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Just picked up a Zenith De Luca 1st Series white dial full set! Beautiful El Primero movement

hrobi
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As the title suggests, just picked up a zenith De Luca white dial with box and papers! First series apparently is quite rare? I've read conflicting numbers on the amount of pieces produced, but some seem to agree that only 375 pieces were made.

Love the way this watch wears! It's not a watch that I ever thought I'd buy (or had heard of) but I love the panda dial and how well it compliments the bracelet in particular. And hearing the 36,000 bph movement ticking away is just amazing.

Saw it at a great price, so couldn't say no!
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marcn
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hrobi hrobi
And hearing the 36,000 bph movement ticking away is just amazing.

Someday for me. And until then, El Primero sound porn:
 
Aussie Jim
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Mine says hello. Nice movement. I love the way they have executed the polished centre links, much better than Omega on my Seamaster 300 Master. Much less intrusive and bling

The watch can be a little hard to read and there is a feeling of a bit of wasted real estate on the dial due to the tachymetre. I am not planning on selling, and indeed am on the look out for the reverse panda variant

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Fost
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Nice catch ! Lovely watch
I used to have one full set 2nd generation ... but never worn it ... (that is why I will never buy a NOS watch again )
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Darlinboy
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Nice snag - always liked the DeLuca & and the El Primero movement - an enduring beauty. 👍
 
duc
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Fost Fost
Nice catch ! Lovely watch
I used to have one full set 2nd generation ... but never worn it ... (that is why I will never buy a NOS watch again )
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Beautiful watch but I don't understand what you are saying here. What is wrong with NOS, or why wouldn't you buy NOS again? I guess if you didn't wear one that you bought, maybe it is less to do with it being NOS and more to do with your preference of what you wear. I'm just trying to understand, not argue.
 
gemini4
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I've got this one. Fun to wear. A good travel watch.

Far from a Zenith expert. Main reason for purchase was to piss off older son who wanted a Daytona (which used this Zenith movement for a decade). Same movement, not dummy downed like in the Daytona, similar look, 1/5 of the price.

I was told in an earlier posting that the hands are not original. Anyone know where to find original hands for this Zenith?

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Fost
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duc duc
Beautiful watch but I don't understand what you are saying here. What is wrong with NOS, or why wouldn't you buy NOS again? I guess if you didn't wear one that you bought, maybe it is less to do with it being NOS and more to do with your preference of what you wear. I'm just trying to understand, not argue.
I bought the watch from an old stock and I was threatened to damage it so at the end I never worn it ... I like vintage watches.. but not so much when then are like new ... that's all
 
jcs2000
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Great looking watch and the El Primero movement is a classic.
 
speedy57
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Jus curious, are the outside edges of the lugs on a DeLuca normally more round as opposed o a sharp crisp edge. Seems like all the ones I see are rounded over. But never seen a new one.
 
LouS
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gemini4 gemini4
Main reason for purchase was to piss off older son who wanted a Daytona (which used this Zenith movement for a decade). Same movement, not dummy downed like in the Daytona, similar look, 1/5 of the price.

excellent 2.jpg
 
ezinternet
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speedy57 speedy57
Jus curious, are the outside edges of the lugs on a DeLuca normally more round as opposed o a sharp crisp edge. Seems like all the ones I see are rounded over. But never seen a new one.

I believe the profile of the lugs on early De Luca definitely have a canted bevel that transitions through perhaps 1/2 of the lug width to the horizontal top. There is sort of an intersecting two triangular planes that wrap the lug. They had a slight edge on the outside and top 1/2 of the lug width. Most have been worn or polished away and read as softly rounded.

This profile is similar to the ones that were originally on the A277 or even the Cairelli.

IMG_1929.jpeg IMG_1924.jpeg A277 Lug Bevel.jpg Cairelli Lug Bevel.jpg
 
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