ZENITH CHRONOMASTER SPORT THICKNESS HOW TO

In 1971, the Zenith brand was sold to the Zenith Radio Corporation, a Chicago-based conglomerate that originally manufactured radios and televisions. Ultimately, the ensuing fall of mechanical watches meant that the Zenith El Primero was more neglected than ever. Since they were more accurate and much cheaper to produce and sell than mechanical watches, quartz-operated watches quickly became all the rage. A year after the El Primero’s release, the dreaded quartz crisis took the Swiss watchmaking industry by storm. During the El Primero’s release, only a handful of local and regional journalists were able to attend Zenith’s press conference. With such specifications and technical prowess, you would have expected the Zenith El Primero’s launch to make the headlines of the watchmaking industry. While the Zenith El Primero was not the thinnest caliber ever, it was definitely impressively slender. In 1969, Zenith unveiled the El Primero as the world’s first high frequency, fully integrated automatic chronograph movement.

While it is one of the most celebrated watch calibers, the El Primero actually had a rather bumpy and underwhelming start. Brief History of the Zenith El Primero Movement

ZENITH CHRONOMASTER SPORT THICKNESS HOW TO

This just goes to show that Zenith truly knows how to make an automatic chronograph caliber that barely needs any improvement, even after decades. While the incorporation of Zenithium is an excellent advancement, the contemporary Zenith El Primero 4000SC really does not stray too far from the qualities of the original El Primero 400. Zenith utilized Zenithium on the El Primero 4000SC to bolster the caliber’s shock resistance, as well as strengthen its balance and chronograph bridge.

This is a durable, lightweight metal alloy that consists of aluminum, niobium, and titanium. Zenith constructed the El Primero 4000SC with Zenithium. However, one thing that Zenith has improved upon considerably is the construction of the modern El Primero caliber. In general, there are quite a lot of similarities between the Zenith El Primero 4000SC and the original 1969 El Primero caliber. Sticking true to the size of the first El Primero caliber, the Zenith El Primero 4000SC has a diameter of 30mm and is only 6.5mm thick. Apart from telling the time, the El Primero 4000SC also has chronograph, date, 30-minute, and 12-hour functions. Held in place by thirty-one jewels, this movement has a total of 278 components, including a ball-bearing rotor made entirely out of tungsten. Much like the original caliber, the Zenith El Primero 4000SC features a power reserve that can last up to 50 hours and an impressive beat frequency of 36,000 vibrations per hour (5Hz). The El Primero 4000SC is a modern automatic chronograph movement based on the original Zenith El Primero Caliber 400 that was released in 1969. Today, we will be focusing on the El Primero Caliber 4000SC commonly found in Zenith Defy watches. Introducing the Zenith El Primero MovementĬurrently, the Zenith El Primero caliber comes in several forms. For today’s article, let us take a closer look at this iconic watch movement. Hailing from a brand known for supplying top-notch movements to the rest of the industry, the Zenith El Primero is a revolutionary, highly versatile movement that many watchmakers have chosen to rely on, serving as a testimony to its quality. However, you might be surprised to find out that many of these watches actually contain the same age-defining Swiss caliber that packs a whole lot of history: the Zenith El Primero caliber. There are many brands out there with watches that possess stunning designs and highly capable movements. After all, there is nothing that makes your life easier than a trusty timekeeper that looks gorgeous and provides a consistently reliable performance.

Strap: Steel Bracelet or Optional Rubber strapĪustralian Retail Pricing : $14,300.As many of us already know, an exceptional watch is always accompanied by a dependable movement.Movement: El Primero 3600, (column-wheel chronograph, hour, minutes, hacking seconds and date).Crystal: Sapphire, domed on both sides, anti-reflective coating inside.Case: 41 mm (20mm Lug width, lug-lug 47mm and thickness of 13mm).With sharp looks and even sharper pricing, collectors will start to look at the redefined chronometer sports under a different light (in a very good way!). I mean the Rolex Ceramic Daytona is priced at 18,500 AUD and unless you are a VIP at your local AD, there is not a chance of ever owning one. Priced at 14,300 AUD, I think its great value for the calibre of watch it represents.

Zenith chronomaster sport thickness