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Zenith El Primero 1969 re-edition 42 mm
Zenith is the first manufacture to create an automatic integrated column wheel movement, and promptly christened it the El Primero.
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Zenith is the first manufacture to create an automatic integrated column wheel movement, and promptly christened it the El Primero.
Quill & Pad
Martin Green thinks that the El Primero A384 Revival is a powerful thing on the wrist. With a diameter of 37 mm it is small by today's standards, but compensates well with its cushion-shaped case. Its particular brand of cool makes him want to get a leather jacket and a muscle car. How about you?
Quill & Pad
Loved the world over by collectors and watch brands alike, the Zenith El Primero has been keeping the world on time since 1969. And Rolex choosing to use the movement was high praise for Zenith indeed. The El Primero is still considered an exceptional chronograph to this day, and watchmaker Aston Tracy explains why.
WatchAdvice
The fifth rendition of the Zenith Defy El Primero 21 sees the brand giving the model a complete carbon look. After the black ceramic and rose gold versions were released in 2018 along with the titanium and black ceramic in 2017, Zenith introduced the Defy El Primero 21 Carbon edition during this year’s Baselworld. The Defy collection is leading Zenith into the future with the brand’s innovative watchmaking being utilized in their latest models. We had a chance to review the Inventor and Classic models from the Defy collection, which were surely eye-catching pieces, to say the least. (You can find the reviews to Inventor and Defy Classic here ). Make no mistake, however; the Defy El Primero 21 Carbon is just as pleasing to look at, even if everything seems as if it’s trying to blend in with its camo-style appearance. The beauty of using carbon fibre is that due to the nature of the material and how the alternating layers of carbon fibres are always randomly arranged, each individual piece will be unique. As carbon fibre is used for the faceted case, round bezel, crown, chronograph pushers and buckle head, each of these pieces will vary in aesthetic appearance from one watch to another. This makes the watch that you buy a truly unique piece. The carbon fibre case and the round bezel is what gets your attention first in this piece. As said earlier, the way the carbon fibre is patterned gives off a subtle camouflage appearance. After wearing the Defy El Primer...
Time+Tide
Imagine, if you will, that you’re a watch fan in the 1990s or even early 2000s. Through some incredible new complication (I suspect Urwerk’s invention), you’re jumped forward in time to 2019. While some things remain the same, the changes are pretty incredible. Take, for example, this watch. It’s a one-off piece made by Zenith, designed … ContinuedThe post Hard stone and heavy metal come together for what might be the coolest Zenith El Primero yet appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Revolution
Zenith’s limited edition Chronomaster El Primero C.01 is an ice-cool rendition of the 1969 original to salve our chronograph fever.
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We go up close to the Zenith Defy El Primero 21 Carbon, and give our review after living with the watch for two weeks.What is it like? We reveal all.
Time+Tide
In the early years of the 21st century, Zenith was a brand that looked to the past - honouring their iconic El Primero in its original guise, and taking flights of nostalgic fancy with its Pilot’s collection. All fine watches, but comfortable takes on familiar forms. In 2017, the brand abruptly changed direction, with a … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The defiant one – Zenith’s El Primero Defy 21 Carbon appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
It’s hard to overstate the importance of the Zenith El Primero. The movement, an elegant, high-beat column-wheel chronograph, is impressive enough. It’s even more impressive when you factor in that this miniature engineering feat was the first automatic chronograph to be presented as a working prototype - after seven long years of development. Just as … ContinuedThe post The history of the Zenith El Primero – 6 moments that defined one of the most important movements in watchmaking appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
This year, Zenith is lucky enough to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the El Primero automatic chronograph, which is being marked with the release of the Zenith El Primero A384 Revival. This is a very cool watch for a number of reasons, but first, let’s look back a half century. The birth of the El … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: Why the Zenith El Primero A384 Revival is one of the best reissues of 2019 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Revolution
Swiss watchmaker Zenith continues celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the El Primero movement with the unlimited El Primero A384 Revival.
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Zenith celebrates the 50th anniversary of the El Primero by releasing a homage to the legendary high-frequency chronograph. The "revival" trilogy is a series of 3 solid gold watches in white, pink and yellow gold. To mark this anniversary, the watches are issued in 50-piece limited editions with a 50-year guarantee.
Revolution
Zenith flexes its modernist streak by combining two classical complications in a breathtakingly modern and athletic Defy El Primero Fusee Tourbillon.
Time+Tide
The Defy is playing an increasingly important role in Zenith’s lineup - offering a modern alternative to the Pilot’s line that has dominated the discussion for so long. And there’s a lot to like about it - modern style with a hint of retro flavour. And while the Defy spans the spectrum from accessible to … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Zenith Defy El Primero 21 – not your average chronograph appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
A century? Wait, isn’t the Zenith El Primero celebrating its 50th birthday this year? Yes, correct. However, in a surprise move, the brand is offering a 50-year warranty on these A386 Revival 50th Anniversary models in 18ct gold (white, yellow and red, all at the same price). Hence the 100 years - 50 years of goodness … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: A century of Zenith El Primero on offer in the A386 Revival 50th Anniversary gold models from Baselworld 2019 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Time+Tide
Here at Time+Tide we are constantly finding ourselves getting caught up in what’s new and improved – taking it upon ourselves to keep you guys updated on the latest in watch releases (it’s a tough job, I know, but someone has to do it). Every once in a while, however, we like to look back … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: Historical pedigree – the Zenith Chronomaster El Primero 42mm appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Earlier this week we had a look at Zenith’s entry point into the Defy family, the solid-dialled Defy Classic. Well, today we’re going to kick it up a notch with something the brand is particularly famous for - a chronograph. And not just any chrono, but the Defy El Primero 21, a watch that marries the … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The Zenith Defy El Primero 21 – a cutting-edge chronograph appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Since the launch of the Defy 21 last year, and the shockingly innovative Defy Lab later in 2017, it wasn’t a matter of speculation that more releases for the new collection were coming to Baselworld in 2018. The new Zero G is this year’s Halo watch from the brand as we wait for the groundbreaking … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Zenith Defy El Primero Zero G appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
George Bamford on the design aesthetics of the new BWD x Fragment Zenith El Primero and the coming era of bespoke watchmaking.
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Hands-on analytical review of the revolutionary new Zenith El Primero Defy Lab, with live photographs, detailed analysis and technical discussion.
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The bold design of the new El Primero Grande Date Full Open can be credited to Biver and his well-known penchant for skeleton style watches
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JC Biver claims this to be the new and improved El Primero. Does the new Zenith Defy El Primero 21 deliver? We examine it in our hands-on review.
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The new generation Zenith Defy El Primero range carries the watchmaking prowess of Le Locle while remaining anchored to the provenance of the original.
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Zenith's contribution to the watch world has been remarkable by any measure. For starters, it was the first manufacture to create an automatic integrated column wheel movement, fondly known as the El Primero. More recently, its increasing staple of well-priced and attractive watches with reliable in house movements makes Zenith one of our favourite brands.
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Zenith's tricolour is back again with the Zenith El Primero Classic Car; with a twist. The dial is said to mimic the engine's pattern. With the Manufacture'
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