# Let's see your vintage Zenith boxes.



## Gombrich (Sep 29, 2008)

Most vintage watches have been long separated from whatever packaging they originally came in and there is only a meagre single page on boxes in Rossler. I thought it might be interesting to start a thread for posting original boxes where they still exist.

I've only a few and I've excluded post 2001 boxes but these are they and the watches that they originally contained (as far as I know).

1969 Defy

















1971/72 El Primero

















1972 Defy (brown flock/velour over plastic - what could be more '70s?)

















2001 Elite

















Not sure about this one. 60s/70s?

















I look forward to your contributions.

Dave


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## LouS (Oct 6, 2009)

Really great idea, Dave.

This is the only one I have that came with the watch inside - 1972 Primero

























BTW, is that A 788 a recent pickup? I don't recall seeing it before


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## Rickr23 (May 29, 2008)

Great post! Love looking at watch boxes. Thanks for a great idea.


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## Gombrich (Sep 29, 2008)

LouS said:


> BTW, is that A 788 a recent pickup? I don't recall seeing it before


No, I've had it for a while. You might remember I asked you for tips on getting the back off.

Dave


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## sempervivens (Sep 24, 2006)

Gombrich said:


> Dave


This brown box looks a lot like one for sale on fleabay switzerland at the moment; according to the seller it dates to around 1985. That could be right. I have a similar one in white, which dates to around 1995.











This box actually came with a Zenith Defy (quartz triple date moonphase watch).


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## Bidle (Aug 5, 2006)

Thx for sharing these photo's!!


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## sempervivens (Sep 24, 2006)

Gombrich said:


> Most vintage watches have been long separated from whatever packaging they originally came in and there is only a meagre single page on boxes in Rossler. I thought it might be interesting to start a thread for posting original boxes where they still exist.
> 
> Dave


Today is a holiday - thank God for those - and I made some pictures of boxes. Actually I borrowed a camera and used it until the battery went flat. 
Here is the first and probably most recent, more and older boxes to follow.

It has a white cardboard outer box and a red leather exterior. Inside is ivory with a pillow for the watch. I guess it belongs to the 1980's or 1990's. It may be a correct period box for the 1995 chronograph which I put in it.


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## sempervivens (Sep 24, 2006)

*Re: Let's see your vintage Zenith boxes. Three flat square boxes 1955 - 1975*

Here are three old boxes which form a remarkable continuity in time.

The unusual flat and square box is perhaps a unique Zenith style from the past. It is very recognizable, and probably was the most used box for their best watches on a leather strap.

The first one with a red cover, signed Zenith with clock logo, inside in velvet red and white, signed Zenith, ca. 1960?
















The second, more familiar, with a black cover signed Zenith with clock logo, and red and white interior, signed zenith with star, ca. 1966-1973.















and the third one, signed zenith with logo inside and outside in brown, ca. 1975















Three in a row, you can see their dimensions are identical.









The same, unusual style, which remained their signature box for perhaps 20 years (1955-1975).

But around 1970 they may have started many more, different boxes. Special boxes, some of high quality, some cheaper (in plastic).
I will post a few more next.


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## sempervivens (Sep 24, 2006)

This traditional long box is in the same style black, red and white as the middle one above.

Notice the thin green line on the front of both.
































Zenith with star 















same clock logo on the cover


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## sempervivens (Sep 24, 2006)

and here is a brown plastic box, I guess in the 1975-onwards period.
like the brown box above, 














The above in plastic is a poor excuse for a box, but brown definitely seems to have been the new Zenith colour for boxes around 1975. Dave has posted a few. Even when they sold an older watch from say 1969-71, if the sale took place in 1975/6 they would give the new brown box with it. This is the (1976) box which came with my gold Primero (1969). Time in gold, brown, black and red.


