![]() The rhodium-plated hour markers are inlaid with faux SuperLuminova (a detail we’ll get back to). The base of the dial is an eye-catching grained white backdrop, with a black soundwave minute track, which is encircled by a black chapter right that displays a tach-o-meter and pulsations scale. At 3 is the blue minute register, at 6 is the grey hour register and 9 o’clock is the light grey running seconds register with blue hand. The A3817 Revival features a white dial, with overlapping tri-colour registers. For this Chronomaster Revival piece, Zenith sought to recreate the same effect, almost indistinguishable from the original with its red chronograph central second hand and tri-colour chronograph counters. What made the original A3817 truly standout was its white dial with tri-colour registers and instantly distinctive uneven racing track, that resembled sharks’ teeth. Moreover, only 1000 examples of the A3817 were ever made, making it one of the most elusive and sought-after references among the early El Primero chronograph watches. A385 with the striking tri-colour dial of the A386, resulting in a unique and aesthetically pleasing 70’s sports chronograph. A3817 was released in 1971 and it combined the sportier steel tonneau-shaped case of earliest El Primero ref. ![]() The A386, the A385 the basis for the A3817 and the A384. ![]() While there is a debate on who was first, there’s no doubt that Zenith were first to announce the El Primero, with three different references. However, there were a couple of silent watch manufactures working on this advance too: in the Far East was Seiko, who were busy working on their own version and then there was the company from Le Locle Zenith. There were of course a few companies that shared an interest in claiming this technological breakthrough: Heuer/Buren-Hamilton/Breitling. During the early 1960s there was a race on to see who could create the world’s first self-winding (automatic) chronograph. The El Primero is a legend within its own right but there is a much debated story behind it. It was only as recently as the 1960s that there was a push to invent an automatic chronograph and while Zenith can be considered the first, it wasn’t quite that straight forward. I’ve previously mentioned before that chronograph watches have been around since the 19 th century, but it wasn’t that long ago that automatic chronographs were introduced. The seconds track is done in a pyramid pattern affectionately nicknamed the “shark tooth” scale, which enhances legibility with a distinctly retro touch.Zenith has been on a bit of a roll lately with their re-editions and not too long ago they introduced one of their latest re-edition timepieces and luckily for us, we were able to get our hands on an example to get up close and personal to see if this recreated El Primero was all we expected it to be? As you know, the Zenith El Primero is quite simply one of the most important chronographs in watchmaking history. The outer tachymeter scale also serves as a pulsometer, an especially handy and precise function provided by the high-frequency 5Hz (36’000 VpH) escapement of the El Primero movement. Like its progenitor of 1971, the Chronomaster Revival A3817 features a white lacquered dial with chronograph counters done in the instantly recognizable tones of grey and blue, with the running seconds counter at 9 o’clock done with blue markers, indicated by the single blue hand on the dial. Zenith waited two years after the launch of the El Primero in 1969 before introducing the iconic tri-colour dial to its sportier tonneau case, albeit with a slightly different execution in both function and aesthetic when compared to the A386. The Chronomaster Revival A3817 is crafted in the same angled tonneau-shaped case with pump-style pushers as the original, using historical blueprints and reverse-engineering to preserve the original proportions and finishes. Given that only 1000 of the A3817 were ever produced, it remains one of the most distinguished, elusive and sought-after references among the early El Primero watches. It combined the sportier steel tonneau-shaped case of the earliest steel El Primero references with the striking tri-colour dial of the A386, resulting in a unique and appealing aesthetic that continues to resonate with vintage chronograph enthusiasts. Released in 1971, the A3817 was the exception to the rule. On one hand, there were sportier models in tonneau-shaped steel cases, such as the A384, and on the other, more classical round cases in steel or gold, most notably the A386. ![]() When the El Primero calibre made its groundbreaking debut in 1969, Zenith chose to house it in two broad but distinct watch categories. Products - BACK TO 1971: ZENITH BRINGS BACK ONE OF THE MORE ELUSIVE HISTORICAL EL PRIMERO REFERENCES WITH THE CHRONOMASTER REVIVAL A3817
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