![]() Tooling and other machinery necessary for mechanical movement production would be scrapped. The company returned to Swiss ownership in 1978, but decision was made to concentrate on production of solely quartz timepieces. Ownership transferred to an American entity - Zenith Radio Corporation of America. ![]() One of its most difficult periods was during the 1970s, when quartz watches affected the entire watch industry. Zenith has faced a considerable number of ups and downs over the years. Despite the extreme stresses of pressure and temperature, the watch continued to operate normally as designed with no loss of accuracy noted. One famous test of its capability was made in 1970 when an El Primero was strapped to the landing gear of a Boeing 707 during a flight from Paris to New York. This movement requires the attention of 20 watchmakers, who perform 5,500 steps to assemble it. It was one of the first automatic chronograph movements, and packed with many breakthrough innovations. In 1969, Zenith launched the El Primero, one of the most iconic movement in the history of horology. During this long gestation period, each watch will undergo extensive tests to ensure its quality. Approximately 80 different craftsmen would be involved in producing a Zenith timepiece. This is the typical time it takes from creation to completing a Zenith watch. It is generally said that a Zenith watch will spend its first nine months of being in the brand's Swiss factory. ![]() Of the three, the A385 is the rarest as only 2,400 examples were ever produced. The A385 has the same tonneau-shaped design of the A384 while the A386 has the more traditional round casing. The first was the A385 then followed by the A384 and A386. In 1969 Zenith launched a trifecta of the new El Premero engined chronographs. This design, which has the combination of a column wheel and a vertical clutch would later become the genesis for high-end chronograph movements. Seiko created the 6139, a chronograph with an integrated architecture, where the chronograph parts are not added to an existing movement but integrated into a single design.The output was the Calibre 11 or Chronomatic, with micro-rotor automatic base and chronograph plate on the backside. The consortium comprising Heuer, Hamilton and Breitling watch companies in association with Buren for the base movement and Dubois-Depraz for the chronograph module.Zenith Watch Company created the El Primero, a high-frequency but traditional horizontal clutch and integrated movement with a central rotor.
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