2916. It’s clearly an old machine, and not necessarily a very fancy one: the name asserts primacy among automatic chronographs in order, if not in rank. Zenith El Primero Orignal 38mm Full Set Unworn 5500ht $ 7,519.

UK. FR. The El-Primero is possibly the most iconic chronograph movement and a very significant one at that. Verified Dealer. My first impression is that the 38mm mm Zenith El Primero wears and looks like a larger watch when on the wrist.

And heck, it was good enough for Rolex’s Daytona for all those years, even if the Crown did recalibrate it, scaling the frequency down to a more manageable 28,800 vph. 183. MC.

CHRONOMASTER El Primero. For years the El Primero has been regarded as a serviceable movement that, in addition to being one of the first three automatic chronos in 1969, rocked the industry with a higher-than-average frequency of 36,000 vph. The Zenith El Primero 38 is a contemporary luxury watch crafted for watch collectors who like the idea of old good things but want something new. The Zenith El Primero Chronomaster 38mm is a faithful reproduction of one of the great classic chronographs of all time. Of the original three self-winding chronographs that debuted in 1969 (the others being the Seiko 6139 and the Caliber 11) only the El Primero remains in production.The El Primero caliber was a major innovation when first introduced, and is now a modern classic.Speaking of the case, it’s quite nice. That aforementioned beveling along the lugs and mixture of polished and matte surfaces suggests a level of quality, and attention to detail, that isn’t necessarily as apparent in the original El Primero of 1969, which wasn’t really even marketed as a luxury item.

Zenith El Primero Chronograph 38 mm wristshot However, what we can determine is that Zenith produced one of the first two integrated automatic chronographs ever (as the Caliber 11 is a module-based chronograph), and Zenith publicly announced their self-winding chronograph before anyone else. It compensates for a lack of physical beauty and finishing with estimable functionality and the ability to time events to within 1/10th of a second.

I noted the folding clasp attached to its lined alligator strap, as well as the price tag of $6,700. Free shipping.

The original 1969 size at 38mm in rose gold, was a real pleasure in form and function! - I am not against a folding buckle per se, but the one supplied with this watch feels out of proportion with the 38 mm case and the strap on which it comes. Taking the watch up I felt its weight, noted the beveling on the edges of the case, and inspected the recessed chronograph totalizers and applied indices on its dial. The harmony of the proportions on the see-through caseback is excellent.

If you compare it to other famous chronographs such as a 42mm Speedmaster or the 40mm Cosmograph Daytona, you'll notice that the dial looks larger on the El Primero due to the fact that there is no bezel taking up that extra space on the dial like on the Omega and Rolex chronographs.Since we're bringing up the Rolex Daytona, it's good to also mention that there was a time when the Cosmograph Daytona used the El Primero movement (a fun little factoid there).© 2020 Prestige Time LLC - All Rights Reserved  |  PrestigeTime.com  - The Most Trusted Name in Luxury Watches - Online Since 1999!

But I cavil.

If you compare it to other famous chronographs such as a 42mm Speedmaster or the 40mm Cosmograph Daytona, you'll notice that the dial looks larger on the El Primero due to the fact that there is no bezel taking up that extra space on the dial like on the … Zenith El Primero Original 1969 03.2150.400/69.M2150 $ 7,001. One could certainly do a whole lot worse with $6,700 than spending it on the El Primero Chronomaster 38mm, and I would go so far as to say that owning and experiencing a watch with this important caliber is a must for every watch lover, at one point or another.

But if this sounds like a quibble, I suppose it is. Why you ask?

It’s the classic column wheel chronograph that initiated the era of the automatic chrono. Were I to buy a new El Primero Chronomaster 38mm for myself, my first stop would be to a strap seller for a something a little more period appropriate and comfortable.While well made, the clasp somewhat overwhelms the gracefully shaped strap.On the wrist, the The Zenith El Primero Chronomaster 38mm is as charming as it was 48 years ago.Regarding the movement itself, what is there really to say about the El Primero that hasn’t already been said? Years after buying my own Zenith Captain Winsor, which paired an annual calendar module (developed by The three colored subdials are taken directly from the original model in 1969.The tale of how the tooling for the El Primero was stashed in an attic by the late Charles Vermot, a rogue employee who refused to follow corporate orders that would have spelled the death of this caliber, and Zenith itself, is one of the great stories in horology.

Two slightly different dial variants are available.The same can be said about about the dial on this beauty, which comes in two flavors that recall the original overlapping tri-color totalizers of the first El Primero.


HODINKEE These sentiments and memories flooded  back when Jack handed me an El Primero 38 mm for my first Hands On review over here at HODINKEE.