# Zenith El Primero Vintage



## andsan

24 hours after it has been sent from Rome DHL knocked on my door.

A Zenith El Primero 1972, 37 mm. 3019 PHC. Model number 01-0210-415. Associated original band (which is rare). Created in 4000 copies. 
Shall replace the hands as they lost some color, which is common on these.













/Anders.S


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## D N Ravenna

Congrats! Thanks for sharing and wear it in good health!

dan


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## sempervivens

andsan said:


> 24 hours after it has been sent from Rome DHL knocked on my door.
> 
> A Zenith El Primero 1972, 37 mm. 3019 PHC. Model number 01-0210-415. Associated original band (which is rare). Created in 4000 copies.
> Shall replace the hands as they lost some color, which is common on these.
> 
> /Anders.S


Way to go!

I've just measured mine: could it be that it is 36 mm?

Hands look ok.


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## andsan

sempervivens said:


> Way to go!
> 
> I've just measured mine: could it be that it is 36 mm?
> 
> Thank you made me aware of it.
> 
> The dimension is 36 mm and nothing else.
> 
> I regret the misleading information.


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## sempervivens

andsan said:


> Thank you made me aware of it.
> 
> The dimension is 36 mm and nothing else.
> 
> I regret the misleading information.


I should thank you for making me aware that it was less than 38 mm. It really looks a lot bigger. I thought it was 38 mm, then your post made me measure it.

Enjoy :-!


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## Hessu

I like it! The mesh band is superb! Did not know Zenith made one. In Omega, all watches with original mesh band are highly collectable and under the rock to find.
Like Sempers said the missing some lume ain't a big thing.


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## andsan

Hessu said:


> I like it! The mesh band is superb! Did not know Zenith made one. In Omega, all watches with original mesh band are highly collectable and under the rock to find.
> 
> From older post!!
> 
> However as the old catalogs mention, it was a general rule for Zenith watches that one could get them with an original bracelet for an extra charge.
> 
> https://www.watchuseek.com/f27/over...tainless-steel-models-1969-1975-a-586997.html
> 
> Best
> 
> Anders


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## VinDefy

Interesting, it looks like we have been shopping with the same seller. ;-)

I bought a 01.0210.415 as well from the same seller a few weeks ago. Also with an original bracelet, but the link version. Luckily mine hasn't been polished as bad as the one shown in Rössler (page 253 of the English language edition).

I however had a little surprise when I opened the case&#8230; my first vintage Zenith El Primero is a&#8230; 17 jewels version (see picture below). I was not really expecting a 17 jewels El Primero movement in this type given that the similar gold plated type with the 17 jewels version has a different reference (20.0220.416). It might hence be that the movement has been replaced. Does someone know whether Zenith might be able to shed some light on this through the Zenith archive service?

Anyway, I'm certainly not unhappy with my 17 jewels El Primero. After all, those are rarer than the 31 jewels version and I have to say that this 17 jewels version is running great in all aspects including the chronograph functions. Its variation is around one second per day, so a 31 jewels version is certainly not going to perform any better.

















Kind regards,
VinDefy


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## sempervivens

VinDefy said:


> Interesting, it looks like we have been shopping with the same seller. ;-)
> 
> I bought a 01.0210.415 as well from the same seller a few weeks ago. Also with an original bracelet, but the link version. Luckily mine hasn't been polished as bad as the one shown in Rössler (page 253 of the English language edition).
> 
> I however had a little surprise when I opened the case&#8230; my first vintage Zenith El Primero is a&#8230; 17 jewels version (see picture below). I was not really expecting a 17 jewels El Primero movement in this type given that the similar gold plated type with the 17 jewels version has a different reference (20.0220.416). It might hence be that the movement has been replaced. Does someone know whether Zenith might be able to shed some light on this through the Zenith archive service?
> 
> Anyway, I'm certainly not unhappy with my 17 jewels El Primero. After all, those are rarer than the 31 jewels version and I have to say that this 17 jewels version is running great in all aspects including the chronograph functions. Its variation is around one second per day, so a 31 jewels version is certainly not going to perform any better.
> 
> Kind regards,
> VinDefy


Congratulations. That is a wonderful original bracelet. And of course a great El Primero.

All I can say is I have two of these and one has the 31 jewels, the other has the 17 jewels version.










(the one with the Zenith mesh bracelet has 17 jewels, the other with generic bracelet has 31 jewels).


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## ducatidoc

Don't want to tell you what to do, but I personally would leave the hands as is.


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## andsan

VinDefy said:


> Interesting, it looks like we have been shopping with the same seller. ;-)
> 
> I bought a 01.0210.415 as well from the same seller a few weeks ago. Also with an original bracelet, but the link version. Luckily mine hasn't been polished as bad as the one shown in Rössler (page 253 of the English language edition).
> 
> I however had a little surprise when I opened the case&#8230; my first vintage Zenith El Primero is a&#8230; 17 jewels version (see picture below). I was not really expecting a 17 jewels El Primero movement in this type given that the similar gold plated type with the 17 jewels version has a different reference (20.0220.416). It might hence be that the movement has been replaced. Does someone know whether Zenith might be able to shed some light on this through the Zenith archive service?
> 
> Anyway, I'm certainly not unhappy with my 17 jewels El Primero. After all, those are rarer than the 31 jewels version and I have to say that this 17 jewels version is running great in all aspects including the chronograph functions. Its variation is around one second per day, so a 31 jewels version is certainly not going to perform any better.
> 
> View attachment 1421688
> 
> 
> View attachment 1421691
> 
> 
> Kind regards,
> VinDefy


A small world sometimes. That's right, we've purchased from the same seller. 
I asked the seller about your watch but got reply that it was sold. He told me he would get another one a week later. I was not late for me to decide .. It works perfectly. + - A few seconds / 24 hours. I have not opened the watch and do not know if I have 17 jewels or 31.

Best regards 
Anders


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## VinDefy

sempervivens said:


> Congratulations. That is a wonderful original bracelet. And of course a great El Primero.
> 
> All I can say is I have two of these and one has the 31 jewels, the other has the 17 jewels version.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (the one with the Zenith mesh bracelet has 17 jewels, the other with generic bracelet has 31 jewels).


Four of a kind together... Great... :-! And good to know as well that there are more 01.0210.415s with a 17 jewel El Primero movement. Despite being excellent and by far the best book available on Zenith, this is clearly a point on which Rössler's book falls a bit short.

Kind regards,
VinDefy


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## andsan

andsan said:


> A small world sometimes. That's right, we've purchased from the same seller.
> I asked the seller about your watch but got reply that it was sold. He told me he would get another one a week later. I was not late for me to decide .. It works perfectly. + - A few seconds / 24 hours. I have not opened the watch and do not know if I have 17 jewels or 31.
> 
> Best regards
> Anders


Now I have checked the movement. In my t is 31 Jevels


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