Hello,

below Zenith REF.1301 with a completely brown dial ! case number 232E0XX
This is the first time I see this type of dial !






Dial in perfect condition ! Superb !




oh! surprise!

L Swiss Made L - dial wial with Luminova !


yes, it is the luminova !

Questions
it's a replacement dial 1990s ?
Have you ever seen this type of dial?

I speak very little English (single words and short sentence) sorry.
Regards, J-Luc

 

J-Luc,

The number 1301 is the reference number from the case manufacturer, Spillman. This is a replacement dial for a model A385... I think you are correct about "Luminova". I have seen similar replacement dials for the A384 (white dial with black subdials)... some forum members here even own them, and they look good... but I don't believe I have seen this brown replacement dial before.

 

My guess is it's a service dial going by the luminova. Should read T SWISS MADE T on the original dial. Lou and the others will probably offer more details.

 

Has all,
thank you for taking the time to answer !

So, this dial is not very common and rather "rare" ! but no time in 1970

Excuse my english.
Regards, J-Luc

 

I happen to be wearing my 1970 El Primero A385 as I read this interesting thread. As a collector who, some time ago, acquired an A384 with what I thought was an original dial in superb shape, and only later discovered that it was a Zenith service replacement dial (the L SWISS MADE L being the most obvious giveaway), it was instructive to compare my dial with this one.

This is certainly a replacement dial. Quite apart from minimal variations from the A385 original dial (e.g. on the original, the 45 second mark on the seconds sub-dial meets the 45 minute/9 o'clock mark - indeed on the original, all the sub-dial markings go tight to the edge of the sub-dials), the unprecedented dial colour (Zenith seems to have abandoned the shading from darker brown to lighter on the replacement, hence the switch from black lettering to white) and its new condition, Zenith has always marked its service dials in accordance with the lume. Thus those using Luminova are marked with either Ls or dots on either side of the SWISS MADE, instead of the T for the Tritium which all original El Primeros employed. The printing on the dial is wonderfully authentic.

As others have pointed out, it is particularly interesting that this rather attractive dial has not shown up before - and we are all persons who look for these things!

For LouS's benefit, I muse: given that this appears to be a replacement designed for the A385, and given that the colour is brownish - indeed very close to the darker brownish colour of the outer part of the dial on my A385 - does this not support the notion that the brown shaded A385 dials were always that way, rather than deteriorated grey-shaded dials? Like I've always said?

Chris

 

Well the problem is that we need to have all three watches together under the same light to make this determination. To my eye, looking at J-Luc's dial on the computer and comparing it to my dial on the wrist, the Tachymetre parts of the two dials look the same. Yours does not. But lighting makes such a difference that we should all meet someplace central (Winnipeg? St. Helena? Not sure where J.-Luc lives) and photograph them together.

 

J-Luc, great find! My 'flawed' a385 says hello!

cheers,
David

 

David,
beautiful dial ! I like

no problem for me, I live about 60 miles

 

How about simply a Zenith 3019 summit. I will show up.

JohnCote

 

Lou, loan me something appropriate so I can come too?