The Watch: Zenith holds a unique position in watchmaking history. The brand introduced the El Primero in 1969 as one of the first automatic chronograph movements ever produced, beating at a then-unprecedented 36,000 vph. When the quartz crisis hit in the mid-1970s, management ordered the tooling and movement plans destroyed. Charles Vermot, a watchmaker at the manufacture, hid everything in the attic in defiance of those orders. When mechanical watchmaking recovered, the El Primero came back out of storage and resumed production. It has run continuously ever since, and Rolex notably used a modified version (the caliber 4030) to power the Zenith-era Daytona from 1988 to 2000.
The tourbillon-equipped El Primero variants are the highest expression of the movement. The El Primero 4005 caliber adds a one-minute tourbillon at 11 o'clock to the architecture, retaining the 36,000 vph beat rate for an even more impressive visual. As the chronograph seconds hand passes over the tourbillon window, reflected off the polished and faceted balance, the whole movement ballet is visible in one small moment.
MSRP was $125k in 2006, equivalent to $200k+ today.
This example is in excellent condition with the full set.
