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Thread: Zeno PRS-3; new owner’s thoughts

  1. #1
    Grand Master TaketheCannoli's Avatar
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    Zeno PRS-3; new owner’s thoughts

    I’ve long been a fan of the mil-diver and, like a lot of other people, missed the boat when CWC prices were reasonable.

    My first expensive watch was the Omega 2264 which is obviously a firm nod to a previous era of such watches. I’ve also owned Eddie’s current incarnation of the Precista branded PRS-3 which is a hell of a watch, if slightly on the large and heavy side.

    Having owned several Zeno I’ve always been very impressed with the quality of fit and finish so I can’t really explain why I’ve not bought the PRS-3 before now. Never the right time I suppose.

    A week or so ago I got the chance to buy one at a great price (especially when compared to the used CWC prices) so took the plunge.

    Firstly I’ve not worn anything else since the moment it arrived! My thoughts after a week are:

    The good:

    Perfect size for my 6.75 inch wrist
    Combination of brushes and polished surfaces is spot on
    Lugs at 20mm are much better than the 22mm on the Precista
    Second hand hits every marker
    Crown, stem and assembly are form and smooth (admittedly they’ve just been replaced at Zeno)
    Bezel action is firm
    Looks fantastic on loads of NATOs and straps
    Spring bars are a lot more convenient than the CWC fixed bars

    I’m not so keen on:

    Green dial lume
    Lume on dial and hands don’t match and have different brightness in the dark

    All-in-all I think it’s a fantastic little watch that represents great value for money.

    Some pics:




















  2. #2
    Owl1
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    Are they any different from the Broadarrow version that were flying about a few years back ? I love CWC but the prices are a joke recently.

  3. #3
    Owl1
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    Also why is the crown out ?

  4. #4
    Grand Master TaketheCannoli's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Owl1 View Post
    Also why is the crown out ?
    The crown is out so I could set the time to a photogenic ten past two. Pure vanity ;)

  5. #5
    Owl1
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    Quote Originally Posted by TaketheCannoli View Post
    The crown is out so I could set the time to a photogenic ten past two. Pure vanity ;)

  6. #6
    Craftsman dschaen81's Avatar
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    Your observations are spot-on, David.
    I've handled one and it's a decent watch for the money.

    Quote Originally Posted by TaketheCannoli View Post

    I’m not so keen on:

    Green dial lume
    Lume on dial and hands don’t match and have different brightness in the dark
    Same here. However, what bothered me to no end was the lack of AR on the crystal.
    I guess I've become spoiled by my Damasko and Citizen Chronomaster, but sapphire crystals without effective AR coating are a pet peeve of mine that can really ruin a watch for me.

  7. #7
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    Agreed. Great value for money.

    Quote Originally Posted by TaketheCannoli View Post
    I’ve long been a fan of the mil-diver and, like a lot of other people, missed the boat when CWC prices were reasonable.

    My first expensive watch was the Omega 2264 which is obviously a firm nod to a previous era of such watches. I’ve also owned Eddie’s current incarnation of the Precista branded PRS-3 which is a hell of a watch, if slightly on the large and heavy side.

    Having owned several Zeno I’ve always been very impressed with the quality of fit and finish so I can’t really explain why I’ve not bought the PRS-3 before now. Never the right time I suppose.

    A week or so ago I got the chance to buy one at a great price (especially when compared to the used CWC prices) so took the plunge.

    Firstly I’ve not worn anything else since the moment it arrived! My thoughts after a week are:

    The good:

    Perfect size for my 6.75 inch wrist
    Combination of brushes and polished surfaces is spot on
    Lugs at 20mm are much better than the 22mm on the Precista
    Second hand hits every marker
    Crown, stem and assembly are form and smooth (admittedly they’ve just been replaced at Zeno)
    Bezel action is firm
    Looks fantastic on loads of NATOs and straps
    Spring bars are a lot more convenient than the CWC fixed bars

    I’m not so keen on:

    Green dial lume
    Lume on dial and hands don’t match and have different brightness in the dark

    All-in-all I think it’s a fantastic little watch that represents great value for money.

    Some pics:




















  8. #8
    Owl1
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    Quote Originally Posted by bradjenkins View Post
    Agreed. Great value for money.
    How much are/were they ?

  9. #9
    Grand Master TaketheCannoli's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Owl1 View Post
    How much are/were they ?
    I think a few may still be available from Zeno and I think, but don’t quote me, they’re around the £250 mark. I bought mine used.

