More to the point, the El Primero has been packaged in all sorts of fascinating and entertaining ways since its 1969 debut - thus, unlike with a host of other brands big on vintage-revivals these days, you do have tons of amazing options to enjoy the El Primero beyond resorting to a vintage re-release. That said, the last 50 years saw a truly remarkable - and still deeply under-appreciated - evolution of this caliber both in terms of technical complexity and “packaging.” Over this time, El Primero calibers were enhanced to genuinely impressive new dimensions, with perpetual calendar, alarm, tourbillon, minute repeater and Striking 10th complications added to a movement whose “base” rendition had already pushed the engineering envelope, big-time. Is The “Revival A385” The El Primero To Get?Īs I said, this Revival A385 is as legitimate an El Primero as they get, so far as pedigree is concerned. It retains its integrated automatic chronograph architecture with column wheel and horizontal clutch.Ĭompleting the retro look and feel of the Chronomaster Revival A3817, two strap options are offered: the first is the steel “ladder” bracelet, a modern remake of the Gay Frères bracelets that became emblematic of the early El Primero watches, and a light brown calfskin leather strap with a steel pin buckle, which will develop patina over time.Hey Zenith… That GH 20801 has to make a comeback. Visible under a sapphire caseback – a concession to modernity – this in-house engine runs at 5Hz and boasts 50 hours of power reserve. Like the A385 and A384, the new Zenith Chronomaster Revival A3817 is powered by the El Primero calibre 400, the direct descendant of the 1969 movement. The hands and markers are rhodium-plated and faceted, and later coated with beige Super-LumiNova. Finally, the seconds track is done in a pyramid pattern affectionately nicknamed the “shark tooth” scale, which enhances legibility with a distinctly retro touch. The outer tachymeter scale also serves as both a pulsometer (from 12 to 3 o’clock) and a tachymeter for the rest of the track. For instance, the running seconds counter at 9 o’clock is done with blue markers, indicated by a single blue hand. Sure, it features the classic white background and tricolour counters – in tones of grey and blue – but some elements are different here, as was the case on the 1971 model. What matters with the Zenith Chronomaster Revival A3817 is the dial, which seems to be identical to the A386… but isn’t. All the details have been rendered using historical blueprints and reverse-engineering, so the watch is basically a 1-to-1 reproduction of the original model. The case also sticks to the handsome combination of radially brushed surfaces with polished facets and sides. As such, it retains the tonneau case of the other two models, with its compact (and historically relevant) dimensions, measuring 37mm in diameter, 12.6mm in height and 47mm lug-to-lug. A vintage example of the Zenith El Primero A3817 – photo by Phillipsįollowing the Chronomaster Revival A385 and A385, and using the same technical base, Zenith releases a new edition in the Revival collection, paying a highly faithful tribute to the A3817. Produced in just 1,000 pieces, it remains one of the most desirable models among the early El Primero watches. It featured the sportier steel tonneau-shaped case of the earliest steel El Primero references with the striking tricolour dial of the A386, resulting in a unique and appealing aesthetic – and it even featured one or two cool design elements. And in 1971, a watch appeared that combined both universes, the A3817. The A386 was, on the other hand, a more classic option with round cases in steel or gold, and of course, the iconic tricolour dial that remains one of the most recognisable elements in Zenith’s DNA. In the 1969 trilogy, the A384 was seen as the sportier model, with its tonneau-shaped case, panda dial and stainless steel case. Known as the A3817, it mixed the case of the first and the dial of the latter… And today, this style makes its comeback with the new Zenith Chronomaster Revival A3817. But in 1971, a watch appeared that obliterated the differences between the A384 and A386. All of them have been reissued by Zenith in recent years, under the hot and attractive “Revival” collection. Although the El Primero name refers to the legendary automatic chronograph introduced in 1969, it was also used as the name of various watches, including the iconic inaugural trilogy known as the A384, the A385 and the A386.
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