Zenith Chronomaster: History, Models, Value and Videos

El Primero unveiled: 10 January 1969
Beat rate: 36,000 vph (5 Hz)
Chronomaster Original: 38 mm, El Primero 3600 (2021)
Chronomaster Sport: 41 mm, 10 bar (2021)

ZENITH CHRONOMASTER Solo Sport – official video by Zenith on YouTube

The Chronomaster and the El Primero

Chronomaster is the name Zenith uses for its chronographs built around the El Primero movement. Zenith began work on an automatic chronograph calibre in 1962, to mark its 100th anniversary, and unveiled the El Primero on 10 January 1969. It was the first high-frequency automatic chronograph movement: it beats at 36,000 vibrations per hour (5 Hz), which lets the chronograph measure to one tenth of a second. In 1969 Zenith released three watches with the El Primero, the A384, the A385 and the A386.

From survival to a modern collection

When the quartz crisis hit, Zenith kept making wristwatches under financial pressure. The watchmaker Charles Vermot hid the El Primero production equipment in the attic of the Ponts-de-Martel facility, so the movement could return when automatic chronographs came back into demand. In the 1980s Ebel and later Rolex used the El Primero in their chronographs. Rolex fitted a modified version to the Daytona from 1988 to 2000. Today the movement exists in more than 70 versions.

Three lines matter to owners today:

Series	Years	References	Case	Movement
Revival (A384, A385, A386)	2019	A386 Revival: 03.P386.400/07.C840	A385 Revival: 37 mm steel	El Primero, 36,000 vph
Chronomaster Original	since 2021		38 mm steel or 18k rose gold	El Primero 3600, 60 h power reserve
Chronomaster Sport	since 2021		41 mm steel, black ceramic bezel, 10 bar	El Primero 3600, 36,000 vph, about 60 h power reserve

Notable versions and technique

The 2019 Revival watches were limited tributes to the 1969 originals, released for the movement's 50th anniversary. The A385 was the first watch with a brown gradient dial, which makes surviving original examples collectible. The Revival A385 has a 37 mm steel case and a smoked brown gradient dial, with a date window at 4:30.

The Chronomaster Original of 2021 uses a 38 mm case derived from the 1969 El Primero and the El Primero 3600 calibre, with a power reserve of 60 hours. Its chronograph counter reads tenths of a second. It came in steel and in 18k rose gold, with tri-color and reverse panda dials. The Chronomaster Sport, also from 2021, has a 41 mm steel case, 10 bar water resistance and a black ceramic bezel with the one-tenth-second scale. Its chronograph seconds hand completes one turn every 10 seconds, and the sapphire caseback shows a blue column wheel and an open rotor with the Zenith star.

Zenith has since added special editions, including a Chronomaster Sport 160th Anniversary Edition and the Chronomaster Solo Sport, both shown in the official videos below.

What is a Zenith Chronomaster worth?

The value of a Chronomaster depends on the line, the reference, the dial and case material, the condition, and whether box and papers are present. Limited editions such as the 2019 Revivals are often sought by collectors, while current Chronomaster Original and Sport watches are regular production pieces and are priced like other modern luxury chronographs. Original 1969 watches from the A384 to A386 family are the vintage end of the market, and dial condition matters a great deal there. Be careful with a vintage El Primero: franken watches with swapped dials or parts exist, so a written appraisal is worth having for a valuable piece.

One documented result for a Revival: a 2019 stainless steel El Primero Revival A386, limited to 49 pieces, reached CHF 8,750 including buyer's premium at Monaco Legend Auctions (Exclusive Timepieces sale), against an estimate of CHF 7,000 to 14,000.

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Official Zenith Chronomaster videos

All videos come from the official Zenith YouTube channel. They show the Chronomaster Sport, the Original and the special editions.

More Zenith videos, sorted by model: all official Zenith playlists.

Sources (5)

SwissWatchExperts is not affiliated with Zenith. Brand and model names are trademarks of their owners; the videos are embedded from the official Zenith YouTube channel.

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Frequently asked questions

When was the Zenith El Primero introduced?

Zenith unveiled the El Primero on 10 January 1969 as the first high-frequency automatic chronograph movement. It beats at 36,000 vibrations per hour.

How big is a Zenith Chronomaster?

The Chronomaster Original of 2021 has a 38 mm case, the Chronomaster Sport of 2021 has a 41 mm case, and the Revival A385 measures 37 mm.

Which movement is in the Chronomaster?

Current Chronomaster Original and Sport models use the El Primero 3600 calibre, which beats at 36,000 vph and has a power reserve of about 60 hours.

Did Rolex use the Zenith El Primero?

Yes. Rolex used a modified El Primero in the Daytona from 1988 to 2000, and Ebel used it as well.

What drives the value of a Chronomaster?

The line and reference, the dial, the condition and whether box and papers are present. Limited editions and original 1969 pieces are valued differently from current production watches.

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Zenith Chronomaster: El Primero history, models and official videos