Last February 18th, Zenith announced that it would partner this year with the Sports Car Vintage Racing Association, and we were on hand as the partnership was announced. We got together with Zenith right here in downtown Manhattan at the Manhattan Classic Car Club, which makes a wide range of vintage and exotic sports cars available to members (you know, in case you don't happen to have $11 million to spare for your own GT40 – or as is more likely, if you just like variety).
It's a big year for Zenith in terms of automotive partnerships; HODINKEE's European Editor Arthur Touchot interviewed Zenith CEO Aldo Magada earlier this year at the Royal Automobile Club, on the occasion of the presentation to the press of the El Primero Chronomaster Hero Cup. We'll be hearing more from Zenith about their partnership with the SVRA, which is now in its 38th racing season and in 2016, plans a total of 16 events that will involve, the organization says, over 5,000 drivers and cars.
The cars on the main floor of the Manhattan Classic Car Club included some of the all-time greats:
The El Primero Chronomaster 1969 SVRA Edition is an "open heart" version of the El Primero; the aperture in the dial lets you see the balance, beating at 36,000 vph. Open dial watches can be pretty polarizing – people tend to either love 'em or hate 'em – but here at least, the view is of something unusual. The El Primero, as everyone knows, was one of the very first self-winding chronographs, in 1969, and it was the very first full rotor, fast beat, self-winding chronograph movements ever made (and of the three "first" self-winding chronographs launched in 1969, it's the only one still being made, the Caliber 11 and Seiko 6139 having long since gone out of production).
The version of the EP used in this watch is actually a development of the original El Primero. Caliber 4061 was introduced in 2012 and according to Zenith it's a fairly significant revision of the original, the gear train having been re-engineered to better place it for visibility, and the escapement upgraded with a silicon escape wheel and lever. The movement is chronometer certified by the COSC as well.
The El Primero Chronomaster 1969 SVRA Edition is limited to 100 pieces worldwide.
Movement, El Primero 4061, high beat automatic chronograph with silicon lever and escape wheel. 36,000 vph, running in 31 jewels; 50-hour power reserve. Seconds, hour, and 30 minute counters with tachymetric scale. Case, stainless steel, 42 mm, sapphire front and back, 10-bar water resistant. On an alligator strap with rubber lining and yellow stitching. Price, about $9,000, with a tentative release date of early April. More info here from Zenith.
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