decide is a uncommon fowl. As a few of you’ll know, Zenith and Movado have been beneath the identical possession from the late ’60s to the late ’70s. Throughout that point, they shared fashions with completely different branding. This Movado El Primero Chronograph ref. 01.0180.434 is a good instance of these collaborative efforts. One other one is the well-known Zenith El Primero “Large Blue” with its TV-screen-shaped case, which was additionally out there as a Movado.
Picture: Classic Watch Chief
Our decide was out there with three completely different dial variations. The primary was branded Zenith, the second featured the Movado emblem, and the final featured the emblem of each manufacturers on the dial. Additionally, you will discover Movado variations that say “Computerized El Primero,” and there are variations with the textual content “Computerized Chronograph El Primero” as nicely. The twin-branded variations have the phrase “Computerized” with out the “El Primero” designation.
Picture: Classic Watch Chief
Picture: Classic Watch Chief
The watch has a 38mm case that’s 12mm thick and measures 42mm from lug to lug. The proportions are nonetheless very acceptable right this moment, making this watch an incredible classic possibility. What I really like is the watch’s monochromatic presence and attribute bracelet. Regardless of being from the early Seventies, it nonetheless appears extremely related right this moment. It’s believed that Zenith and Movado solely produced 500 items of this handsome chronograph. Contained in the case, you can find the caliber 3019 PHC that additionally powers the opposite watches on this record. Regardless of its low manufacturing numbers, discovering certainly one of these watches is feasible. Count on costs to begin at roughly €3K and transfer as much as €5K for one in good situation.
Picture: WatchUSeek
Panerai Luminor Chrono PAM00121
Our final decide is one other uncommon watch. As a few of you’ll know, beginning within the early 2000s, Panerai additionally used Zenith’s El Primero motion for a few of its releases. The PAM00072, PAM00121, and the PAM00122 have been all powered by Zenith’s well-known motion. We picked the Panerai Luminor Chrono PAM00121 from 2002.
Picture: WatchUseek
Apparently, Panerai was supposed to provide 1,500 items of the reference, however the model by no means made greater than 250. The watch encompasses a 40mm brushed titanium case with a 15mm thickness, a 22mm lug spacing, and a 200m depth ranking. The case was mixed with a stainless-steel bezel with the tachymeter scale engraved in black.
Picture: Bruce-Bigb (WatchUSeek)
This reference encompasses a darkish grey dial with silver sub-registers. The date window at 4:30 is a simple giveaway that an El Primero-based motion lies inside. A unusual element is the “Computerized Chrono” textual content proper above the sub-dial at 6 o’clock. Panerai may have simply left that off the dial to make it look higher.
Picture: Bruce-Bigb (WatchUSeek)
Contained in the case, you can find the Panerai caliber OP IV, which began life because the Zenith El Primero caliber 400Z. Panerai fitted the motion with a branded rotor seen by means of the sapphire window on the again. As talked about, the PAM00121 is relatively uncommon, so that you gained’t see it pop up on the market often. In the event you do, count on to see a value of roughly €5K–9K.
Closing ideas on our record of Zenith El Primero-powered classics
There you will have it — 5 watches powered by Zenith El Primero actions. Seeing that the El Primero legacy stretches far past Zenith’s historical past is wonderful. We love all 5 fashions and are inquisitive about which one you want finest. Tell us your decide within the feedback, and we’ll see you once more for a brand new record subsequent week!
