![]() ![]() Several years later, mechanical watches experienced a renaissance and Vermot revealed the hidden treasure, culminating in the rebirth of the El Primero.Ī few months ago, a member of the brand’s personnel found some examples of a prototype dial within ‘Vermot’s attic collection’. Vermot took the bold decision to hide an array of parts, plans and tools within the attic of the Manufacture for safekeeping. Their decision was based on the advent of quartz watches. In 1975, Charles Vermot, a watchmaker at Zenith who had worked on the El Primero, heard the management had decided to cease making the legendary movement. The advent of quartz watches dealt a huge blow to the whole of the Swiss mechanical watch industry, not just manufacturers but also the numerous firms making components. These battery-powered watches were often slim and incredibly accurate. Suddenly, affordable quartz models were the must-have timepieces. This was the first quartz watch and sounded the death knell for the mechanical watch industry. Unfortunately, 1969 was also the year Seiko released its Astron model. Even today, with the benefit of new technology, few brands have been able to produce a reliable 5Hz movement. It was fully integrated, featured a column-wheel with lateral coupling, three-register design and its balance oscillated at a high frequency of 5Hz. Which was the first? Well it really boils down to semantics, however, there can be no argument, all companies delivered notable progress in the field of mechanical watchmaking.Īppraising the aforementioned triumvirate, the El Primero was arguably the finest of the three movements. Lastly, Zenith, the revered brand from Le Locle, launched its now legendary El Primero automatic chronograph. In the same year, four companies, Heuer, Breitling, Buren and Dubois-Dépraz also released an automatic mechanical chronograph, the Chronomatic. Seiko unveiled a self-winding mechanical chronograph, Calibre 6139. The Zenith Chronomaster Revival “Manufacture Edition” is housed in a 38mm stainless steel case, features a white lacquered dial with three blue counters and, of course, includes the legendary El Primero movement.ġ969 was the year of the self-winding chronograph. Zenith Chronomaster Revival “Manufacture Edition” ![]()
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