Zenith Defy Classic Tourbillon Men's Watch 86.0526.4035/01.R650

Zenith - El Primero Saga

Look at it carefully! Here before you is the most famous movement in watchmaking history, the one that every enthusiast around the world is capable of naming. It is currently the world's most accurate series-produced movement. Its secret lies in the cadence of its balance. While the others generally perform 8 vibrations per second at best, the El Primero calibre beats 10 times in that same second. Its development has been accompanied by a number of breakthrough innovations, including dry lubrication that ensures excellent long-term stability, and the power reserve that had to be optimised to match the higher and more energy-consuming frequency. All Zenith watches are equipped with a proprietary Zenith movement.

Few brands in the world can lay claim to such a rigorous approach. When you opt for a Zenith timepiece, you enjoy the absolute certainty of owning a watch produced from start to finish in the Manufacture of Le Locle. This fundamental requirement entails a need for calibres that has resulted in the creation of 180 different movements interpreted in 500 variations.
It takes nine months to make a Zenith watch. During this period, exponents of no less than 80 professions in turn devote their talent and expertise to the watch and its components.
Impressive figures
9 months of work
20 watchmakers
5,500 operations
50 milling operations on the dial side
77 other milling operations on the bridge side
5 to 50 operations per component
18 different metals in the classic version.
Charles Vermot, saving the El Primero
The history of El Primero might have ended abruptly in 1975. That was when Zenith Radio corporation, the American company that had owned the brand for the past four years, decided to stop making mechanical watches and to stick to quartz watches. The decision was irrevocable and the owner intended to negotiate a scrapyard price for all the machines, calibres and tools. A watchmaker attempted to reason with the American head office, but with no success. The order was to be executed without delay and the metal - along with a century of tradition - to be sold by the ton to the highest bidder. Charles Vermot simply could not face the thought of seeing his production equipment destroyed. At the risk of his job, he began hiding essential tools and components. A meticulous man by nature, Charles Vermot labelled, listed, classified and protected the cams, cutting tools, presses and machines, while recording the entire production process in a notebook.

If the mechanical movement were one day to ensure renewed favour, the El Primero could thus be miraculously reborn. And the miracle did indeed take place, barely nine years later. One fine morning, the entire set of lost equipment was back in place. Without this courageous act, the brand's very survival would have been in jeopardy. In the early 1980s, a press alone cost over 40,000 francs and it takes over 150 of them to make an El Primero - meaning a total of 7 million Swiss francs. Zenith's financial, technical and human investments could thus have been swept aside in one stroke.
Several famous brands then began looking to Zenith to supply their movements. The flow of orders breathed new life into the Manufacture. In 2000, the brand was taken over by the LVMH group, which decided to reserve the El Primero for Zenith timepieces.
Chronographs - Zenith precision instruments
In addition to indicating the exact time, a chronograph watch serves to precisely measure the duration of an event, generally during sports competitions, as well as scientific experiments or industrial operations. The ultimate precision instrument, this so-called "useful" complication is not easy to produce, and is reserved for an extremely exclusive circle of movement manufacturers that are genuine precision watchmakers.
Zenith was the first watch brand to produce an integrated column-wheel self-winding chronograph movement, the legendary El Primero calibre which also featured another technical feat in the shape of its high 10 vibrations per second frequency. Since 1969, it is the
series-produced calibre that achieves the greatest level of precision and the only one directly connected with the regulating organ and thus able to truly measure 1/10ths of a second.
Precision and reliability are the two most important determining factors when economic, strategic or vital interests are at stake. Resistant to the most extreme conditions and never varying from their accurate measurement, Zenith chronographs have served and continue to serve aviation, the navy, expeditionary forces and great exploratory missions.

Timing contests

The Manufacture Zenith was awarded 1,420 timing and watchmaking awards in a century and a half of existence. While impressive in itself, this tally is not the most impressive fact of all. Out of these 1,420 awards, Zenith swept up 1,398 first places, thus accounting for 98.5% of the first prizes. These figures reflect recognition of what can only be described as genuine technical and timing exploits.

Inventiveness and technical feats frive our developments
One of the brand's latest technical developments is the El Primero Striking 10th, a jumping seconds chronograph which for the very first time provides visibility of the smallest fraction of time measured by a series-produced mechanical movement, meaning tenths of a second. Zenith fully masters all facets of fine watchmaking, and its successive interpretations of this art all embody decisive differences and embody innovative characteristics. Over the past decades, the brand has invented and produced tourbillons, Open models, powerreserve, large-date, split-second, minute repeater and perpetual calendar watches, as well as others with moon phases and day/night indication, alarm functions and an exceptionally complex creation: the Zero Gravity tourbillon. Year after year, the history of the El Primero is being steadily written with its twists and turns, its technological breakthroughs, and its refined new features. This calibre symbolising the "star" brand expresses the inner strength of our creations. A hidden strength that nothing and no-one can alter once it is set into movement, and which - unperturbed by changing fashions and trends - pursues its path with unswerving constancy. 

El Primero, its heart beats faster. Yours too.

El Primero Striking 10th

•   New Line, New Standard in the Zenith Chronograph Collection
•   1st Automatic El Primero Chronograph with the indication of the 1/10th of a second
•   New El Primero 4052 B Caliber : 326 Components, 31 jewels & 36'000 VpH
•   Exclusive 1/10th of a second display: the Chronograph hand makes 1 turn in 10 sec.
•   Available in Rose Gold (Ltd Ed. Of 500 units) in a 42 mm Case diameter

El Primero 36'000

•   New Line, New Standard in the Zenith Chronograph Collection
•   Automatic COSC Certified Chronograph with date at 6 o'clock
•   New El Primero 400 B Caliber : 326 Components, 31 jewels & 36'000 VpH
•   Tachymetric Scale on the flange
•   Available in Stainless Steel in a 42 mm Case Diameter
•   Thickness : 12.75 mm