New A386 El Primero Arrival & My First Zenith

[JimInOz]

HFSB!

(HolyFuknShitBags) - Australian equivalent to Pommy "Quate Nace Old Chep".

 

[Privateday7]

Wow.......Congratz Ash Really a worthy item to add to your superb collection.

 

[timeismoney]

dsio

Took me quite some time to buy my first Zenith but it was totally worth the wait, this one was just as you like a watch to appear, crappy photos, crappy crystal, but clean dial, hands, unpolished case and all original. LouS was awesome in helping land it from an eBay seller that didn't want to deal with Australia and he was absolute right about these, just a superbly comfortable and detailed watch.
I didn't actually realise from pictures how three dimensional the dial was and how much the subdials caught the light as its hard to see in photos, I can see now why you guys have been snapping them up.

The colours of the dial also work very well with my orange party shirt which is tremendous too.

Very nice catch, Sir! Even that orange shirt can't take the attention away from the watch (well, barely ). I can see this one will be the Collection capping watch for me...2nd in line DIBS!

 

[LouS]

Very relieved to see it on your wrist Ash, even next to that shirt. It is a killer example, never polished, never relumed. But what happened to the date? It was working well when it left here. Did it take a hit in transit?

Stewart H

If Lou was advising, it's not a "360" unless Ash has really upset him.

for the record, the bogus ones are the 460s.

Zuke

Wow - that's stunning.

First time I'll use this - dibs

marturx

Pure envy! That one is no 1 on my most wanted list.

My first DIBS, but unfortunaly just second on this watch

Sorry, gents, you are second and third. My condition for sending it out to Ash and not impounding it myself was first dibs.

 

[dsio]

LouS

Very relieved to see it on your wrist Ash, even next to that shirt. It is a killer example, never polished, never relumed. But what happened to the date? It was working well when it left here. Did it take a hit in transit?



for the record, the bogus ones are the 460s.




Sorry, gents, you are second and third. My condition for sending it out to Ash and not impounding it myself was first dibs.

The date was right on the change period, it looks like it changes in two parts half a change around 10:30 and then the rest closer to midnight, I just did these pics during that transition period, is it a slow date change? It lines up perfectly by midnight.

 

[MMMD]

I think the slow date change is a normal variant on these. The A386 movements seem to have been the El Primero beta testing group.

 

[dsio]

MMMD

I think the slow date change is a normal variant on these. The A386 movements seem to have been the El Primero beta testing group.

Its actually as if its two fast changes, both happen very quickly but are an hour and a bit apart, sort of like the horological equivalent of pouring a Guinness.

 

[LouS]

dsio

The date was right on the change period, it looks like it changes in two parts half a change around 10:30 and then the rest closer to midnight, I just did these pics during that transition period, is it a slow date change? It lines up perfectly by midnight.

Glad it's not busted. MMMD is right, most are quick change but once in a while you get one with a little 'hang time.' I thought this one didn't have it, but my recollection may not be reliable.

dsio

Its actually as if its two fast changes, both happen very quickly but are an hour and a bit apart, sort of like the horological equivalent of pouring a Guinness.

brilliant!

 

[dsio]

Btw while you're around LouS do you have a link to the evolution of Zenith logos anywhere?

 

[LouS]

Can't think of one offhand. According to Roessler, the crown logos are Z-in-Star to about 1965, NATO star until about 1970, the square logo with the four point star from 1970 to about 2000, followed by a star. The NATO star does not appear much on dials, the star persisting until the square takes over

 

[dsio]

Ahk so that's why A386s tend to have a mixture at times between NATO and square

 

[LouS]

on the crown? yes. I think most started with the NATO though. The square one was probably substituted at service frequently.

 

[papaebetu]

LouS

Very relieved to see it on your wrist Ash, even next to that shirt. It is a killer example, never polished, never relumed. But what happened to the date? It was working well when it left here. Did it take a hit in transit?

...my 2cents
Cleaned and relumed from one of the best EU watchmacker; not polished
The square logo was introduced in the middle of the 70s then all crown with it on

GIGI

 

[LouS]

papaebetu

...my 2cents
Cleaned and relumed from one of the best EU watchmacker; not polished
The square logo was introduced in the middle of the 70s then all crown with it on

GIGI

No GIGI - I know it looks that way, but this one came out of a pawn shop in Maryland with broken chronograph function, and was cleaned but not relumed by a local watchmaker here in the US.

this is the way it looked in the sales listing

 

[BenClymer]

Ash,

Congrats! Spectacular find. Absolutely love the color of hour markers and hands. I was able to pick one up about a year ago and it is one of my real favorites: http://instagram.com/p/o5v_ltKyi3/

Highly recommend it on the bracelet, too. I don't use mine often, but when I do, my hardcore watchnerd friends love it, while everyone else refuses to go out with me in public

 

[dsio]

As LouS said, it was found as it appears above, case was lightly ultrasonic cleaned (so lightly there are still some spots and grime which I don't mind at all as he kept it intact) dial and hands were not touched at all, just a new crystal, full movement service and light de-gunking of the case.

 

[LouS]

BenClymer

Highly recommend it on the bracelet, too. I don't use mine often, but when I do, my hardcore watchnerd friends love it, while everyone else refuses to go out with me in public

That captures the Zenith ladder bracelet to a "T"

 

[dsio]

BenClymer

Ash,

Congrats! Spectacular find. Absolutely love the color of hour markers and hands. I was able to pick one up about a year ago and it is one of my real favorites: http://instagram.com/p/o5v_ltKyi3/

Highly recommend it on the bracelet, too. I don't use mine often, but when I do, my hardcore watchnerd friends love it, while everyone else refuses to go out with me in public

Thanks Ben, I've seen and reblogged yours a couple of times on Tumblr, seeing the nice ones you, Gavin in Singapore (first I got to see in person), LouS, haga888, MMMD and a few others had I really wanted to find one before the good ones were priced out of the market so when it popped up on the bay and LouS gave it the thumbs up, it was a no brainer from there.

I think I have a GF ladder lined up from one of our members, its tricky finding a mint set of ZJ endlinks and a dent-free unstretched bracelet without spending an arm and a leg to do it but I think I've found one that is both very good condition and priced well.

I love how those bracelets look, its so fitting with the era it was created in, and unique from all the other oyster like bracelets sports watches have had over the last four decades, although my brother reckoned they look weird and thought they "reminded him of ripped leggings a chick would wear or buttless chaps".

 

[andy_s]

Fantastic - a very nice one too - well done/chosen!

The bracelet really completes it I think - it is all very much 'of the time'.

 

[papaebetu]

nice catch Andy

GIGI