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## sempervivens (Sep 24, 2006)

*Re: Let's see your vintage Zenith boxes. Three flat square boxes 1955 - 1975*



sempervivens said:


> Here are three old boxes which form a remarkable continuity in time.
> 
> Three in a row, you can see their dimensions are identical.
> 
> ...


Found another one, probably the oldest. Maybe around 1950 ? The dimensions are almost the same, except that it is not exactly square, instead of 12,5 x 12,5 cm, it is 14 x 12 cm, with the same thickness (2,5 cm). And it seems to be suitable for up to three watches !


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## D N Ravenna (Apr 30, 2005)

*Re: Let's see your vintage Zenith boxes. Three flat square boxes 1955 - 1975*



sempervivens said:


> Found another one, probably the oldest. Maybe around 1950 ? The dimensions are almost the same, except that it is not exactly square, instead of 12,5 x 12,5 cm, it is 14 x 12 cm, with the same thickness (2,5 cm). And it seems to be suitable for up to three watches !


I wonder if that is a type of salesman case? You know, carry around three watches to show them off and generate sales?

Just guessing,
Dan


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## mickmo92 (Jun 18, 2010)

*Re: Let's see your vintage Zenith boxes. Three flat square boxes 1955 - 1975*

I haven't got any Zenith watch boxes myself, but it is very interesting to see all these vintage Zenith watch boxes. Thanks everyone for sharing!


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## sempervivens (Sep 24, 2006)

A friend allowed me to take pics of the wooden Zenith box that came with her gp Zenith El Primero, which she bought new in 1992. First a pic of the watch as it was presented in a 1991-1992 annual of fine watches :









The box has hardly been used. Funnily the cardboard outer box is conserved the best; the solid wooden box is fine, but the inside is already in an early stage of decomposition. There is no logo on the inside.

Box + manual and guarantee booklet for a 1992 Zenith El Primero (on a croc leather strap) :


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## D N Ravenna (Apr 30, 2005)

I am not very fond of that style, but you took some fine shots there sempervivens! Almost makes me want to have one.

Thanks!

Dan


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## sempervivens (Sep 24, 2006)

THANKS DAN. I know it's not really a vintage yet, but I thought it could be interesting to see what a correct period box could look like for a 1991-92 Zenith El Primero on a strap. 

Maybe someone can show the box that came with his 1970's Zenith El Primero (I'm not pushing here Chris ;-))


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## John Chris (Jul 7, 2010)

sempervivens said:


> Maybe someone can show the box that came with his 1970's Zenith El Primero (I'm not pushing here Chris ;-))


I'll try to get some boxes on board this thread this weekend, sv; sheesh!!


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## John Chris (Jul 7, 2010)

So here we are with two sets 20 years apart. The first from 1972, holding my 01.0140.415, cal. 3019 PHC, in red leather. The second, from 1992, holding my 01.0305.400 blue De Luca II, in dark wood and red plush. Both came from Italy.


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## LouS (Oct 6, 2009)

for me, it's between Chris' red cylinder and David's brown velour cube for best ones.

Lemme throw this one up here for the sake of completeness


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## sailorben (Dec 2, 2011)

last maroon one from 80's, i have one with my zenith in


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## sempervivens (Sep 24, 2006)

Here is an old Zenith box for pocketwatches.
size is 17,9 x 13,3 x 2,2 cm, it has six compartments, each about 5,4 x 6,2 cm on the inside, 
making it big enough to contain 6 men's pocketwatches.
A date stamp on the bottom shows it dates to 1925, which seems correct for its style.
This may also help to date the other old box which I've shown previously (the one with three compartments for wristwatches) as it is made of the same material (cardboard) and the interior has the same pink colour.


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## J2000E (Jun 8, 2012)

As I was not awere of this thread I started a new one, where I asked for input about my Zenith box. I will just post some pictures here too - for future reference. Bought as an empty box and a good guesstimate is mid seventies +/- some years. Black plastic with satin white/silver lining on the inside of the top and a sort of velour flocking where the watch sits. Shown here with a (probably) period correct El Primero.
regards
JE
PS Could one suggest this thread to be saved as a sticky - or other way of keeping it easy to find for reference?