  10. #10
    Owl1
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    Quote Originally Posted by TaketheCannoli View Post
    I think a few may still be available from Zeno and I think, but don’t quote me, they’re around the £250 mark. I bought mine used.
    Thanks

  11. #11
    Grand Master TaketheCannoli's Avatar
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    New bracelet:








  12. #12
    Owl1
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    Quote Originally Posted by TaketheCannoli View Post
    New bracelet:



    That does look good

  13. #13
    Grand Master TaketheCannoli's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Owl1 View Post
    That does look good
    Thanks, I love it.

  14. #14
    What is the bracelet?

  15. #15
    Grand Master WORKSIMON's Avatar
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    Looks excellent on the bracelet, a worthy addition to a cracking watch.
    Cheers

    Simon



    Ralph Waldo Emerson: We ask for long life, but 'tis deep life, or noble moments that signify. Let the measure of time be spiritual, not mechanical.

  16. #16
    Grand Master TaketheCannoli's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by vortgern View Post
    What is the bracelet?
    It’s from Cousins and cost the princely sum of £14.95. It comes with several different sets of end links in 20mm and 22mm. Bargain

    - - - Updated - - -

    Cheers Simon.

    Quote Originally Posted by WORKSIMON View Post
    Looks excellent on the bracelet, a worthy addition to a cracking watch.

  17. #17
    Grand Master Rod's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TaketheCannoli View Post
    It’s from Cousins and cost the princely sum of £14.95. It comes with several different sets of end links in 20mm and 22mm. Bargain

    - - - Updated - - -

    Cheers Simon.
    David what's the quality like at £14.95? Is it solid link, solid end links? Seems very cheap. I'd like a bracelet for my PRS3 Broadarrow but not bought one for fear it doesn't fit. I would like a Strapcode model ideally.

    Rod

  18. #18
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    Very cool diver indeed

    The Zeno PRS-3 is an awesome watch. Mine is on an Isofrane-clone (Borealis) which is an excellent and comfortable fitting strap.
    < here should be a pic but it doesn't show in preview while in every other browser the link works >



    The screw-back is still marked PRS-3, Broadarrow, 30 BAR, which raises the question whether they used leftovers from previous production runs.
    Lume lasts all night, not very bright but useable; however the dial is more faint than the hands. This is no problem, unlike others I think the difference in brightness between hands and dial enhances readability. I'd rather have the T for Tritium replaced with L for Luminova, it's just fake and who needs tritium anyway. The ZENO-marking could have been a little more sophisticated.
    My specimen doesn't tic on the markers but gains only ca. 4 to 5 s/month which is pretty decent.

    Especially attractive is the highly polished stainless chapter ring combined with the wide diameter but narrow bezel, it makes the watch look smart.

    In short: an attractive and very useable grab-and-go watch with 10 years battery-life.

  19. #19
    Craftsman
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    Just seen this through idlebrowsing, what a cracking combo on that unbelievably cheap bracelt. Superb!

  20. #20
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by TaketheCannoli View Post
    The crown is out so I could set the time to a photogenic ten past two. Pure vanity ;)
    b b b b but it is more triggering for us OCD folk than hands out of place haha


    I do really like these and have held back a few times on them in the sales section. I do like the PVD ones too.

  21. #21
    Administrator swanbourne's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Galf View Post
    The Zeno PRS-3 is an awesome watch. Mine is on an Isofrane-clone (Borealis) which is an excellent and comfortable fitting strap.
    < here should be a pic but it doesn't show in preview while in every other browser the link works >



    The screw-back is still marked PRS-3, Broadarrow, 30 BAR, which raises the question whether they used leftovers from previous production runs.
    Lume lasts all night, not very bright but useable; however the dial is more faint than the hands. This is no problem, unlike others I think the difference in brightness between hands and dial enhances readability. I'd rather have the T for Tritium replaced with L for Luminova, it's just fake and who needs tritium anyway. The ZENO-marking could have been a little more sophisticated.
    My specimen doesn't tic on the markers but gains only ca. 4 to 5 s/month which is pretty decent.

    Especially attractive is the highly polished stainless chapter ring combined with the wide diameter but narrow bezel, it makes the watch look smart.

    In short: an attractive and very useable grab-and-go watch with 10 years battery-life.
    If they're still using the original dial blanks, "T" is correct.

    Eddie
    Whole chunks of my life come under the heading "it seemed like a good idea at the time".

  22. #22
    Master
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    Do these have the same 10 year battery life movement of the venerable original (PRS-3)

  23. #23
    Grand Master TaketheCannoli's Avatar
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    I should never have sold this one 😥

  24. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by TaketheCannoli View Post
    I should never have sold this one 
    But i'm still loving it!

  25. #25
    Grand Master TaketheCannoli's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by wildheart View Post
    But i'm still loving it!
    That's good news

  26. #26
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    i just got one from iprice too

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