A 386 Primero On Le 'bay

[ulackfocus]

Gavin

And I have to add that you are an equally if not more frightening enabler yourself.

Past enabler am I. Graduated to facilitator long ago.

 

[MMMD]

The lug width is 19mm.
There was a guy selling Gay Freres ZJ end pieces about a month ago, but sadly he appears to be sold out. These would be nice to have when a GF ladder bracelet comes along.

 

[Gavin]

MMMD

The lug width is 19mm.
There was a guy selling Gay Freres ZJ end pieces about a month ago, but sadly he appears to be sold out. These would be nice to have when a GF ladder bracelet comes along.

Have bought from Bill before and will keep a lookout. Thanks MMMD.

 

[Gavin]

Ok guys, the watch has landed. I've took some pics and will like to ask for some critique of the watch. Did the gamble pay off? I think the overall condition looks good except for scuffs on the case and a minor hairline on the crystal. No major dings or scratches. Not sure if the case has been polished but the bevels are still there. The hand on the hour subdial does over-resets a little pointing slightly before the digit 12. But I guesstthat can be fixed by the watchmaker. Then there's also the hands that Lou mentioned. Appreciate all comments. Thanks in advance.

 

[dsio]

Gavin

Ok guys, the watch has landed. I've took some pics and will like to ask for some critique of the watch. Did the gamble pay off? I think the overall condition looks good except for scuffs on the case and a minor hairline on the crystal. No major dings or scratches. Not sure if the case has been polished but the bevels are still there. The hand on the hour subdial does over-resets a little pointing slightly before the digit 12. But I guesstthat can be fixed by the watchmaker. Then there's also the hands that Lou mentioned. Appreciate all comments. Thanks in advance.

Very nice Gavin!

 

[MMMD]

Gavin, you made a great score... courage rewarded. That is an honest beauty! Show us the case back and innards when you can.

 

[Gavin]

MMMD

Gavin, you made a great score... courage rewarded. That is an honest beauty! Show us the case back and innards when you can.

Here's the caseback. Do I need a special tool to open the caseback? All I have is a blade and one of those 3-clawed screw caseback opener. Will be nice if I can open it myself.

 

[ulackfocus]

Got an adjustable pipe wrench?

 

[Stewart H]

Rubber ball. There doesn't look like there is much meat left on the vertical faces of the flats.

 

[MMMD]

Don't touch it with anything but a Screwball!

You Must Buy One Of These!

If this doesn't work for me, I go to my watchmaker, until I muster up the motivation to get something like Stewart H's Horotec MiniPress.

 

[LouS]

Gavin

Ok guys, the watch has landed. I've took some pics and will like to ask for some critique of the watch. Did the gamble pay off? I think the overall condition looks good except for scuffs on the case and a minor hairline on the crystal. No major dings or scratches. Not sure if the case has been polished but the bevels are still there. The hand on the hour subdial does over-resets a little pointing slightly before the digit 12. But I guesstthat can be fixed by the watchmaker. Then there's also the hands that Lou mentioned. Appreciate all comments. Thanks in advance.

Gavin, you won. That example is an unpolished, original, totally correct (excepting replaced hands - not a major sin in my book) second production batch A 386, obtained for about $1000 below market for a comparable. Very well done. Welcome to the Zenith inner circle - secret decoder ring is in the mail, make your dues check out to me.

I hope you are very pleased - I would be in your place.

Stewart H

Rubber ball. There doesn't look like there is much meat left on the vertical faces of the flats.

Agree. You'll rip up the caseback with a JAXA.

 

[Gavin]

Stewart H

Rubber ball. There doesn't look like there is much meat left on the vertical faces of the flats.

MMMD

Don't touch it with anything but a Screwball!

You Must Buy One Of These!

If this doesn't work for me, I go to my watchmaker, until I muster up the motivation to get something like Stewart H's Horotec MiniPress.

Thanks guys. Just ordered one. In the meantime, I may probably pop by my watchmaker.

 

[Gavin]

LouS

Gavin, you won. That example is an unpolished, original, totally correct (excepting replaced hands - not a major sin in my book) second production batch A 386, obtained for about $1000 below market for a comparable. Very well done. Welcome to the Zenith inner circle - secret decoder ring is in the mail, make your dues check out to me.

I hope you are very pleased - I would be in your place.

Thanks Lou. I am indeed very pleased with this addition. Special thanks to you for starting this thread and advice given. Else I will not have the privilege to own this beautiful Zenith grail and history.

 

[PaulG]

I am just catching up on some old posts and this one certainly caught my attention from start to what is clearly a happy ending. Firstly, congratulations Gavin on bagging what is in my opinion the finest vintage Zenith out there and the watch that got me interested in the brand (like many others). I also blame Lou for that. No, make that thank Lou for that.
I spotted this on ebay and it just shows how picture quality is directly linked to price realised. In this case, all the pictures were bad and it seemed like the hands obscured the El Primero logo in all the shots. I immediatly assumed the seller was not disclosing that it was the servie dial and covering up the tell tale "tale" with the minute hand. How wrong I was. Its a beauty and the price is certainly well below current maket value.
regards
Paul
www.heuerworld.com

 

[Gavin]

PaulG

I am just catching up on some old posts and this one certainly caught my attention from start to what is clearly a happy ending. Firstly, congratulations Gavin on bagging what is in my opinion the finest vintage Zenith out there and the watch that got me interested in the brand (like many others). I also blame Lou for that. No, make that thank Lou for that.
I spotted this on ebay and it just shows how picture quality is directly linked to price realised. In this case, all the pictures were bad and it seemed like the hands obscured the El Primero logo in all the shots. I immediatly assumed the seller was not disclosing that it was the servie dial and covering up the tell tale "tale" with the minute hand. How wrong I was. Its a beauty and the price is certainly well below current maket value.
regards
Paul
www.heuerworld.com

Thanks Paul. It is a privilege for me to own it and indeed like you, I cannot thank Lou and the guys enough.