LHOOQ 0 Posted February 20, 2012 A friend of mine lent me this watch over the weekend, as I will be writing about it as part of an article. On a whim, I posted a wrist-shot last night and, boy, was the response positive. Luthier suggested I take a bunch of pictures, and that seemed like a very good idea. Here, then, is my quickie review of this beautiful Zenith... How tough has life been for Zenith since 1969? The El Primero is probably the most famous movement in watch history, yet Zenith has struggled to establish its own identity: "I finally bought the watch of my dreams. Check out my new Zenith." "You mean like my VCR?" In fact, Zenith Radio Company of Illinois actually bought a controlling share of the Mondia-Zenith-Movado holding company in 1971, which almost killed the El Primero at the tender age of six. Like comically stereotypical movie villains, the bean counters at Zenith USA decreed that its eponymous watch company should henceforth produce only quartz watches, and ordered the destruction of all production equipment for mechanical movements. Horrors! Enter plucky Swiss watchmaker Charles Vermot, who defied the wishes of the barbaric Americans, carefully hiding the tooling and machinery in the attic like, er... (Historical analogy dropped to avoid causing offence.) End result: Zenith's nefarious plans were foiled, and Zenith was saved! The El Primero was resurrected in the mid-80s, just in time for it to reach global superstardom... inside a Rolex. There would be no breakout watch for Zenith, but at least its reputation (and financial security) was cemented by being the engine supplier for the 16500-series Daytona. Fast-forward to the year 2000, Zenith's acquisition by LVMH, and the installation of the abominable Thierry Nataf as CEO the following year. (Historical analogy dropped to avoid causing offence.) Zenith was in for a rough decade, which yielded obscenities like the Defy Xtreme. The silver lining to this brown cloud was that the Zenith brand was mainstreamed like during no other time in its history, mostly thanks to amazon.com reviews like these. Is there no such thing as bad publicity? Let me give Charlie Sheen a call, and see how he's doing... What a relief it was when the Dufour regime took over in 2010, and its first act was to airbrush the Nataf years out of its corporate memory. Glam Rock and Zero-G, say hello to Trotsky and Yezhov. Zenith's signature watch for the year was the El Primero Striking 10th, best known for a sweep hand that zips around the dial in 10 seconds and demonstrating just what 36,000 bph can do for you. The movement was new, but the design was not. Although bigger at 42mm, the case and dial design -particularly the overlapping silver, black, and blue subdials- recalled the 1969 El Primero. 2011's Zenith catalog featured even closer homages to the original El Primeros. ("Original El Primeros" is not only redundant, but an oxymoron, too!) The hexagonal "Vintage 1969" remixed the chunky A384 El Primero, also of 1969. This particular watch, the El Primero 36'000VPH, is the closest homage to the classically styled reference A386. It may not have the trick chronograph of the Striking Tenth, but it still beats 10 times per second. Obviously. And at 38mm, it takes a couple of glances for it to register as a new watch. The '69 El Primero has long been one of my dream watches, so this 2011 model is right up my alley. I love vintage watches in general, but especially appreciate the designs of the 60s and 70s. In fact, there are a couple of details that I wish Zenith had carried over onto this watch. The first is the louche "El Primero" script—shorthand for “luxury”, and so evocative of the era of "soft Correenthean leatherr". In its place is a blocky, sans serif font. So cold. I also don't like the changes made to the subdials. I prefer the big, flat LPs of the original to the contours of the new registers. And on a functional level, why make the silver hour counter the most prominent of the three circles? Put it behind the minute counter and running seconds, where it belongs! I should also note that one friend really had a problem with the star-tailed sweep hand, because it reminded him too much of Tinkerbell's wand. I told him to grow the F up. Minor nits aside, it's very hard to complain about anything on this watch. Just look at it! I would love to own one, but would much prefer finding a '69 El Primero in good condition. Perversely, the originals are cheaper than the reissues, which is also true for blue Heuer Monacos, and most examples of the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms. I'd better start selling my fluids again. Are two movement shots really necessary? C'mahn, don't bolshet me. Some quickie review that turned out to be! It looks like I've already finished a large chunk of that article I'm going to write. Thanks for looking, and reading. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mazz 62 Posted February 20, 2012 Beautiful pictures and write up But I think the overall outcry was that we kill your friend and you keep the watch .............. :P Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DeLaForce 2 Posted February 20, 2012 Superb, great pics as always Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mspangl 0 Posted February 20, 2012 Great pics and write up of one of the best watches ever ! