The Last Espada

The Espada was, as many of you know, an early El Primero (so a self-winding chronograph with date feature) with added day, month and moon phase features... the most advanced mechanical wrist watch of the early 1970's. I have a Zenith catalog from 1978 that depicts a very lonely looking Espada, a relic of the Golden Age, surrounded by quartz watches and undistinguished mechanical ones. The Zenith Radio Corporation had by that time taken over the watch company of the same name, ceased production of mechanical movements, and was handing out left-over El Primero's to top TV salesmen as service awards. This might very well have been the last appearance of an Espada in a Zenith publication.



The watch seen at the lower left corner of the page - uncomfortably positioned next to a watch with flashing red LEDs - was the ref. 01.0400.418, or second series Espada, likely produced in 1974-75.





I had believed this to be the last Espada model produced... until I came across this Italian catalog from 1976, depicting a co-branded Movado-Zenith Espada:





This 18k Espada was advertised alongside a few other "late early" El Primero's, including the Pilot and the "TV."







The gold MZ Espada (ref. 30.0190.437) was not a clearance sale item in 1976. The price list below, from July 1976, has it at 1,351,000 lire, or about $1600 USD at the time. A "TV" El P could be had for 289,000 lire, or about $350. (The Pilot is listed as "esaurito," or "sold out.")





I imagine that production of the 18k MZ Espada was quite limited... and that very few, if any, of these golden dinosaurs were sold at such a hefty price as the world moved quickly toward quartz. But, if one of you has an NOS one stashed away in a sock drawer... dibs!

Wow, what great information. I am a fancier of the 3019 PHC and its Movado 17j variation. I can only afford to feed and pay the veterinarian bills for 2 of them but they are without a doubt the ultimate expression of the ELP lineup.

JohnCote

The gold Espada is so cool. Thanks for sharing.

I think I had espadas as part of the special at Don Pablo's around the corner. You get to pick chicken, steak, or pork.

50 were made according to rossler, here is one I have been offered to buy on its 18k bracelet and his never left Switzerland ,

Wow, thanks for the photo. Yes, somehow I overlooked the reference in Rössler's list of 3019's... AKA the G 786. I would believe 50 pieces, but it's hard to believe 1971 for a production date.

It's nice to see they included a tachy ring... the catalog photo had me wondering about a potential major design flaw. 😉

Brilliant piece of work. BTW how much was the offer price?
It's cool to have two brands in one watch. Well I guess Tag Heuer is also two brands watch.

You sure it wasn't the Omegos Rancheros?

Yeah after making its big brother the must have thought it was to plane have the ref number somewhere for this.

Thanks again BGBG! Your photo archives are impressive.

I would also say maybe 50 were made for the 3019phc version, their is one more so called lost el primero I have on a old computer in the attic I will have to clime the ladder some day and see if the heap of junk will fire up , I just wonder is their many other lost el primero ref out there