The Zenith El Primero high-frequency chronograph is celebrating half a century of life and in tribute to its extraordinary legacy, and to mark this anniversary, Zenith has decided to offer enthusiasts a boxed set containing three chronographs equipped with the emblematic tricolour counters. A faithful re-edition of the first A386 model from 1969; a Chronomaster El Primero with an optimised movement; and a Defy El Primero 21 to 1/100th of a second: this trilogy in a limited edition of 50 thus combines the different faces of high frequency. El Primero, of course, is part of Zenith's beating heart and the history of this high-frequency model, created in 1969, extends to today and tomorrow with the iconic Chronomaster El Primero and the futuristic Defy. To celebrate the exceptional legacy of the El Primero - the world's first integrated automatic chronograph - Zenith invites its admirers on an adventure through time. The anniversary box set includes three declinations of the El Primero movement, tracing the technical and aesthetic evolution of this legend of precision. Contained in a case that combines technology and tradition, this collector's trio with its characteristic counters indulges any attitude: vintage, classic or modern. Moreover, a fourth bearing is left empty, ready to accommodate Zenith's next milestone in the universe of high frequency, namely the thousandth of a second. A development destined to materialise in a few years' time, which will initially be made available in a limited edition of 50 to become the icing on the cake of this box set. Since 10 January 1969, the date of presentation of the famous El Primero chronograph ("the first" in Spanish), Zenith's star has continued to shine brightly in the firmament of high frequency. This icon of precision has been part of the Manufacture's collections for fifty years. But let us return for a moment to the late 1960s, marked by a true revolution in watchmaking: the birth of the El Primero, the first automatic chronograph. Its innovative features - 36,000 vibrations per hour, integrated column-wheel construction, ball-bearing-mounted central rotor and over 50 hours of autonomy (a real feat at such a rate) - made it the world's most accurate chronograph and the only one capable of measuring short times down to 1/10th of a second. In addition to being the first with such revolutionary performance, El Primero established new visual codes, with a range of contrasting colours to enhance the legibility of the counters: light grey for the seconds, blue for the minutes and anthracite for the hours. Soon, this combination would become an emblem of the Maison. Since its invention, then, the El Primero has undergone constant evolution, inspiring new creations until it became an archetypal model that is extremely popular with enthusiasts. However, Zenith had never made available a re-edition faithful to the original model. The time has come, as the first compartment of the 50-piece limited edition anniversary case is dedicated to a tribute edition of the 1969 A386 chronograph, the first model to mount the El Primero movement. The 38 mm steel case, the domed crystal, the tricolour counters, the tachymeter scale, the character, the shape of the hands and hour markers, the leather strap: all the original elements are present. Likewise, the shape of the lugs and pushers has been reproduced exactly in this 'revival' edition. In order to breathe new life into the spirit and original attributes of its illustrious predecessor, Zenith's technicians and designers have followed a process of reverse engineering: an authentic copy contained in the brand's museum has been entirely laser-scanned in order to reproduce each component. The only liberties that the Manufacture has allowed itself are that the case back allows the movement to be observed unobstructed and that the logo on the crown has been updated. As for the 'engine', it is the current version of the El Primero column-wheel chronograph movement, beating at a frequency of 36,000 vibrations per hour and guaranteeing 1/10th of a second accuracy and a 50-hour power reserve. Just like the original, it is equipped with hours, minutes, small seconds, chronograph, tachymeter and date (displayed between 4 and 5 o'clock). A direct descendant of the A386, the Zenith Chronomaster represents its most emblematic contemporary incarnation. To celebrate the legendary model from which it originated, the second watch in the box set is a Chronomaster with a new generation El Primero motor and a new black ceramic bezel. Renamed El Primero 3600, the movement has been optimised with an update applied in accordance with the architecture and proven performance of the legendary El Primero. In this 2.0 version, the original construction of the El Primero chronograph, consisting of a column wheel and lateral lever coupling, has been aesthetically enhanced and redesigned to optimise reliability and precision. The most obvious result of this optimisation is the integration of a second-locking device for setting the time and a power reserve increased to 60 hours. In addition to maximising resources, the new Chronomaster has a sportier, more modern look than its contemporaries, with a 42 mm steel case topped by a black ceramic graduated bezel, a star-shaped oscillating weight and a rubber strap with contrasting stitching. The last component of the trilogy, the Defy El Primero 21 chronograph, has a 44 mm titanium case, inside of which beats a revolutionary mechanical movement. Oscillating at a frequency of 360,000 vibrations per hour (50 Hz), ten times higher than its predecessor, it is capable of measuring and displaying one hundredth of a second on a scale of 1 to 100. Its unique dynamic feature - the lightning-fast hand that completes a full revolution of the dial in one second - reflects the exceptional precision and performance of this motor, which is equipped with two independent mechanisms: one for the hour and one for the chronograph. The skeleton dial includes three counters in their original colours - the common denominator of this special edition - and its contemporary lines, formed by a large knurled crown, flat pushers and short lugs, are harmoniously joined on the wrist by a black rubber strap covered with black alligator leather. Available in a 50-piece limited edition, the three El Primero watches and the hollowed-out bearing intended to house a 1/1000th of a second chronograph are presented in a case symbolising Zenith's evolution and the future of high frequency. Subtle shades of grey, leather details, contemporary joinery: the case combines watchmaking tradition with innovation in terms of performance and precision. Adorned with the anniversary logo, the satin-finished grey lid with integrated touch screen lifts to reveal a reproduction of a miniature watchmaker's bench, complete with a watch mechanism, an adjustable lighting system, a magnifying glass and a screwdriver. The screw-locked lower part of the case houses a drawer that holds the three El Primero chronographs. As a tribute to tradition, the case contains an original matrix of the chronograph's engagement wheel bridge. This emblematic component was one of the key elements of the El Primero calibre and the instruments saved from destruction by Zenith watchmaker Charles Vermot during the quartz crisis. By keeping them secretly hidden in an attic of the Manufacture, Vermot enabled the rebirth of the legendary movement in 1984. The matrix contained in the set invites the owner to visit the Manufacture, in Le Locle, to hand-engrave two bridges of the coupling wheel. The first will remain with the rightful owner, while the second, engraved with his name, will become a historical testimony affixed to the entrance wall of Charles Vermot's famous attic.
