Zenith El Primero Chronograph Grande Class White Gold ref. 65.0520.4002 Limited edition of 500 – Full set, Serviced

During the 1960s, four major brands got into intense competition over creating the first-ever self-winding chronograph wristwatch. Heuer and Breitling collaborated and received the support of Hamilton, Buren, and Dubois-Depraz, while Zenith and Seiko chose to fly solo. By early 1969, all four companies had constructed a chronograph wristwatch that featured automatic winding, and they had all done it in a rather spectacular manner. The Caliber 11 from Heuer, the 6139 from Seiko, and Zenith’s El Primero all proved themselves accurate and reliable, impressively-engineered movements, each of which would go on to inspire a diverse line-up of respective successors.

The watch on offer here – the Grande Class – is an honorary member of the El Primero family, and we aren’t referring to its Limited Edition status. Rather, we’re referring to its classic aesthetic, which looks back to Zenith’s rich design history. That is primarily exemplified by the shape of its case but also by the incorporation of a Guilloche dial mid-section. The case’s slightly aggressive detailing is perfectly balanced by the dagger indices and sword hands, which – just like the case – are fashioned out of 18k White Gold!
Proudly showcased by the exhibition caseback, the Zenith cal. 4002 El Primero is ticking accurately. The movement features 31 jewels, operates at 36,000 VPH, and boasts a power reserve of 50 hours.

Our offering is in very good condition – shows only a few hairpins, not worth polishing, comes in a full set of boxes and papers, and is outfitted with an OEM leather strap.

Covered by a limited warranty of 1 year, starting on the date of purchase.