A few weeks back I went to a dinner hosted by Zenith in Guernsey to launch the El Primero 21 and Defy Lab. I am late posting up pictures so apologies for the lack of words with the pictures but I've slept since then and having a 2 year old daughter leaves me little time these days.
It was a very interesting evening with great company as there were like minded collectors, great food and watches. Unfortunately by the end of the night I forgot to take pictures of the Defy Lab, of the 10 made and sold the one on show was George Bamfords. I really like the new Defy, seeing the oscillator and the unusual materials for the watch makes an interesting case for Zenith.
Anyhow pictures...
Elite Chrono with different dials, very clean dial for a chrono
Untitled by Watch Bum, on Flickr
Untitled by Watch Bum, on Flickr
The Ladies pilot, 40mm?!
Untitled by Watch Bum, on Flickr
Pilot chrono
Untitled by Watch Bum, on Flickr
The new El Primero 21
My favourite in black
Untitled by Watch Bum, on Flickr
In titanium
Untitled by Watch Bum, on Flickr
Solid dial version, my least favourite of the El Primero 21
Untitled by Watch Bum, on Flickr
Others
Untitled by Watch Bum, on Flickr
Untitled by Watch Bum, on Flickr
Cheers
James
Nice pics. Im a big Zenith fan but none of those really appeal. I think the 40mm pilot is a nice option for blokes with smaller wrists (after all 40mm would have been a large watch 20 years ago) but who thinks of daft stuff like putting the words "extra special" on the dial. It makes it look like a £50 pretender.
If they passed those watches around with the starters I don’t think I’d have stayed for the main course to be totally honest. Some horrors there.
I just had a look at the website and the Defy 44 looks most interesting from an innovative viewpoint.
DEFY EL PRIMERO 21 - 44.00
44 MM
95.9001.9004/01.R582
New 1/100th of a second Chronograph movement
Exclusive dynamic signature of one rotation per second
1 escapement for the Watch (36,000 VpH - 5 Hz) ;
1 escapement for the Chronograph (360,000 VpH - 50Hz)
For me this is the one I like though I do wish they shortened the sub dial hands and diameter of sub dials just slightly so they do not intersect
Martyn
Last edited by MartynJC (UK); 21st October 2017 at 16:56.
The Chrono's in the first two pics are exquisite. I still don't like "Extra Special" on a watch dial.
Really? What have you got in your collection?Originally Posted by sarky
I think Zenith has improved greatly this year.
Thankfully we don't all like the same things, I can see how someone may not like the aesthetics of some of the el primeros but surely appreciate the technical achievements of Zenith?
I can appreciate the technical stuff, but beyond that I would not want to wear any of those.
I can appreciate the technical achievements, however, not too many revolutionary elements in recent times and the range shown above is shockingly chavvy. My opinion of course.
Last edited by sarky; 21st October 2017 at 17:53. Reason: Predictive
Im afraid they're not doing it for me and I genuinely like Zeniths.
Some of the new designs are far too busy and the pilots wear too big IMO.
Disappointed as I'd like them to get their mojo back.
How do you tell the time on the El Primero skeleton watches??
Interesting, thanks for posting. Admire their innovations & technical developments, however I do struggle at times with their choice of styling (particularly Defy, open and, now, skeleton ranges).
I presume you go outside and squint at where the big hand and little hand are before giving up and getting your phone out... 8-)
SGR
Wow, they really are terrible to look at
That first chronograph, it's it just the photo or is it really that illegible?
Bet you're glad you went to the effort of uploading all these James 😅
+1. What's the point of a watch where you can't read the time?
Sent from my SM-J320FN using TZ-UK mobile app
yeah I think I will stick to Instagram lol.
I think there is a difference in the age demographic for who these watches are aimed at and the demographic on the forum. They were all perfectly legible to me.
It’s been a while since I was quite involved on the forum and things have changed 😁
Last edited by champagne_james; 21st October 2017 at 20:39.
Have you read about the new movement in the new Defy Lab? Not saying it’s a game changer but not many manufacturers innovating at the same level.
I must be a chav 😉
Yeah we don't want none of your open-minded enthusiasm round here, mate
Yes and no doubt exciting on paper, however, it needs to be transposed into a complete package and that hasn’t happened here James. I’m all for something a bit different, but I personally think they’re all horrid, but I didn’t mean any offence to you. The 21 with its Zenith star halfway in and off the dial, power reserve in French, Swiss Made in English. It’s just a big mess.
On a first glance I really liked the black version, I don't think it's illegible, but it's not a clear as a Chronograph should be.
I then saw the shape of the minute totaliser and that the logo is printed on the crystal.
I don't like those design touches so it would be a no for me.
Zenith are constantly 'almost getting it right' for me design wise, they then put in a little design flourish on virtually every watch that stops me wanting to own it.
As an alternative to the usual suspects the likes of Zenith and Ulysse Nardin have always seemed very appealing, however looking at the current offerings perhaps a more conservative vintage piece would suit me, and considering the opinions in this thread maybe Zenith should consider the idea of ''customer clinics ''.
"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."
'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.
Well, I think they look interesting, thank you for taking the time to post up James.
I would like one of the pilot watches, tried one on, loved it.
Thank you for taking the time to post James. Whilst I am an owner/wearer of a 'bog standard' Captain chrono, sadly these designs for me are just too left field. You may well be correct, perhaps these new models are designed for a younger audience than the lkes of me...
Thanks much appreciated.
I also think Zenith are doing some interesting things plus they are as bad as the old defy models back in the early 2000s
I actually really like to 40mm Pilot and don’t mind the text. It still is a hell of a lot less text than that which is dumped on Rolexes nowadays
I liked the pilot watches, and appreciate your taking the time to post the pics. The "extra special" text on the dial is a deal breaker for me, but I am keen to try a zenith, a change from the ordinary.
Sent from my SM-G920F using TZ-UK mobile app
that 40mm pilots looks ok, but those skeleton primero's are shockingly bad
This.
I like the pilot but wears too big I’ve tried one on. Sits like a rice cake on my 7-1/2 inch wrist.
Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app
Perhaps we should send a link to this thread to Zenith!
I think Zenith have been getting it wrong for a while now. The open heart watches are awful in my opinion. The overlapping Chronograph registers on some model is another big no for me. (It's a Chronograph therefore it must be clear and easy to read)
It's shame because as I said below they are almost there and then they ruin it with a daft design flourish.
Older El Premiero models largely look great and it would be good to see them getting back to their roots.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
