During the mid-1960s the time was ripe for the chronograph to modernise itself with the practicality and comfort of automatic winding. The Zenith El Primero, a movement first and foremostįifty years ago, in 1969, three brands/joint ventures revolutionised the watchmaking industry by launching – almost simultaneously – the first automatic chronograph movements. Today, another of the inaugural 1969 El Primero watches will be reissued, the reference A384 – and its availability is bound to please aficionados. To celebrate the half-century of this iconic movement, Zenith has already released several great pieces, all based on the reference A386 – in steel as part of a special revival box, or in gold with 3 limited edition watches.

1969 marked the introduction of the Zenith El Primero, part of the first automatic chronographs launched on the market. This year, as you’ve probably noticed, is the 50th anniversary of two important milestones for the watchmaking industry: the Moon Landing and the launch of the first automatic chronographs.

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