There in the attic, among the countless artifacts and pristinely preserved tools that the heroic Charles Vermot had hidden away in the 1970s during the quartz crisis, a small unlabeled box was uncovered. For its first Manufacture Edition, Zenith has reproduced a previously unknown prototype dial with three shades of blue of its most iconic chronograph. While the anniversary is over, Zenith continues to celebrate the venerable calibre with a number of new and exclusive watches. Back to top.2019 was a year of commemoration for the El Primero, the world’s first automatic high-frequency chronograph movement, which marked its 50th anniversary last year.
Update May 21, 2020: Added fact that the model is not a limited edition. Price: 8,900 Swiss francs or 12,700 Singapore dollarsįor more information, visit. Zenith Chronomaster Revival “Manufacture Edition”Īvailability: Only at Zenith’s online store or the manufacture in Le Locle And the movement inside is the El Primero 400, essentially unchanged from the 1969 movement.
Why the tri-colour blue dial was in Vermot’s stash is a mystery. No records of such a dial exist, though it was found along with other, known prototype dials for the A386, so it can be inferred the tri-colour blue was also a prototype. Regardless of its origins, the new dial is intriguing and handsome, which no doubt led its modern-day resurrection.ĭial aside, the Manufacture Edition is virtually identical to the vintage original. The case is the same compact 38 mm with wide lugs that feature an attractive radially-brushed finish on their top surfaces. The rediscovered material and parts allowed production of the El Primero to swiftly restart just a year later. The treasure trove that Vermot secreted away proved invaluable come 1982, when Rolex and Ebel were scouting around for an automatic chronograph movement. The plans, parts, and equipment were all to have been discarded.Ī member of the original team that helped develop the movement, Vermot, quietly defied the order by secretly stowing away the plans and components for El Primero in the famous attic. In the depths of the Quartz Crisis in 1975, his employer – then owned by American television maker Zenith Electronics – made the decision to halt production of the El Primero. It was found amongst the El Primero tooling that was saved by Charles Vermot over four decades ago.Ī longtime watchmaker at Zenith, Vermot is known as the man who saved the El Primero movement. This particular dial design is modelled on a stash of prototype dials supposedly retrieved from the attic of Zenith’s manufacture in 2019.
The juxtaposition of the blue registers against the white dial promotes a stark and legible look.Īnd it’s also worth noting the watch is not a limited edition – a wise move to avoid having unlimited limited editions – though distribution will be limited to Zenith’s e-commerce store and the manufacture in Le Locle. Employing the same tri-colour palette that’s the A386 trademark, this replaces the traditional tri-colour with different shades of the same blue, ranging from a bright azure blue to a dark midnight navy.įor someone who loves the colour, this is appealing. The star of the new remake is unquestionably the dial. Handsome and striking with a well-proportioned case and dial, the watch is very much a typical El Primero A386.
The Manufacture Edition is in steel, making it the most affordable A386 yet. Last year’s A386 Revival trio was only in 18k gold – one each in white, pink, and yellow gold. The Manufacture Edition is good-looking watch but a crucial factor in its appeal is the material – and price. Now Zenith has debuted the final A386 remake – in steel like the original – with the Chronomaster Revival “Manufacture Edition” that’s equipped with a dial inspired by a long-forgotten prototype. Zenith marked the 50th Anniversary of the El Primero last year with several historical remakes, including the editions for Phillips auctioneers as well as the El Primero A386 Revival, a set of watches that were a near-exact reproduction of the original. Facebook Linkedin Twitter Pinterest Weibo Mail Instagram