This year’s edition to the Zenith El Primero line of products is a new sporty chronograph piece with a refined appearance. This sort of looks was achieved with the design of a readable and harmonious looking dial and an overall style that combines metallic and gray tones. The steel watch is made with a 45 mm wide case and it comes with either a slate gray or silver-colored dial. As a true El Primero piece, it includes a chronograph feature and has the higher 5 Hz frequency. Considering its traits, the piece is quite affordable with the price going around $11,000 or a few hundreds more, depending on the attachment option.
The latest addition to the El Primero line of Zenith watches is made with a larger 45 mm diameter for the housing. Although this size is not that substantial, especially when it comes to modern standards, it is in fact not that common for the watches of the brand, since most of them are 42 mm wide.
Zenith El Primero Sport does not offer any revolutionary new features. In fact, it just includes a chronograph and a date display. However, its classy appearance and a quality self-winding chrono movement combined with its relatively lower price recommend it to all new watch aficionados as a great entry piece to start one’s collection.
Even though it is a sporty piece as even its name states, the Zenith model could be just as the same considered as a dress piece. This was mostly done with the choice of the colors on the dial which is dominated with the vertical brushed finish and two lower counters for the additional appeal.
Its dial features this same type of finsihing, regardless of the choice of the dial color. As it has been noted, it can be silver or slate gray. Its periphery is reserved for a tachymetric scale, inside which lays a minute and seconds scale, of which the latter one is dived into even smaller increment that allow more precise reading of the elapsed time for its chornograph feature. Once again, both of these scales are on a silvery background, regardless of the dial color option.
The flange also feature rhodiumized and faceted hour markers with black luminous sections. The same color scheme is used for its blunt-tipped and arrow-shaped hands which all greatly contributes to the distinguished look of the piece. The dial with a 3-6-9 outlay for its chronograph sub-dials also features a date aperture which sits at the bottom of its face and replaces the six o’clock hour marker.
Zenith El Primero Sport features a case made of stainless steel. Apart from the mentioned 45 mm, it is also important to note that its thickness is precisely 14.05 mm. The housing includes a fixed steel bezel with a polish finish and lugs in the same material which include alternating polished and brushed finishes for better aesthetic effect. On its right case-band there are a crown and two chrono push-pieces which are quite large and serrated which facilitates their handling.
On the front side, the piece has a domed sapphire crystal with a glare-proof coating on both its inner and outer side. The same material which was used for the crystal is also used on the rear side of the case which allows a pretty respectable water resistance of 200 meters which is yet another trait that makes this piece appropriate for a wearer with an active life-style.
Inside the case and visible through its back side is El Primero 400 B caliber. It is a self-winding mechanical movement which integrates 31 jewel and 326 components overall in its construction. This caliber is 13 ¼ lignes wide (30 mm) and 6.6 mm thick. As all El Primeros, it has the rate of 5 Hz, while its power reserve lasts for about 50 hours. As for the decoration of the movement, one can notice the Cotes de Geneve motif on its oscillating weight.
The choice of attachment is determined by the choice of the dial. The darker one is available with two wristlet options. The first one is a three-link and two-tone steel bracelet whose central link (which is wider than the peripheral ones) is slightly darker to match the color of the watch’s face. The other option for the slate gray colored dial is a black rubber strap with seven rows of small circular perforations which allow the wearer’s skin to “breathe” and thus make it much more comfortable on a wrist.
The silver-faced option is only available with a brown alligator leather strap with the stitching in the matching color, as well as protective rubber lining for better durability of the wristlet. Each of these attachments fastens with a folding clasp.
The choice of the attachment does change the price of the piece. While the rubber one has the lowest price of $11,000, the most pricy option is naturally the one with a steel bracelet which costs $11,600.
