Download el primero revival9/27/2023 Only a handful of this spectral prototype was made, but the model was never officially produced or commercialized. As the legend goes, in 1970, not long after Zenith debuted the groundbreaking El Primero calibre, the manufacture had produced a prototype of a manual-winding chronograph, housed in a blackened steel case – a rarity for the time. Its existence has eluded collectors and Zenith collaborators alike for decades. In photo at least, the dial colour appears more caramel than the original, which has more grey undertones.A timepiece shrouded in mystery. Perhaps the most striking amongst El Primero remakes, the dial is similarly faithful to the original, though not quite identical. The crystal is now scratch-resistant sapphire, while the case back has a porthole in the centre to show off the movement – the El Primero 400, a gently upgraded version of the original launched in 1969. Zenith got most of the details right, though the watch has a modern presence with a solid construction and neater finishing. The 37 mm case of the A385 is practically identical to the original, right down to the radial brushed finish on the front. Zenith has become proficient in faithful vintage remakes, partly by relying on technical drawings for the vintage originals. Not only does the bracelet replicate the look, it is also lightweight and slightly dinky, as the original was. And for an additional US$500 you get a steel bracelet modelled on the vintage “ladder” bracelet made by Gay Frères that is synonymous with the vintage El Primero. Starting at US$7,700 for the version on a strap, the A385 is in line with Zenith’s other El Primero chronographs, which are honestly-priced in the first place. The remake has a graduated, coffee-coloured dial with a deliciously warm character
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