Zenith El Primero Chronograph ref. 03.2046.400/25.C771 Classic Cars Limited edition – 36000 VpH, Very fresh

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, whereas Zenith and Seiko chose to go their own ways. By early 1969, all four companies had come up with a chronograph wristwatch that featured automatic winding, and they had all done remarkable jobs. The Caliber 11 from Heuer, the 6139 from Seiko, and Zenith’s El Primero all proved to be accurate and reliable, well-engineered movements, each of which would go on to inspire a diverse line-up of respective successors. The watch on offer here – ref. 03.2046.400 – is one of those successors.

Now, a chronograph is a sports watch by design, but this limited edition turns sportiness up to 11, unmistakably drawing inspiration from the aesthetic of classic cars. The dial might be the biggest giveaway – it features a vertical texture that would look right at home next to any vintage dashboard. Of course, the colorful overlapping sub-dials further add to the effect, as do the faceted indices and aggressive hands.
The case measures at a balanced 42 mm and is topped by a smooth bezel. The display caseback showcases the horological marvel inside – the column-wheel caliber 400, which boasts an operating frequency of 36’000 VpH and a power reserve of 50 hours.

Our offering is in excellent condition, comes with its original box and booklets, and is outfitted with its OEM brown rally strap. Ticking per specs.

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