A386 MKIII

agreed on yuor last statement, maybe not so much so on A384/385, but for sure on A3817/3818, but try to find one of those in good conditions, they are RARE. Then again also A386 MKI are super rare, much rare than MKII or even more so MKIII. I dont think the market is still appreciating to the full extent the difference between the MKs as it happens in other cases/brands.

I hear this quite often from people.. Why do you think the a384 get so little love?

I think A384/385 get less attention from people for various reasons:

- First of all they are pretty similar to one another, hence making them less rare if you sum the production numbers of the 2
- Second, which I think counts more, I think people think they are less attractive and overall more "standard" compare to A386/3817/3818: A386/3817 share a very peculiar and particular dial with 3 differently colored subdials, the A3818 has probably the best dial of the lot and is very rare....
- Third I think the shape of the case, even though overall pleasant, is less preferred (at least at the moment for current fashion tastes) than the more "time-less" shape of the A386. It is true that the A3817/3818 share the same case shape as the A384/385 but for those the rarity and beauty of the dial kind of compensate for it.

The perfect storm is the A386: beautiful and peculiar dial, beautiful and time-less case design/shape, one of the 3 original references with the EP inside and hence historically important (in 1969 when it was launched onlt the A384/385/386 existed, the other references were slightly later), overall still relatively rare (2500 examples means it is not insanely rare but still relatively rare).

I don't see the other references catching up any time soon to the A386, I actually see the price differential to grow, IMHO. Still a nice A3817/3818 could be a very good buy at current levels (10/15k USD) in the long run IMHO.

it is very hard to find a good 3817 or 3818. it took me months and months to find a great a3818. . .most of the a3817s i see are horribly polished and you can tell easily on that case when it loses sharpness

it is a BEAUTY !!!! such a shame your chrono hands (sub register) are service.... pls find original ones !!!😀😀

Totally agree... It remains a stunner.

That‘s my Mk3, just try to upload a pic

and the movement still looks untouched serial is 922Dxxx btw thanks for looking

This thread is killin' me😲, you guys gotta stop or I'll do something drastic!😉 (Like finally get off my ass and get one.)

👍congrats on a lovely zenith and thanks for sharing

Ordered the ladder bracelet for the vintage a386 from Zenith in March (just before the Covid shutdown). Finally came today!!!

@Charger_Vital would you be able to share a pic of the inside of the clasp? I'm curious how they have stamped the bracelet (text, logos, dates, etc.). Thanks-