The 42 and 38 mm El Primero cases have the same signature shape. Side view of the wristshot of te 38 mm El Primero For those of you interested in the technical aspects of the chronograph configuration, it is an integrated chronograph with a column-wheel and horizontal clutch. Polished steel crown with embossed Zenith Star emblemįinishing of the movement includes circular graining on the bridges, blued screws and a skeletonized oscillating weight with Geneva stripes. The movements may be the same size but due to the positioning of the date in relation to the case size, the number of components varies. The difference is in the location of the date window. The 400B has 326 components, whereas caliber 400 has only 278 components. The 42 mm El Primero uses a 400B caliber and the 38 mm uses a 400 caliber. And while each watch has a caliber that measures 30 mm by 6.6 mm, the movements are actually slightly different. Inside each timepiece, is, of course, the famous high-beat El Primero movement that runs at 5Hz or 36,000 VPH. The hour and minute hands (with luminous treatment), red central seconds hand with star counterweight, applied indexes (with luminous treatment), tachymeter scale and minutes track are all the same. And other than that, the writing under the “Zenith” on the dial of each model is slightly different. Some other minor differences are the markings on the dial, the 38 mm chronograph hour counter (at 6 o’clock) has “Automatic” written in the center, whereas the 42 mm version has nothing written. On the 42 mm it’s located at 6 o’clock, and on the 38 mm it’s at 4:30. As far as the look of the dial, we think the 42 mm dial is better balanced, but the 38 mm is not so different that it really matters.įor those of you interested in the technical aspects of the chronograph configuration, it is an integrated chronograph with a column-wheel and horizontal clutch.Īnother big difference between the two models is the position of the date aperture. If you look at the (1st slide above), you can see that the 42 mm dial (on the left) has more space in between the sub-dials and the black minute track in comparison to the 38 mm model on the right.
One of the most noticeable differences between the two watches is the space in between the sub-dials and the perimeter of the dial. The dial on both El Primeros is silvered with multi-colored subsidiary dials in blue, light gray and dark gray. The dials of the two El Primeros we reviewed are very similar, although there are a few minor differences worth noting. El Primero Chronograph 38 mm on polished wood display box It is really a matter of personal taste as to which size you prefer. The latter is listed on Zenith’s website as a ladies’ model, although, we know that some men prefer the smaller models and it is not even a point worth arguing about. A 42 mm El Primero 36,000 VPH and a 38 mm Zenith El Primero 36,000 VPH Original 1969. 42 mm El Primero 36,000 VPH next to a 38 mm Zenith El Primero 36,000 VPH Original 1969įor this review, we compare not one, but two brand new Zenith El Primero Chronographs. As far as which chronograph was available commercially first, that is a different story as the Caliber 11 did, in fact, go on sale before the El Primero.
And they are true to their name “El Primero” which means “The First,” in that regard. So as far as which chronograph was announced first, it was Zenith. However, what we can determine is that Zenith produced one of the first two integrated automatic chronographs ever (as the Caliber 11 is a module-based chronograph), and Zenith publicly announced their self-winding chronograph before anyone else. Zenith El Primero Chronograph 38 mm wristshot To this day, it is disputed as to which of these aforementioned brands launched first. In 1969, three automatic chronographs were introduced: the Zenith El Primero, the Seiko 6139, and the Caliber 11 (produced in partnership with Heuer, Hamilton/Buren, Dubois-Depraz, and Breitling). In fact, it is actually even more confusing, as there are numerous companies who claim to have invented the first (self-winding) chronograph.
Needless to say, the history of the chronograph is not a clear-cut subject, and the history of the first automatic chronograph is no less confusing. As you may have already read, the longstanding claim that Nicolas Rieussec invented the chronograph has recently been disproven after facts came to light that actually proves Louis Moinet’s invention 5 years earlier (1816) was truly the first chronograph.
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