Information regarding 1940s Zenith!

[Jonatan]

Good morning,

I am oblivious to the Zenith brand and would appreciate a little help. I recently received a simple dress watch Zenith along with an IWC in a trade. I brought it over to my watchmaker to change the crystal and have a look at the mechanism. He was very interested in it and asked right away if I wanted to sell it. I was thinking I could perhaps trade it for the price of the IWC service. The condition of the watch is good, no polish, sharp edges but the case back has some wear from the previous bracelet.

Here's the information I have

Movement number (see pictures) : 3593209
Watchmaker inscription inside case back: July 1948
Crown is signed with the star logo with Z inside dating is before 1960

Thanks for your help.


Cheers,

Jonatan

Edited: Jul 4, 2016

 

[Jonatan]

Sorry, I don't have any better pictures, I'll take some better ones when I get it back.

I looked through the vintage zenith thread and couldn't find anything that looks like it.

And I figure the model number is actually under the balance?

 

[minutenrohr]

Hi,

I think it is a quite common Zenith with 12-4-P-6-movement.
Like this:
http://vintagezenith.blogspot.de/2008/12/cal-12-4-p-6.html

rgds - h.u.

 

[Jonatan]

minutenrohr

Hi,

I think it is a quite common Zenith with 12-4-P-6-movement.
Like this:
http://vintagezenith.blogspot.de/2008/12/cal-12-4-p-6.html

rgds - h.u.

Here are a few more pictures in case anymore information can come of it.

 

[Finrod Felagund]

Hi Jon!

Serial 35 - - - - - were made in 1945/46...

The case,dial and tritium sword hands look like a 50's Sporto.

I can't tell for sure but on your pictures the colour of the bridge seems different... so it may be a replacement which in this case would give us a wrong serial number for the watch.

If you like it, I think it's a very nice one, you may order an extract of archives through Zenith website... it is 120.00 CHF, so worthy only if you intend to keep it.

 

[Jonatan]

Finrod Felagund

Hi Jon!

Serial 35 - - - - - were made in 1945/46...

The case, dial and tritium sword hands look like a 50's Sporto.

I can't tell for sure but on your pictures, the colour of the bridge seems different... so it may be a replacement which in this case would give us a wrong serial number for the watch.

If you like it, I think it's a very nice one, you may order an extract of archives through Zenith website... it is 120.00 CHF, so worthy only if you intend to keep it.

Hey @Finrod Felagund

Thanks for your reply. From your message, I'm not sure if you're implying that it could be a Franken ( mechanism made in the mid-40s but dial from the 50s), or it's okay to find these combinations? I don't intend on keeping it, but I sure won't be selling it if it's not original.

 

[Optimizer13]

How big is the case size? Looks cool to me!

 

[Jonatan]

It's a nice 35mm

 

[Finrod Felagund]

No it's looks like all original but maybe watch is a bit younger (4/5 years) than the mouvement itself.
Sometimes they use stock movements

Bring it to the GTG!! I'll love to see it

 

[Jonatan]

Sounds good! Unless it's sold before.

 

[Finrod Felagund]

What about the IWC?

If I understand this is the watch you made the trade for...
pictures!!

 

[Jonatan]

Made the trade to get the IWC and this Zenith was included in the trade.

IWC is beeing serviced and will be ready in early August. So it will not be coming to the GTG unfortunately