DEPLOYANT – Luxury watch reviews & horological lifestyles – Luxury watch reviews & horological lifestyles
The El Primero from Zenith have had an illustrious career as an automatic chronograph of choice for many. It continues to be a mainstay movement used by Zenith today, but under Jean-Claude Biver’s leadership, the brand has claimed to have the answer to the next generation El Primero. Enter the El Primero 21. What is new? Is it groundbreaking? What is the significance? We examine these questions, and more in this detailed review of the new Zenith Defy El Primero 21.
The version with a silvered dial with black sub-dials seems to be one which is most attractive to our conservative eyes.
The El Primero: Historical Origins
From 1969, Zenith has been claimed the crown of the chronograph king with the El Primero (meaning ‘the first’ in Esperanto). The movement makes its case by having an integrated automatic column-wheel mechanism beating at the high frequency of 36,000 vibrations/hour (5Hz). The movement has a chronometer-certified tenth of a second precision. It was a star in the day, being used as an ebauche by many other manufacturers from Movado to TAG Heuer and Ebel. Even Rolex used it as a base for its C.4030, although the Rolex implementation uses Rolex’s own escapement which was tuned down to run at 28,800 bph.
A classical interpretation of the El Primero in a Zenith, one of many watches in the collection to feature the chronograph movement.
And a whole slew of Zenith watches carry the El Primero as the movement. Many caps on the movement, but it is beginning to show its age, as no new innovations have been implemented in the movement. So it is with some measure of interest that JC Biver announced to a crowded Press Conference at Baselworld 2017, that they are improving the El Primero. How? Bu supercharging its performance. The new Defy El Primero 21 is now capable of displaying 1/100th of a second by the central hand which is driven by an escapement running at 50 Hz (360,000 bph).
Zenith Defy El Primero 21
The Case, Dial and Hands
The Defy El Primero 21 will be available in three variants: one with a silvered dial in a titanium case, a version with an open worked dial in a titanium case and a third in a ceramicised aluminium case (first seen on the Zenith El Primero Land Rover) with an open worked dial.
All three versions look well balanced, and aesthetically pleasing to the eye. The case is a rather substantial 44mm in diameter and 14.5mm high, but the design is sleek and it manages not to look bulky. The choice of titanium or aluminium as the case material ensures that the watch feels light and comfortable on the wrist. The crown is fluted with rectangular chronograph pushers works well aesthetically with the case with its short lugs. The case finish is an alternating brushed and satin finishing
Zenith Defy El Primero 21. This is the version in a titanium case, openworked dial. Also available is a version with a silver dial, and another openworked dial version in a ceramicised aluminium […]
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Article from: DEPLOYANT – Luxury watch reviews & horological lifestyles, by Peter Chong
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