Zenith AF/P: indication of high-beat Cal. 405|408 or model|sub-brand

Hello All,

I've assumed that AF/P (Alta frequenza & precisione) on Zenith dials is similar to 28800 which Zenith used to indicate movement, or rather it's vph. And thus AF/P would indicate Zenith Cal. 405 (day,date) or 408 (date) 36000vph hi-beat movement which Zenith sourced from Movado, and potentially a more expensive version of the watch model.

I recently had a conversation with an another watch enthusiast where his thinking was that AF/P is it's own model or sub brand. And certainly when you google for 'Zenith AF/P', very few Defy AF/P's or Respirator AF/P's or Captain AF/P's come up. And thankfully no Surf AF/P's. 😅 Indeed, there are several posts on OF that use AF/P in a 'model-like' fashion.

I wanted to put this out here for people with more knowledge in this matter to weigh in. Is AF/P a model variant, or it's own model? Or can both be true at the same time?

Below is an image of a pair of (in my opinion) Defy TV AF/P (A792) and Spaceman AF/P (A791) watches that got this conversation started. I'll follow with links to forum posts and such where AF/P's have been mentioned to collect various 'sightings' etc. in one thread.



Image from [1] that is occasionally seen on forums showing Defy Spaceman and Defy TV next to their AF/P cousins (that are listed for a slightly higher price tag). I suspect having seen this image at some point set my mind to think that AF/P is a variant of the 'base' model.



Local library has a copy of Rössler's Zenith book and although I can't say for certain, I think AF/P is only mentioned on two pages in the context of 'Herrenarmbanduhr Modell Respirator AF/P' [German edition, pages 148-149, ISBN 3871881031]. Books caliber list also lists 405 and 408 movements, which also indicates cal 405 and 408 were manufactured only between 1969-1971. If this is correct, then I would assume that all AF/P Zenith watches would be from around this period, plus maybe a year or two. This relative short period would appear to somewhat limit models that were produced and available with cal. 405 or 408.

And while at it - can someone comment on [ease of] serviceability of and availability of spares for the Cal 405 and 408?

Then Links to Zenith AF/P posts on ΩF:

• 'Star' Zenith AF/P - golden: https://omegaforums.net/threads/please-post-your-vintage-zenith.11291/page-67#post-1977025
• AF/P TV: https://omegaforums.net/threads/please-post-your-vintage-zenith.11291/page-65#post-1938646
• 'Star' Zenith AFP - white dial: https://omegaforums.net/threads/arr...y-recently-watches.8930/page-651#post-1262665
• Respirator AF/P, white dial: https://omegaforums.net/threads/please-post-your-vintage-zenith.11291/page-10#post-497851
• Spaceman AF/P: https://omegaforums.net/threads/the-nos-thread.7352/page-3#post-87820
• Spaceman, TV: https://omegaforums.net/threads/dating-a-zenith.20052/#post-217517 (has Zenith catalog image allegedly from 1970 showing Defy and AF/P versions of Spaceman and TV; interestingly here the references are listed as AH 791 and AH 792 (TV))
• TV, Spaceman AF/P: https://omegaforums.net/threads/please-post-your-vintage-zenith.11291/page-67#post-1977025 (GF end pieces thread)
• 'Star' Zenith AF/P - white black dial: https://omegaforums.net/threads/have-you-ever-seen-a-zenith-ap-f-cal-405.27485/
• TV Respirator, blue/white dial: https://omegaforums.net/threads/a-new-zenith-joins-the-rank-the-blue-dialed-respirator-af-p.124911/
• TV Respirator, black/white dial: https://omegaforums.net/threads/after-the-blue-af-p-the-black-af-p-comes-to-my-stable.131873/ (similar to a watch shown in Rössler)
• TV AF/P: https://omegaforums.net/threads/my-last-zenith-af-p.138134/

WUS has many threads/posts on AF/Ps as well and Google Images returns a healthy list of hits for 'Zenith AF/P'.

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This was a fun little rabbit hole to dig into... 😀

I am proposing that there will be a rather finite number of different kinds of Zenith AF/P watches and it would be fun to collect them in one place. I'll start and post (better) photos of the two I've got shortly.

So here is my [Defy] 'TV' AFP (reference A792) with the GF wristband (Q1/69 date, diver extension) and ZO end pieces, German date complication.

This one gets a surprising amount of wrist time. It looks kind of plain and even unexciting, but when it's on my wrist it just sits there very well. Special shout out to it's day/date complication which is large enough to actually be legible without a magnifying glass (and as a downside I need to now actually set). It looks bulky, but it's actually decently compact.

Something I've wondered about this watch is that the wristband has 1/69 'stamp' but the caseback number would, if I am not mistaken, indicate 1970/1971 date (761D517)?

Zenith 'Spaceman' AFP (ref A791) with a Q4/70 GF metal bracelet (possibly with non-ZP/incorrect end pieces?) and German day/date complication. This is recent addition and I have a feeling that it's going to become a special occasions wear (just not sure what occasions those might be... 😅). On the other hand, this must be one of the geekiest (in a most positive sense of a word) watches I have with a sci-fi looks to match. As far as the size goes, this feels a bit bulkier than the similarly sized 'TV' above.

Also, I don't think I have to 'worry' about Zenith making a re-issue of this design any time soon!

edit #3: mods: should I just delete this post (and maybe do another for auth check) or leave it here as an example to others)?

edit #2: I am almost certain it's a redial now. Zenith star is suspect, looks like the black has been painted over a silvery dial using some sort of mask, and batons have been glued and aren't well aligned, dot's above i's don't look right. Also, third markings are missing above/below day/date window that all other references have. Looks like 'they' really got me this time! 🥵

Another AFP that I came a cross and is now back from service. Zenith Respirator X AF/P likely ref. A7917 (Cal. 405) from circa 1969-1971+- (D caseback number) with NSA bracelet (possibly non-original, but I believe period correct) and a German day/date complicaton. Compared to 'standard' Respirator X case, the AF/P version has much more futuristic(?) sharp angles that give it a distinct look. Interestingly/oddly the dial lacks Swiss-anything text, but there appears to be similar dials in the wild that do so too.

Some indices on the dial are not exactly best aligned, which bothers me a bit... (edit #1: looking at it more closely now, I am starting to think it's redialed... 🤦‍♂️ any thoughts anyone?)


My specimen and Ref. A7917 from Rössler (page 148, German edition).

Closeup of bracelet buckle