Mourning Primero On The 'bay

LouS · Dec 2, 2012

Black dial TV-case Primero on the bay
http://www.ebay.de/itm/Zenith-EL-Pr...rmbanduhren&hash=item2325ce5823#ht_500wt_1210

The last of the last, this was the last reference produced before Primero production shut down, forever if it were not for the covert efforts of our man Charles Vermot. One of 50. Chris, as the only owner of one that I know, I'd appreciate and evaluation of autheniticity.

I see some sort of defect in the 9 o'clock marker on the tachy bezel.

MMMD · Dec 2, 2012

LouS
Black dial TV-case Primero on the bay
http://www.ebay.de/itm/Zenith-EL-Pr...rmbanduhren&hash=item2325ce5823#ht_500wt_1210

The last of the last, this was the last reference produced before Primero production shut down, forever if it were not for the covert efforts of our man Charles Vermot. One of 50. Chris, as the only owner of one that I know, I'd appreciate and evaluation of autheniticity.

I see some sort of defect in the 9 o'clock marker on the tachy bezel.

The black-and-white TV! So drenched in irony, the TV being the ending of the EP and all that. This post has inspired me to show what comes next... stay tuned...

Crummy photos, but the 9 0'clock marker looks OK to me... maybe the lighting?

dsio · Dec 2, 2012

When was this? And when did it go back into production?

ulackfocus · Dec 2, 2012

dsio
When was this? And when did it go back into production?

Production was suspended in 1975 because the Zenith corporation thought they'd only be making quartz watches going forward. Charles Vermot saved all the tools & dies for the EP behind the company's back, which was fortunate because they started making the EP again around 1984.

Similar story for the Valjoux 7750 and Edmund Capt, just not as long of a production gap.

LouS · Dec 2, 2012

dsio
When was this? And when did it go back into production?

Yes, its as Dennis says. But for the full flavor of the irony that MMMD alludes to, you have to understand that Zenith was bought by Zenith Electronics ( american TV manufacturer) who shortly afterwards ordered that all mechanical movement production cease and that the machine tools be destroyed. It is known that among the last Primeros produced, 50 in the TV-shaped case did not have the usual blue dial, but a black dial instead. The one that started this thread is an example. Chris (John Chris) who landed a pristine example not long ago has this idea that they were the last 50, and black as a funeral gesture. Hence "Mourning Primero."

dsio · Dec 2, 2012

LouS
Yes, its as Dennis says. But for the full flavor of the irony that MMMD alludes to, you have to understand that Zenith was bought by Zenith Electronics ( american TV manufacturer) who shortly afterwards ordered that all mechanical movement production cease and that the machine tools be destroyed. It is known that among the last Primeros produced, 50 in the TV-shaped case did not have the usual blue dial, but a black dial instead. The one that started this thread is an example. Chris (John Chris) who landed a pristine example not long ago has this idea that they were the last 50, and black as a funeral gesture. Hence "Mourning Primero."

So when did they fire production of EPs back up? The Rolex's were using it from 1987, so I'm guessing earlier than that

ulackfocus · Dec 2, 2012

dsio
So when did they fire production of EPs back up?

1984-ish, man! You gotta stop glancing over posts. 😁

LouS · Dec 2, 2012

About 1984. Rolex widely gets the whole credit for the resurrection, but substantial credit belongs to...wait for it...Ebel. Bet you didn't see that coming. One of these days, I'll post a summary of the whole Primero story - it's one of the best movement sagas in watchmaking.

MSNWatch · Dec 2, 2012

LouS
About 1984. Rolex widely gets the whole credit for the resurrection, but substantial credit belongs to...wait for it...Ebel. Bet you didn't see that coming. One of these days, I'll post a summary of the whole Primero story - it's one of the best movement sagas in watchmaking.

Yes, I still regret not purchasing a white gold ebel chronograph with the el primero movement for sale on TZ not that long ago.

MMMD · Dec 2, 2012

Let's not forget those other keepers of the flame - household names like Waldan, Ekegren and Jürgensen 😀 .

LouS · Dec 2, 2012

Oscar Waldan would appreciate your note. I had a chance to speak to him about two or three years ago and he (rightly in my opinion) feels that his role is unfairly overlooked.

John Chris · Dec 6, 2012

Well, Lou, as the proud owner of one of these, I can only say that it looks OK to me, from what I can see. The 9 o'clock marker seems ok too.

This reference, known as the "Fernseher" (German for TV set), was produced from 1972, the year Zenith Radio Corporation (not "Zenith Electronics") acquired the Zenith watch manufacture. The Fernseher was marketed under the same slogan used by ZRC for its TVs: "The quality goes in before the name goes on." It was the only mechanical watch that Zenith continued to produce after 1975, when ZRC ordered an end to mechanical production as LouS has detailed elsewhere. Presumably it was assembled from previously manufactured parts from that point on, and permitted because of the TV tie-in. From 1972 to 1978, 4,950 were produced with blue dials. Then, in 1978, Zenith produced a final run of 50 watches with black dials, possibly in mourning for what it expected would be the last mechanical watches it ever produced. I have one. This appears to be another. They look great on the wrist!

Chris

Mourning Primero On The 'bay

LouS

MMMD

dsio

ulackfocus

LouS

dsio

ulackfocus

LouS

MSNWatch

MMMD

LouS

John Chris

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