Hello all, I've been lurking for some time and have found the forum an invaluable help in educating myself about vintage Zenith watches. I have a copy of Rossler and had hoped to start off my Zenith collection with something a little more iconic than a C cased El Primero but I was unable to pass up this opportunity; A NOS 20.0210.415. I believe that the strap may be original too as it seems to match the photos of LouS's NOS example of the same model. I apologise for the harshness of the lighting in the photos but until I get some daylight, artificial point source will have to do! I'm fairly sure that the watch is NOS (as described by the seller) due to the general condition of the watch and the presence of the degraded blue plastic on the side of the case (next to the crown and pushers) and on the case back. There's even a hang tag, but I wouldn't know if it is original or not. And I'm presuming that the myriad of hairline scratches on the bezel are from decades of being polished (in a shop display perhaps?) rather than being worn - would this be correct? The watch seems to be keeping good time and the chrono functions work well. The case back doesn't show any signs of having been opened which I find hard to believe given that it's a 40 year old watch and it's keeping time so perhaps there has been some intervention on the service front. I'd appreciate any advice on whether I should get the watch serviced and whether I should have the plastic cleaned off the case and case back when doing so. Sadly, I suspect that this find won't be worn due to the need to preserve its NOS status and to that end, I was thinking of having the plastic cleaned off the case, crown and pushers but left intact on the case back as further confirmation that it is 'New'. Thank you, Reg
I'm not an Ordained Zenithista, not even a Novitiate, so I can't off much advice but that looks rather tasty to me I'm sure one of the High Priests will give you confirmation ;-)
Hi Reg Nice buy - perfectly respectable pre-Apocalypse Primero, and just in time for Primero Day. As it happens, I haven't got this model, so I don't think it was my NOS model that you recall. It might have been Styggpygge's - he is an aficionado of this reference and occasionally flashes a very nice example. Now, those fine hairline scratches - "swirlies" in the parlance - argue that this is not quite NOS, and don't altogether match the caseback - which looks pristine. This could be a trick of the lighting - as you say, it's harsh. You've got the watch in your hand, so I won't gainsay your impression, but that's a curious inconsistency if real. As for service, if it really has been sitting unloved, it needs a service. I have run across never-serviced Zeniths from the early 1970s that worked well, but don't count on it to do so for long. If the history is not certain, stick it on a timing machine, or better still, have an honest watchmaker have a good look at it. I'm not a big fan of keeping watches unworn, NOS or not. I say damn the plastic and wear it. Where's the fun otherwise? Welcome to Primero-land!
Hi Lou, Firstly, apologies for getting you mixed up with someone else - the photos of the other 'NOS' 20.0210.415 were posted by Sempervivens over on another forum. And secondly, thank you for the welcome! I take your point about the inconsistency of the swirlies on the bezel compared to the condition of the case back. The side of the case is highly polished but also exhibits some swirlies. What I don't understand is why anyone would've worn the watch with the plastic on the case back and the plastic on the pushers, crown and side of the case. Despite the presence of the swirlies, the case edges are sharp with no dents whatsoever and the lugs don't show any sign of the strap ever being changed either. I suspect that a visit to a sympathetic watchmaker is in order to unravel some of the mystery. And if it turns out not to be NOS, then at least I have an excuse to forego the plastic and wear it !
That's the ticket. A watchmaker ought to be able to tell you if the movement has been serviced in the past.
Thank you Lou and Dennis for your help. I have been in touch with the seller who has conceded that the watch probably isn't NOS after all and a sizeable refund has been made. I still have the watch and apart from the swirl marks, the case is in remarkably good shape with no dings anywhere and nice sharp edges with no sign of polishing at all (is it even possible to polish gold plated watches without removing the plating?). I will need to approach Sempervivens for more info on his NOS version of this reference and the strap that is fitted to his. Does he post on here as I haven't joined the other forum…? Some better photos with more even lighting. Still artificial though