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Soopah Spy 0 Posted February 20, 2012 (edited) Oh...My...LOWERED. That is a beauuuuuuuuty. 36,000 VpH? Daaaaaaaaang. Plus it's one seriously handsome devil. It's like that 50-year-old caballero with the handlebar moustache and the gold tooth who packs the ivory-handled sixgun and can out-ride, out-shoot and out-snog every other hombre' in the cantina. You know he's going to take your money and break your heart, but the señoritas all still come running *even knowing* they will end up crying to mama. It may be The Most Interesting Wristwatch... In The World. Edited February 20, 2012 by Soopah Spy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gtwc 1 Posted February 20, 2012 Great write up, great pics. Thanks for sharing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kwatch 0 Posted February 20, 2012 very nice write up.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
solkryssare 109 Posted February 20, 2012 Thank you for sharing this beauty with us. When I grow up I want to be just like you Martin! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Luthier 1 Posted February 20, 2012 So, Luth isn't SO bad boy, and can give the good ideas sometimes...No, not to kill your amigo, it's up to you, but to write this poetry. Thanks a lot, mate, fantastic post, well written, and great pictures, THANK YOU!!! They also have 42mm version. I hope, this brand will prosper, and I wish them best luck, great watches!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mazz 62 Posted February 20, 2012 Thank you for sharing this beauty with us. When I grow up I want to be just like you Martin! Stop sucking up he is already adopting me..................... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Luthier 1 Posted February 20, 2012 Ooohh... then amigo is definitely dead... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Akira 0 Posted February 20, 2012 Thank you for sharing this beauty with us. When I grow up I want to be just like you Martin! Stop sucking up he is already adopting me..................... You guys are well too old to be adopted by such a young and handsome devil like LHOOQ. I'm still young and first in line anyways. Btw your pics suck as always.... ....like in sucking me into buying every watch you own. Awww it's like I don't even have individual taste. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Luthier 1 Posted February 20, 2012 Then... are you sure you chose right occupation, Flo? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mazz 62 Posted February 20, 2012 TSSSSSSSSSK at Akira ........He likes me best he told me so.............. .................... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Akira 0 Posted February 20, 2012 Then... are you sure you chose right occupation, Flo? I know I know But is there a single watch in his collection you wouldn't be happy to own? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LHOOQ 0 Posted February 20, 2012 Guys, guys... Let's stop the fighting! I think of all of you like my children! (...those poor, clueless, bastards...) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
str8 0 Posted February 20, 2012 Thanks LHOOQ ... very nice write-up & pics. So nice that I see the watch on every white wall at home Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
digger2 0 Posted February 20, 2012 Very interesting! Thank's for sharing and great pictures! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GC 4,503 Posted February 20, 2012 Stunning watch, superb photog and an exceptional write up... When I grow up I wanna be just like you sir...that's if I ever grow up. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pollux1 3 Posted February 20, 2012 That's one beautiful watch and a fantastic write up. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
scope 3 Posted February 20, 2012 Holy shit.This is a post about a watch for a change! Well done sir. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mbjoer 0 Posted February 21, 2012 Great pics, great story. Interesting how brands have been and gone and then come back again in the watch world. Zenith just scraped by and here we see what can be done. Which will be the next one to bounce back? Eterna? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
machiavegli 6 Posted May 2, 2014 Just to resurrect a zombie thread... I REALLY want a rep of this watch. I know the mvmt won't be ultra-high-beat like the gen and I don't care. I've tried on this gen at the AD and it's a fabulous looking watch, I think the current versions are bigger diameter (i.e., modern watch size) than the original Primero, but the tricolor dial is classic. I've seen several rep versions of the Primero on TDs but I couldn't find any good reviews of them to evaluate quality. Does any one have a Primero rep & is willing to post pictures? The gen and rep also come with a version with a partially cutaway dial, I imagine this would have more obvious "tells" than the version reviewed here. -Mach Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