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## G.Arfield (May 4, 2009)

This one came with the watch and dates from '84 the year the watch was purchased.
I bought it from the first owner.


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## Stewart H (Sep 1, 2012)

Currently, this is my only vintage box. I have the box, guarantee and original invoice but sadly, not the watch to go with them.


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## mahamithra (Jun 20, 2010)

Some really nice examples shown here. I felt motivated to throw in a few of mine. More in the future
Mithra


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## adip75 (Jan 10, 2013)

Hi, compliments for your nice boxes. I need help: i'm searching for the original box of zenith espada,2^serie. Coul'd you help me? Thank you very much.


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## MMMD (Mar 17, 2012)

adip75 said:


> Hi, compliments for your nice boxes. I need help: i'm searching for the original box of zenith espada,2^serie. Coul'd you help me? Thank you very much.


Here is the box I acquired for my 2nd series Espada. If it didn't come in a box like this originally, it should have.

















Unfortunately, my Espada is still in pieces on the watchmaker's bench, awaiting a replacement part, so here is a shot with the Espada's stunt double, the Movado Astronic:


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## adip75 (Jan 10, 2013)

:-D thank you. I found a red box like yours.. But.. I don't know..


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## Sakonioli (Jul 23, 2012)

Woolen box from 60's with my Zenith Captain

A new replacement strap is too thick. I can't put it into the slot


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## georges zaslavsky (Feb 11, 2006)

fantastic collection of vintage boxes everyone|>thanks for sharing


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## Longjean (Jun 30, 2012)

For reference, another plastic one. It's an ugly monster and I have no idea when they were originally used or for which watch. The Dual Time in it came with it but I know that it is the wrong watch for this box. Accompanied with the wrong booklet which is a lot younger than the watch.


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## Katies (Apr 16, 2016)

Him do you know what year these boxes were used? I have the same and am trying to find its origin.


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## sempervivens (Sep 24, 2006)

These are not exactly plastic and not exactly vintage either, but surely post 2001, the Nataf-era.


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## wills0_9 (Apr 15, 2014)

sempervivens said:


> These are not exactly plastic and not exactly vintage either, but surely post 2001, the Nataf-era.


Yes. Nataf era. They replaced the wooden boxes in the white outer box.


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## Caferacer182 (May 23, 2016)

...


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## probep (Nov 8, 2015)

Dimensions: 150x100x35 mm. I think this box was made for a Zenith wristwatch in late 1960s.


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## amg786 (Jul 24, 2016)

Does something from circa 2000 count?








Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## amg786 (Jul 24, 2016)

Longjean said:


> For reference, another plastic one. It's an ugly monster and I have no idea when they were originally used or for which watch. The Dual Time in it came with it but I know that it is the wrong watch for this box. Accompanied with the wrong booklet which is a lot younger than the watch.


What's the gold looking plate thing on the left?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Longjean (Jun 30, 2012)

It is a plastic gold looking plate thing with the Zenith stars shield with 1865 which is engraved on the back of the watch. Theses watches don’t have a case number on the back just the model ref. Number 02 0030 682


I think that that box was for the el Primero around the millennium but I could be wrong.


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## Hartmut Richter (Feb 13, 2006)

The reference number reflects the calibre: Cal. 682, the second time zone extension of the Cal. 680 (Elite with subseconds at 9:00).

Hartmut Richter


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## ezinternet (Mar 7, 2010)

Longjean said:


> For reference, another plastic one. It's an ugly monster and I have no idea when they were originally used or for which watch. The Dual Time in it came with it but I know that it is the wrong watch for this box. Accompanied with the wrong booklet which is a lot younger than the watch.


My New-in-box Rainbow (either black dial or Mango - can't recall right now) is (new) in that style of box.


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## montelatici (Apr 28, 2006)




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