ZENITH el Primero A386 Vintgae 1969 D Case Cal 3019 Automatic Chronograph

The ZENITH el Primero

Ref. A386

 

Original Vintgae 1969 

xxxDxxx Case reference

 

Caliber Zenith 3019PHC El Primero

"The First" Automatic Chronograph.  

 

 

 

 

AT A GLANCE 

 

Vintage 1969

 

CASE

Stainless steel Ø38mm 

 

CASE BACK TYPE

Screw-in

 

DIAL

Zenith Tri Dial Silver Satin Dial Tachymeter Inner bezel Light Grey Dark & Blue Overlap subdials 

 

CRYSTAL

Acrylic

 

STRAP

1960s Vintgae Genuine Tropic BLUE Signed ZENITH Buckle is Stainless Steel

 

MOVEMENT

Automatic (mechanical)

 

Zenith 3019PHC El Primero

 

Features

automatic chronograph, 60s, 30min, 12h, pillar wheel

sub second

date: quickset

 

 

The el Primero - The First 

A386 was one of the first Zeniths to carry the groundbreaking El Primero caliber. In 1969, this was one of the first automatic chronograph movements ever offered, 

Zenith themselves state "Only 2,000 examples of the A386 reference were produced between 1969 and 1971"

Making the first the actual first a hard watch to find and especially in orriginal condition. 

Making this watch a highly sought after, and very hard watch to come by. Combine that with the special tri-color sub-register dial and you have the ultimate and indeed the first "El Primero." 

 

And hey if your going to collect the first it may as well be THE first..

 The format xxxDxxx (this case reference 862D123) puts it in the late 60's. and being an el Primero we need look no further into this to know that this is a 1969  

 

THE CASE 

At 38mm this watch holds its own in a world of often needlessly oversized watches.. The watch does not necessarily "wear big" but does indeed have a huge presence on the wrist. This is partly due to its huge dial diameter of 35mm Raised dial Sits almost flush with the case front giving the watch on "All dial" look 

But the watch is Slim and a comfortable wear at only 12.2mm tall 

but the case is long a full 45.5mm lug tip to lug tip.

 Simplistic but solid lugs combined with the rounded pump pushers and give a sense of true "tool watch" era appeal

Screw down case back fully signed and serial numbered 

 

We have but ONE point of contention with the case, With the watch as a whole to be honest this is the CROWN although the crown IS an orriginal ZENITH OEM el Primero Crown (6.4mm diameter, 3.3mm thick, and 2.5mm stem) Crown this is NOT the original 1969 Zenith crown Alas we are being fussy buy we are being fussy so that you dont need to be! 

We could have waited for one to "turn up" and they do! from time to time but to be honest we were impatient.. We have adjusted the price accordingly but if we find and fit one before you do.. well adjust the price accordingly. 

 

THE DIAL 

Quite possibly the most striking Feature of the Zenith A386 A single glance is enough to understand the fascination around the watch, the tri-color register, this is the first time we see the look now synonymous with the el Primero

 

The tri-color dial of the A386 has since become Zenith's trademark dial configuration, but there is more than just aesthetics behind its design. The story goes that grey was chosen for the hours register to remind the wearer of the impressive length of time it counted.  The lighter shaded register was to keep track of seconds, and remind us of time's fleeting nature.  Finally, the blue register, a mid-way point between the light and dark registers, measured minutes, the chronograph's essential unit. 

 

The dial is ALL ORIGINAL and in a world where originality is king and some would say that the watch's dial is 90% of the watches value this is undeniably important 

 

Look closely and we will see a faint time aged patina to the dial and clearly but importantly evenly aged tritium lume to hands hands are also original to this watch. 

 

With so many other overriding features its almost easy to miss but date aperture at 4-5 "camouflages" quite handsomely into the dial without obscuring the overall look and with those Stunning overlapping subsidiary dials this is a well designed feature 

 

Tho this is a configuration and indeed color scheme used time and time again by the el Primero range this was never truer than with the Zenith 2009 "homage" 1969 

 

THE STRAP

The watch is fitted with a Period genuine 1960s Deep Blue genuine "TROPIC" STAR 19mm Watch Strap & Zenith Signed buckle 

 

THE MOVEMENT

 

The world's FIRST automatic Chronograph but alas a somewhat disputed "First"..

 

This was no doubt one of the first automatic chronograph movements ever offered, alongside the Seiko 6139 and the Chronomatic movement Caliber 11 (a technical collaboration between Heuer, Breitling, Buren and Hamilton). The debate still rages on about who was really first, but in any case, the El Primero was the only one to boast a 36,000 vph high-beat frequency. 

 

But this early automatic chronograph (some would say it's the first self-winding chronograph, some would say the first high-beat self-winding chronograph, and others, the first self-winding integrated chronograph (the caliber 11 being a "piggy back" mounted chronograph)) ..this is a thing collectors love to argue about but Zenith certainly took the name

 

El Primero - The First

 

 

Zenith 3019PHC El Primero

1969-

first automatic chronograph

 

Features

automatic chronograph, 60s, 30min, 12h, pillar wheel

sub second

date: quickset

31 jewels

f = 36000 A/h

power reserve 50h

 

 

As always specs courtesy of Dr Ranfft

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