Zenith's high-end automatic dress watches, introduced in the mid '50s as an up-scale version of the Pilot and frequently certified as chronometres, are addictive. I tried to stop at one... honest.



I've posted the gold one in the middle here: Captain 133.8 . It dates to about 1959 and contains Zenith's second-generation bumper movement, the cal 133.8, made between 1951 and 1958, per Rössler. The case back is adorned with a stylized Z inside a wheel, a symbol found only on some Captains and no other models. The case measures 35mm across by 45mm lug-to-lug.



The steel Captain with date at 3 o'clock is a cal 71, Zenith's only bumper movement with date. Only 14,000 cal 71 movements were made between 1954 and 1957, so it's almost as rare as the cal 135 (11,000 made from 1949 through the '60s). This one is 36mm across by 46mm lug-to-lug.



Last up is a steel Tortue, the Turtle, from around 1969-70, seen here with a French magazine advertisement. It's not small at 37mm across, but the distinctively elongated Captain lugs are gone, and this one measures only 39mm lug-to-lug. The shortening of the lugs and relative shrinking of the dial make this one seem to wear a little smaller than the others, despite its larger transverse diameter. What it loses in wrist presence through the shortening of the lugs and shrinking of the dial, however, is restored to some extent by the distinctively domed C-shaped case, which literally puts this one on a pedestal. There's an 18k Turtle out there somewhere with my name on it.



Here are some photos from a 1965 catalog, demonstrating that the "Constellation Deluxe" type Captain was made for at least eight years or so. The first photo displays my new bracelet grail... check out those hourglass-shaped links echoing the hourglass-shaped Z on the case back. These Captains probably contain the 2542pc.



Also available with plain leather strap, at a significant discount. Strangely, this one has lost the "Captain" inscription. I have seen at least one Captain from this era without a "Captain" inscription and wondered if it might have been a redial (despite an otherwise kosher-looking dial), but this catalog image puts that suspicion to rest for me.

 

Great thread! Thanks for sharing!

 

Hi u r right it's an addiction , the gold chronometer is a beauty.

 

And very good Captains too! Nice thread, MMMD - thanks!

 

Very nice. Interesting with the date wheel on your Turtle. Like yours, mine is set for 4:30:



However, the ad you posted shows the Turtle sporting the date wheel for a six o'clock opening.



I'm not sure what rhyme or reason Zenith had, but I've seen other 2542pc with the "wrong" date wheel for the 4:30 opening, including my 1000M diver.

Anyone have any thoughts on the matter?

 

Great observation. My ability to overlook things like that never ceases to amaze me. I think the readability and aesthetics are OK either way, though obviously a 4:30 type date wheel wouldn't work in a 6 o'clock window. What is the earliest known appearance of the 4:30 type wheel? Are the 6 o'clock wheels earlier/transitional?

 

Mine is the same as your two

 

Nice thread MMMD! Thanks.

 

That is an impressive assemblage. Love 'em all, especially the steel shark's teeth and the golden turtle.

 

Hi Lou I have the first one in your pic s zenith captain , mine is with the cal 71, how about this one ? I have tried many bracelets but I think this one looks the best..........zenith with omega ranchero style
regards

 

Bumping this oldie-but-goodie with a newly arrived yellow-gold cal 71, 37mm of unpolished, heavy-duty, gold-and-bumper goodness. I had to exchange my short-lived vow of austerity for a vow of poverty, but how does one resist?




Here with its rose-gold twin and the yellow cal 133.8 seen earlier in this thread.

 

At first, I was going to ream the necrothreadiac who reopened a nearly 4 year old thread. Then when I saw it was our OP with a stellar new addition, I decided all I wanted to post was a simple "I hate you Marc."

Really NFWes.

 

Holy sharp lugs! Gorgeous collection. I can't decide which one I like best! Vow of poverty is definitely worth it

 

Super sharp + original crown! Where / how do u keep finding these gems! Dibs!

 

More than remarkable, really a predistine watch/watches. One of the very best "micro collections" ever seen!

 

Congratulations on yet another stunning Captain! I am with Ulack here - I do not really like you anymore...

When such an old thread pops up again - I take the opportunity to add some old Captain pictures. Old thread = old pics. What could be more fitting? Most of you guys have seen these before but as OF grows there might be some innocent new ones to harass.

I only own two of them still - the two on the left has been sold since long.




And together with their Primero friend

 

Congrats on the addition to an already stellar collection!

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

As a ex-newbie, I can attest to the sirenic lure of such pics of @styggpyggeno1, @MMMD and @LouS