The dial condition matches the case with a gorgeous light patina overall and a pleasing creamy patina on the hands and hour markers. Looking at the facets on the case sides and lugs as well as the sunburst brushed finishing, it's clear the watch was well taken care of.
Very rarely do we come across these early El Primero chronographs with such an attractive case with crisp edges. The condition of this example is truly spectacular. A3818 is referred to as the "Cover Girl" simply because it was featured as the cover image of Manfred Rössler's book, Zenith: Swiss Watch Manufacture Since 1865. The finishing touches are the prominent beveled edges and subtly brushed surfaces. In a general shape that's often described as tonneau-esque, the 37mm diameter case was meant to hug and wrap itself around the wearer's wrist. Fulfilling this contract saved the El Primero from extinction and, likely, Zenith from bankruptcy.Īs a part of the initial 1969 models, Zenith created a truly distinctive case shape to wrap around the El Primero. 16500 generation of the Daytona, the first automatic Daytona. Decades later, in the 1980s, the El Primero was revived by Charles Vermot using squirreled away tools to manufacture the caliber on contract from Rolex for the ref. Zenith beat Seiko and the consortium to market by releasing prototypes of its El Primero mere months before the competitors. The race to create the world's first automatic chronograph movement through the 1960s resulted in three iterations hitting the market in 1969 one by Zenith (of course), one by Seiko, and one by the "Chronomatic Consortium" of Heuer, Hamilton, Breitling, and Dubois-Depraz.
Technically one of the first automatic chronograph calibers, Zenith's 1969 creation of the El Primero changed the brand multiple times over and changed all of watch history. The El Primero caliber remains highly regarded after over 50 years. 3818 has earned the moniker "Cover Girl" and wears it very well. Why This Watch Matters Gracing the cover of Rossler’s Zenith: Swiss Watch Manufacture Since 1865, the blue dial ref.
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