So, I've been on a bit of a bender lately and now I think it may be time to finish off with a serious complication.

i think i like the Zenith Captain Winsor. Terrible name, fabulous watch.

being how this is partly a zenith board, does anyone here sport one? first of all, congrats, secondly, what do you think??

thank you,

Rich

 

I have one but I sold it earlier in the year. Firstly, it is an annual calendar, not perpetual so you still need to adjust it once every year in February. It is a great watch with a useful complication for everyone at a very reasonable and attractive price point. You probably need to pay 3 times for a Patek with the same complication. Also, it is the collaborative work with Ludwing Oechslin (who doesn't love the Freak). And you get boasting rights that your watch has only 9 mobile elements for the annual calendar complication to 30-40 in the Patek but of course you do not expect Patek level finishing for the price you pay. And it is an EP after all.

So why did I sell it? As I rotate among the few watches I have, I find it rather tiresome to set the day and month every time I wear it when the watch stops. This of course coming from a guy who is too lazy to set the date when he is wearing his other watches. And I do not believe in puttting them on winders.

Hope this helps. And if you really get one, go for the blue dial.

 

Thank you so much for your detailed reply. Very helpful.
I actually have a perpetual calendar but it's a true safe queen.

She's a ulysee nardin gmt perpetual calendar & 2nd time zone complication. I don't really have much opportunity to wear it but I bought it for a give-away-price off a cowboy sales trader and I figure I'll let my son figure out what to do with it one day.

Now, that Zenith seems like something I could actually wear and enjoy. did you feel like the movement could handle daily wear for a guy who doesn't really run around but does a lot of standing around?

and, yes, I love that blue dial. At least in pictures. I'll take your word for it that it looks great in person. Zenith seems to do everything right, for instance: the use of clous de Paris on the dial. Perfect.

how's the re-sale market for these things? Tough to get?? Zeniths seem like a pretty tough ticket lately. all the rolex daytona guys ran up the market...lol

 

I am sure that will not be a concern since the vintages are still running well after 40+ years.

I will say not that rare but not too easy to find in the resale market given that it has only been introduced less than a couple years ago.

Maybe this pic will help you make a decision.

 

Perpetual calendar complication is an awesome technological feat which almost useless and cumbersome (mind you I want at least one.......don't we all?). If I have to chose minute repeater would be more practical and have more bragging right.

Imagine at the middle of meeting there is silence between discussions then you turn on the repeater
.......somebody will ask....what is that?
Oh just my minute repeater watch.......... It's old fashioned but beauty to the ears.........
How much it costs?.......
....Ah you don't want to know......
....then everybody pull out their smartphone to google 'minute repeater price'.........
The silence become longer now.

 

Queue this classic dilbert

 

You can have a lot of those same bragging rights at a fraction of the cost with the MIH watch:

http://www.mih-watch.ch/index.php?page=169

I'm not a huge fan of Zenith styling, and although many may consider the MIH watch to be too sparse, I personally love it.

One of these days I should get one....

Cheers, Al

 

That's a nice one........coming from you it must be one the hell of quality movement

 

It's a modified ETA 7750, so nothing too elaborate as the base movement, but certainly treated in an innovative way.

Cheers, Al

 

If Mondaine were a real watchmaking company this would be one of theirs.

 

I am with you on the MIH watch Al. I love the watch and the idea behind it. But 2 things I don't get it is why do they have to package and send the watch in a piece of newspaper. And who wants a chronograph on the caseback which you can't read when you are wearing the watch.

 

1 - The watch is not about being fancy in it's form or packaging, and that is the point they are making with using an issue of the local newspaper to wrap it in. Personally I would rather pay money for the watch than a fancy box that will sit in my closet.

2 - Valid point, but I see it as more of an annual calendar with a bonus chronograph. To me sacrificing the location of the chronograph is not a big deal. They used the 7750 because of it's torque, not because it was a chronograph specifically.

Cheers, Al

 

Couldn't they have used the non-chronograph version of the 7750? I forget the ETA number, but it starts with a 2 of course.

 

Hmmm - not aware of a movement that uses a 7750 base movement but not with chronograph function that is available from ETA...

Of course there are brands that have used the 7750 with the chronograph parts removed, such a Panerai, Anonimo, etc.

Cheers, Al