There was nothing at all wrong with the watch. The history of the Rolex Daytona and its incredible success hinges massively on the technological breakthrough Zenith made with their El Primero.įor anyone in the dark, when Rolex launched their first production chronograph in 1963 it was the closest that giant of a brand had come to experiencing out-and-out failure. The watch came from the daughter of the original owner and includes the Extract of Archives from Zenith.For this edition of our ‘Rivalry’ series, we take a look at two watches that manage to be fierce competitors while also sharing a vital bond in each others narratives. Embracing the originality above all else, these are the small details that make us love an honest watch. At 9 o’clock, there is a small 2mm dent from a previous owner many years back. The case remains unpolished showing its original finishing and bevels.

The lug width is 19mm and the height is 12.5mm including the crystal. The watch is 38mm wide (with a lug-to-lug length of 45.5mm) and comes on the Gay Frères steel ladder bracelet. Competing with the tri-colored subdials, the attributes of this watch are really a beautiful testament to the sports watches of yesteryear. The model’s hands and hour markers feature a pale yellow tritium that immediately catches the attention of the wearer. Powered by the automatic high-beat calibre 3019, the highly emphasized red chronograph hand glides over the dial in the smoothest manner. Introduced in 1969, the Zenith El Primero Reference A386 sits amongst the most celebrated chronographs in watchmaking.

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