View single post by Graham
 Posted: Fri Nov 20th, 2009 07:34 am
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Graham



Joined: Sun Sep 21st, 2008
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Posts: 2724
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 As a chronograph collector, the El Primero is a grail. Period.  I just never got the right watch at the right price, so recently started a search in earnest.  Eventually a local agent offered to order the model I liked at cost plus 5%.  I did my homework on this, and saw no better deal anywhere on the internet.  Deal done, wait on.......until this morning when I got the call to announce the arrival!snoopy1.gif
I was over there in a flash, and went straight home instead of back to the office.  There was a serious sitation I had to take care of!subtlelaugh.gif (sizing of the bracelet....)
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Well, what can I say!  The packaging kept me busy for a while, and sizing the bracelet
was also a bit tricky due to the Seiko-style pins and tubes.

 The bracelet has a butterfly deployant and half link adjustments.  Perfect fit!
The bracelet is brushed with polished links in the middle.  Lugs are 20mm, and a non-tapered bracelet makes it look chunky.
I chose this model because of the invariable (deliberate?) resemblance to the Rolex Daytona.  The pushers, crown, crown protectors and tachymetre scale on the polished bezel inevitably shout DAYTONA.  The overall size and feel is also similiar.

The dial is a beautiful dark blue, with the help dials a few shades lighter.  The colours seem to change in different lighting conditions.   The sapphire crystal has anti reflective coating on both sides, giving it a slight blueish hue a-la-Breitling.


The domed caseback is non-see thru; a disappontment if you're a movement junkie!  The El Primero was launched in 1969 and is acknowledged as the first automatic chronograph movement.  It is a beautiful movement worth displaying.  I will probably invest in a transparent caseback shortly....  On the technical side, iit is the only mechanical chronograph movement which runs at 36000 beats per hour!  This is a true sweeping movement, if you have ever seen one.

The lugs are drilled - which I much prefer.  It prevents the inevitable scratch when changing bracelets / straps.

Needless to say, it went straight onto my wrist!  I will run it in this weekend......


Thanks for looking!