ZENITH El-Primero, Chronograph Automatic, Mark I, Ref. A386, case no. illegible, circa 1969.
ZENITH
El-Primero, Chronograph Automatic, Mark I, Ref. A386, case no. illegible, circa 1969.
A very fine and very attractive, water-resistant, tonneau-shaped, automatic chronograph wristwatch with silvered dial, intercrossing and multi-colored registers, luminous hands, date and tachymeter scale.
Fitted with a Cal. 3019PHC, 31 jewels, index regulator, shock absorbers, screwed case back, round chronograph pushers, winding crown fitted with the Star logo. Dial, case and movement signed.
Diam. 37.70 mm. Thickness 12.80 mm.
Introduced at the Basel Fair in 1969, the Ref. AH386 was one of the very first self-winding chronographs. Furthermore, it was the first automatic chronograph with high frequency, 36’000 alt/hour. According to the book Zenith, by Joël Duval the model, ref. AH386, was produced between 1969 and 1972, a total production of 4500 examples in stainless steel. According to the book Zenith, by Manfred Rössler, Edition Damiani, only 2,500 examples of the AH386 reference were produced between 1969 and 1971.
Rare, made in small quantities, well-powered with its column wheel high beat cal. 3019, the Zenith AH386 has become an absolute classic.
Because of a light polishing of the case back, the serial number is no more visible, however we can identify the present model as a Mark I - early production series, with case no. 538DXXX to 539DXXX, estimate range in the 200 to 400 - because of its thin sub dials hands, plain (or smooth) case back, no groove on the lugs, slightly different design from the two other mark, dial with letter P (from CHRONOGRAPH) and letter C (from AUTOMATIC) perfectly superposed, winding crown set with a four pointed star inside a circle inside case back engraved and centered, as follow, by order of appearance from top to bottom « Zenith, Swiss Made, Acier Inoxydable » (no Spillman number).
The model is illustrated in Zenith, by Joël Duval, édition Albin Michel, pages 318 & 319. The model is also illustrated in Zenith, by Manfred Rössler, Edition Damiani, page 249.CONDITIONS AND INFORMATION FOR BUYERS
THE PURCHASE PRICE PAYABLE BY A BUYER IS THE TOTAL OF THE FINAL BID PRICE PLUS THE BUYER'S PREMIUM (25% OF THE AUCTION PRICE OF EACH LOT), AND ANY APPLICABLE SALES OR USE TAX.
ONCE A BID IS PLACED BY THE BIDDER ONLINE, IT CANNOT BE WITHDRAWN.
LOTS ARE SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR CONDITIONS OF SALE, DESCRIBED TO THE BEST OF OUR KNOWLEDGE AND CANNOT BE RETURNED. THE ONLINE CONDITION REPORT IS NOT AN SUBSTITUTE FOR PROFESSIONAL ADVICE, WHICH YOU MAY SEEK, REGARDING THE CONDITION OF A LOT.
PHOTOS ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE DESCRIPTION AND CONDITION REPORT. ANY DEFECTS NOT MENTIONED IN THE DESCRIPTIONS BUT VISIBLE IN THE PHOTOS WILL BE CONSIDERED AS DESCRIBED AND WILL NOT GIVE RISE TO ANY CLAIMS. THE ONLINE CONDITION REPORT MAY NOT DESCRIBE ALL DEFECTS IN A LOT, SUCH AS RESTORATIONS, DEGRADATIONS OR ADAPTATIONS. PHOTOS ARE NOT RETOUCHED. THE COLORS MAY DIFFER FROM REALITY. THE DIMENSIONS ARE GIVEN AS AN INDICATION AND MAY DIFFER SLIGHTLY FROM THE MEASUREMENTS MENTIONED BY THE MANUFACTURERS, ESPECIALLY FOR CONTEMPORARY TIMEPIECES. FOR WATCHES, WE DO NOT GUARANTEE THE FUNCTIONING OR THE PRECISION OF THE MOVEMENT, NOR THE WATERPROOFNESS OF THE CASE.
