Two icons from 1969
In 1969, Zenith unveiled the El Primero – one of the very first automatic chronograph movements and to this day one of the fastest. The A384 with its tonneau-shaped case and the A386 with its tricolour counters became the best-known watches to house this movement. For the Revival models, Zenith drew on the original documents from its own archive. Case diameter, hand shapes, typography and the layout of the sub-dials correspond to the historical originals rather than a free interpretation.
The El Primero in detail
Beating at 36,000 vibrations per hour, the movement runs twice as fast as a conventional automatic calibre. This results in a resolution of one tenth of a second, readable on the central chronograph hand. It is controlled by a column wheel. The power reserve is around 50 hours. The fact that such a high-frequency movement has been built virtually unchanged for more than five decades is considered an exception in watchmaking.
For collectors of historical chronographs
The Chronomaster Revival is aimed at anyone looking for a vintage model without giving up a manufacturer's warranty, spare parts availability and today's manufacturing tolerances. With case dimensions of around 37 to 38 mm, it is considerably more compact than modern chronographs and is correspondingly light to wear.
