Among the large inventory, the original prototype of the black chronograph, which no one has seen since the 1970s, has been found. Although there are very few records about this prototype, some of Zenith's employees had the chance to see this rare model.īy 2019, the Zenith team began to re-examine all plans and parts that Charles Vermont had hidden in the attic while celebrating El Primero's 50th anniversary. Only a few models produced and the model never went on mass production. The brand produced a manual-winding chronograph prototype and completed it with a blackened case, which was rare at the time. One of these legends dates back to the 1970s, shortly after Zenith launched its first automatic chronograph, El Primero. Legends to be told in well-established brands never end. This provided them with a lifetime, which allowed Zenith to make its comeback into the globally-recognised brand which it is today.Zenith introduced a new model inspired by a prototype from the 1970s, which has to hide in the attic, Chronomaster Revival 'Shadow'. Zenith was able to return the movement to the production line, and as a result won the contract to supply Rolex. Only a few years later, Rolex chose the El Primero movement to power its new, revamped Daytona. While other brands scrapped or sold their tooling, Charles Vermot, a senior engineer who helped develop the movement, decided to dismantle but keep the El Primero's tooling. The El Primero, once Zenith's flagship, went out of production. When the Quartz Crisis hit, however, Zenith's run ended.

This was particularly notable as prior to this horological arms race an automatic chronograph was considered extremely difficult to design. In 1969, Zenith became one of the three companies that released an automatic chronograph movement.

Like many other brands, it began its early history making watches for the rich and famous, including a pocket watch which was gifted by Indian independence leaders Indira Nehru to Mahatma Gandhi. Zenith is a watch brand with a storied and genuinely interesting history.

There are some light marks on the backs of the lugs.Ĭomes in original box with documents and hang tag.

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