Zenith Chronograph 143

Hello All,

Yesterday I spontaneously bought this watch for a nice price. It is said to have been serviced recently and to work properly in all respects.

Generally I tend to avoid watches wherein the regulator is off the center region, like in this case. Because that often is an indicator for some fault in the escapement. Since the seller is a commercial seller, I have a 14 days right of return without grounds provided by EC law, so that this is an option if the movement is at fault.

What do you think about the watch? Original dial or redial/refinish? I wonder e.g. about scales on the subdials, e.g. with 15/30/45/60 scale instead of the usual 20/40/60. About when was it made? I would guess from the case number in the 50s?

Cheers, Bernhard

Hi Bernhard

at first glance, a few of the 5s in the subdials don’t quite match but I just woke up so i may be off. Will look closer later. Mike

I also have a question about the movement. Looking at the photo, the hair spring appears to be overcoil, where the Excelsior Park cal. 4 is said to have a flat hair spring. Were there different version and/or did Zenith modify the EP 4 in this respect?

Cheers, Bernhard

Pics are not great, but based on that, I vote for redial. I don't like the different 3s on all scales, the 60 on the left subdial, and the printing on the right subdial in general.
Maybe you post better pics, when you have it in your hand?
Apart from that, what happened to the chrono hand?

Redial.

Thanks all for the thoughts. I also had assumed a redial, in particular because of the subdials.


What is wrong with the chrono hand?

Cheers, Bernhard

that hand is kind of gold but blued in the center. I assume that it has been painted with gold color. It doesn't look like the blueing has been removed. Otherwise, the hand should be silverish, as it is steel.

I received the watch today and I am returning it (my first ever return).Due to the winding and setting not working properly. Apparently a "new" winding stem has been mounted, which is a very bad fit at least. Really large radial play and not securely held by the release screw. This is no good reference for the service, which is said to have been done about a year ago. A good watchmaker would have attended to that in a better manner.

But aside this, the movement seems in good condition and generally nice to look at (if one does not mind non-originality concerns). Really a pitty. But I do not want to make a repair attempt, just to discover some other bodging (potentially). Beginning with the possibility that the hands of the subdials or the sweep seconds have been fixed with super glue. I do not know, but I am reluctant to find it out such things as long as the possibility of a return is given.

🙁