Zenith El Primero A386 platinum watch designed by Zenith and Phillips in Association with Bacs and Russo.
Both Zenith and Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo joined together to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Zenith’s El Primero chronograph. The result: a one-off watch designed by the Phillips that will be auctioned in Geneva at the Watch Auction X on November 9-10, 2019. Proceeds from the sale of the platinum cased chronograph will go to Zoe4Life, a Swiss non-profit organization that is part of the Childhood Cancer International network. The collaboration and auction are designed as the “icing on the cake” — the finishing touch that celebrates the world’s first automatic chronograph (launched in 1969) in watchmaking history.
The caseback of the Zenith El Primero Platinum Chronograph A386 features “The One OFF” printed on the sapphire caseback.
The El Primero has a pedigree that is unmatched among chronographs. Making this one even more special is the fact that it is the first watch designed by Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo in collaboration with Zenith. It is also fate first time an El Primero watch is made in PT 950 platinum. Another first: the dial is crafted of rich blue lapis lazuli with naturally occurring gold flecks in it. The special edition is being sold with an unprecedented 50-year warranty.
Zenith El Primero platinum chronograph with blue lapis lazuli dial.
“This will be the first and sole El Primero A386 in platinum,” says Zenith CEO Julien Tornare. The platinum El Primero will be unveiled on the eve of the auction, at a special event on November 8 at La Rèserve in Geneva, to crown the El Primero 50th Anniversary World Tour across 5 continents throughout 2019. As of the writing of this article, the opening bid price was not yet released.
