The Zenith A273: a 1960s chronograph that collectors won't stop chasing
Blued hands, a column-wheel Caliber 146HP, and an original bracelet that most examples lost decades ago. Why the Zenith A273 keeps showing up on collector wish lists.
Some watches tell time. This one tells a story. The Zenith A273 chronograph from the 1960s is a triple-register piece with blued hands, a silver sunburst dial, and the kind of character that only comes from six decades of existence. This particular example has already sold (lucky buyer), but it's worth understanding why vintage collectors lose their composure over these.
The Zenith A273. Silver dial, blued hands, and a look that hasn't aged in 60 years.
The dial and case
That silver sunburst dial catches light in a way that photographs barely capture. The three recessed subdials track 30-minute intervals, 12-hour intervals, and running seconds. They're functional, not decorative.
The blued steel hands are the real draw. They're not a bright blue. More like the colour of a clear sky just after dawn. Subtle until sunlight hits them, then suddenly the whole watch comes alive.
At 37mm in stainless steel, the case was considered oversized for the late 1960s. Today it fits perfectly. Straight lugs give it a sporty, angular profile, and the caseback screws down with Zenith's four-pointed star logo.
The original NSA bracelet, complete with the telltale gap between lugs. A collector's calling card.
About that original NSA bracelet: finding a 60-year-old watch still wearing its factory bracelet is genuinely rare. Made by Novavit S.A. (a well-known bracelet supplier in the 1960s), it has flat links, a folding clasp, and Zenith's star logo. The small gap between the bracelet and the lugs? That's how you spot an unmolested example. Collectors look for that detail specifically.
The movement: Caliber 146HP
Flip it over and you'll find the Zenith Caliber 146HP, a manual-wind chronograph movement with real pedigree.
The Caliber 146HP. Manual wind, column wheel, and built to last.
What makes it special:
Column-wheel chronograph control. This means the pusher action is smooth and precise, like clicking a well-made camera shutter. No mushiness.
The balance wheel is large, which helps with timekeeping stability. After recent servicing, this example was running at +5 seconds per day. Respectable for any watch, let alone one this old.
The movement was originally designed by Martel, a chronograph specialist that Zenith later acquired. The 146HP was Zenith's last manual-wind chronograph caliber before the El Primero automatic arrived and changed everything.
Winding it daily is part of the experience. The crown is signed with Zenith's star, and the action is smooth. Start the chronograph and the blued seconds hand sweeps cleanly around the dial.
On the wrist
At 37mm and roughly 12mm thick, the A273 sits low and slim. It slides under a shirt cuff without catching. On the original bracelet, it feels sporty. Swap it for a leather strap and it turns into something you'd wear to a cocktail bar.
Crown and pushers. Simple, functional, 1960s.
One thing to note: there's no lume on the hands. In the 1960s, Zenith marketed this to "scientists and sportsmen," apparently people who didn't need to read their watch in the dark.
Why collectors care about this one
The A273 is a proper vintage chronograph. Blued hands, a movement with genuine history, and an original bracelet that most examples lost decades ago. Every detail on it comes from a time when watches were tools first and fashion second.
This particular one is gone. But at ChronoTimepieces, we regularly turn up pieces like this. If 1960s chronographs are your thing (or divers from the '70s, or something from last week), it's worth keeping an eye on what comes through.