The legendary El Primero by Zenith appears attired in striking black and white variations. An intense black ceramicised case, chiaroscuro three-counter dial and sporty perforated rubber strap reveal a fascinating take on a watchmaking legend born in 1969.

The Manufacture’s iconic El Primero 36’000 VpH epitomises high mechanical precision endowed with enduring charm. These contrasting twin timepieces – black on white, white on black – are a new couple, exuding a seductive aura characterised by natural balance.

A legend in black and white

1969 was a historical year for the Zenith watches for ladies Replica industry that saw Zenith present the world’s most accurate series-made chronograph: the inimitable El Primero. Alongside its high-frequency movement, El Primero also stands for an emblematic design recognisable at first glance. Its three counters – originally in anthracite, blue and light grey – symbolise the functionality of a sophisticated mechanism and have been part of the Zenith DNA for almost half a century. An original aesthetic that makes light of passing time and lends itself to infinite variations in terms of materials, styles and colours. The fast-paced chronograph now reveals a particularly sophisticated look in two chiaroscuro interpretations. The counters provide an attractive and complementary ‘visual opposites’ effect against a finely sunray-patterned ebony black or silver-toned base, punctuated by black luminescent facetted hour-markers and hands enhanced with bright red touches.

Competitor Zenith, nonetheless, had just purchased out motion producer Matel and was functioning on some thing quite similar. This to start with came to Jack Heuer’s attention early in 1969-in the neighborhood newspaper, no significantly less. He was stunned to read through concerning the approaching release of Zenith’s new integrated-rather than modular, like Heuer’s movement-automatic chronograph, the ‘El Primero’-‘The First’. Zenith’s intentions had been clear. The race was on.

Inseparable

The intense black ceramicised aluminium case of these two new El Primero 36’000 VpH models houses a high-frequency column-wheel chronograph movement, a signature of the horological expertise cultivated by the Manufacture for over 150 years. Beating at 5Hz and powering a tenth-of-a-second display, the El Primero 400B calibre drives central hours and minutes functions, small seconds, chronograph and date, while ensuring a more than 50-hour power reserve. The domed sapphire crystal, round push-pieces and knurled crown accentuate the powerful build of this 42 mm chronograph. This beautiful mechanism and its oscillating weight – offering a fascinating visual counterpoint to the model’s binary colour codes – may be admired through the sapphire crystal back of the 100m water-resistant case.

Timeless and resolutely unconventional by nature, El Primero enriches its black and white look with a sporty touch thanks to a perforated black rubber strap secured by a titanium and black PVD-coated triple folding clasp.

Technique and style go hand in hand at Zenith!