We already covered the topic of the Zenith El Primero in an in-depth article here, but a brief reminder about this legendary movement might be necessary to understand the following set of watches.īorn in 1969, El Primero (the first in Spanish) is still regarded as one of the best and most accurate chronograph movements ever created. In order to celebrate the 50th anniversary of this emblematic movement, Zenith introduces an exclusive “50 Years of El Primero Anniversary Set” of watches, including a faithful re-edition of the mythical A386 and the introduction of a new movement, the Calibre 3600. In January 1969 though, the very first to be introduced, as suggested by its name was El Primero, “The First” Automatic Chronograph. Indeed, all (literally all of them) were hand-wound movements… until 1969, when the world of watches changed drastically when three of the most prominent movements ever made were launched almost simultaneously.

Back in the 1960s, as surprising as it seems now, there was only one way to use a chronograph: you had to wind it every morning.

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