Zenith El Primero A384

Zenith was founded in 1865 by Georges Favre-Jacot in the Swiss town of Le Locle, where we also find Tissot.

The brand is perhaps best known for its El Primero line. A range of automatic chronographs that brings us back to a race among watchmakers in the late 1960’s. Three parties, Seiko, Zenith and a conglomerate of Heuer, Breitling, Buren-Hamilton and Dubois-Depraz secretly battled to release the first ever integrated automatic chronograph movement.

The Heuer conglomerate was ready to present their new caliber at the March 1969 Basel fair. But then Zenith announced its El primero (“the first”) caliber in January of ‘69. Seiko released its entry in May of 1969, but it is unclear whether they may have sold pieces in their domestic Japanese market earlier. With Zenith being the first to publish about their innovation and the Heuer conglomerate first to market, it remains unclear who was the real first. It is generally accepted to call it a draw.

But to limit Zenith’s reputation to the El Primero would be an injustice. The house may be a little under the radar, but it is surely deserving of high praise. The brand has a rich history and its watches are of high quality.

Zenith now falls under the LVMH (Louis Vuitton, Moët, Hennessy) group. It spent some time under interim leadership of the industry legend Jean-Claude Biver, who put a lot of emphasis on innovation. Zenith’s ultra-modern Defy range with its advanced in-house calibers are a prime example. Still, Zenith does not forget about its heritage with the more classical current El Primeros.

If you are looking for quality but you are a bit tired of the same old household names, Zenith is surely worth exploring. You might just find a hidden gem that suits you perfectly!