Zenith Short Lists

[John Chris]

The cal. 135 is also the only Zenith wrist chronometre that was designed and built from the ground up as a chronometer for entry in the Swiss observatory chronometer competitions (in the 30mm and under category that was open to wrist watches). Its designer, the celebrated Ephrem Jobin, is, as far as I know, still alive at 102. It won a record 5 straight first prizes, from 1950 through 1954. Only the final production included a version (the "Zenith 2000") that was not marked "Chronometre", well after movement production had ceased - presumably as it had by then gone a bit down-market (being assembled from previously manufactured parts and finished to a lower standard), and was no longer sent to the COSC for chronometer certification. Amusingly, I saw a Zenith 2000 offered for sale on Chrono24 at a very high price, described as a particularly rare cal. 135 because it was NOT signed "Chronometre"! The 2000 is, of course, a very worthy watch, but surely not more so than its more upscale older siblings.

Chris

 

[LouS]

OK, in light of recent arrivals of watches #1 and #2 off of my short list, it is due for a revision. After much consideration, the new short list moves watches 3,4,5 up two notches each as follows:

1. A deep diver, for heavens' sake a deep diver. Yellow, orange, Black, red, these keep slipping through my fingers. The last was an orange on blue one that broke my heart.

2. a cushion cased, internel bezel three hand diver watch (A 3635)...you know, the one with the metallic grey dial

3. the 18K gold cal 135 with the coffin-shaped hour markers

(can't remember the pic attribution)

The additions are:
New #4 is a gold-dial Captain with the fleche markers like wot MMMD recently picked up, with or without date.

(from an ebay sales listing)

New #5 is a manual S.58 without the Bakelite bezel, as shown in this old ad, except I'd prefer a black dial. Original brick bracelet would be a huge bonus

# 5a remains the prototype Primero PHF in an A 386 case that the manufacture outbid us for at Christies this past spring (37500 Swiss francs - damn you deep pockets! - and kudos to the collector who kept the pace to that point and made them pay for it - you know who you are)

Fire away with yours[/quote]