My daily driver is a Titanium Tag Heuer, just for that reason. One of the great things about Ti is that it is totally Hypoallergenic.
They are both nice in their own way I feel, and itâs good to have a choice. A lot of chronograph watches do look overcomplicated, but the Pilot is about as uncomplicated as a chrono can be.
So is gold, of course. All the watches that I wear regularly are gold. However, straps are leather, and can cause itchiness.
Yes, I have two Seiko Titanium ones (a Kinetic and a Perpetual )
Now that looks cool!
I use this Seiko Quartz 12 out of 14 days.
As much soul as a transistor amplifier, but I like it.
On the ferry now crossing the fjord. I need to adjust the date.
Something new to me but not new. Manufactured in 1971, a Zenith El Primero A386. I would not have bought it if it wasnt on the original Gay Freres âladderâ style bracelet. The dial is original to the watch.
The El Primero was the first self-winding (automatic) chronograph movement, and Rolex put thousands of these movements into Daytonas before they started making their own automatic chronograph movement. Although the Rolex movement was quite modified â fewer parts and it beat at a slower frequency. The real El Primero movement is a âhigh beatâ movement at 36,000 VpH.
Remarkably, when the quartz crisis hit and Swiss manufactures including Zenith thought their business was finished, a gentleman at Zenith made sure to carefully preserve the movement parts and manufacturing equipment. Thus Zenith today can still service and provide parts for my watch if needed. The previous owner did have Zenith service it, and this Certificate of Origin confirmed its originality.
Thatâs my absolute preferred watch.So beautiful,so full of history.Just lovely.
Compliments.
Itâs my âgrailâ, although I might prefer the A385 as I already have a modern el primero in the A386 colours.
BTW, that it was the first automatic chronograph is not really correct. That honour would go to the Seiko 6139. Itâs perhaps the first European one, although Heuer beat them to market in the end.
Zenith was only the first to announce, but is also the only one to survive to this day. The movement, of course slightly evolved, is still being made.
The modern reincarnation of the 386 is well done, for sure. Iâve had a hankering for a vintage chrono. There are many options at all prices. I think that I leaned toward Zenith in particular after having met their Chief Products Officer and heard him speak about the history of the brand. Itâs a compelling story in the world of watches.
Yes there are some interpretations that place the El Primero as not âthe first.â The Heuer I believe was the result of bolting-on a self-winding mechanism to an existing chronograph movement. So it was not âfully integratedâ the way in which the El Primero and I think the Seiko were.
I know the story about which was the first one and I must say I donât really care.Anyway the El Primero is,by far, the one I prefer.
Absolutely gorgeous. A vintage El Primero A386 or A385 on a GF ladder bracelet is watch Iâd very much love to discover for myself. Iâd also love a Movado Super Sub Sea Datachron/Datron with the MRP SA case, which of course used the El Primero movement.
The Heuer was rushed to market as Zenith had already announced its movement. It had issues and wasnât even in production for a full year before it needed an update.
Seiko was first, but didnât even properly advertise it, as their big bet was Quartz.
I wish I could afford an original. At one point there was one, with GF bracelet, I hesitated and someone else bought it. Theyâve gone up in price since and I couldnât afford one even if one did come onto my path.
That El Primero is a stunner. Congrats.
This is my best watch and it will ever be. I wear the Monaco every year from 1st December to the end of the year. Now 23 years old.
This BBC programme, while only scratching the surface of the watch theft business, is rather worrying.
Iâd expect things to get worse because there is nobody to prevent criminal activity. The fine for mugging could be one million pounds and ten years porridge but the chances of being caught are close to nil.
The whole police service needs a full review. Many, many more officers doing basic bobby duties to deter offenders and catch those who havenât been deterred. A police presence in towns and cities everywhere is what is needed.
Thereâs no short-term solution though and discussion is likely to lead into politics.
totally agree, like every public service its been cut to the bone and cant recruit.