Introducing: The Zenith El Primero Range Rover Special Edition, A Sleek Chronograph With An Aluminum And Ceramic Case
In recent years, Zenith has been working hard to make its presence felt in the world of vintage cars and motorsports, partnering with the Tour Auto, the Hero Cup, the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association, and a handful of other classic car events. Its decision to partner with Land Rover therefore seems in some ways like a natural extension of that effort, though it’s also the first time its partner is an actual modern car manufacturer. The result is a pretty special watch that manages to tick a lot of boxes on its own, partnerships and marketing aside.
To inaugurate this collaboration, Zenith chose to create a modified version of the standard 42mm El Primero 36,000 vph, which is of course powered by the automatic El Primero 400B chronograph movement. This is far from the first time Zenith has utilized this basic model for creating a special edition – in fact, just earlier this year Zenith introduced the El Primero 36,000 vph Classic Cars, a limited edition with a new dial.
For the El Primero Range Rover Special Edition, Zenith has created a 42mm aluminum case – a nod to the chassis of the Range Rover – and finished it with a matte black ceramic coating. Aluminum is obviously lightweight but is more fragile than steel, something the ceramic coating offsets a bit. The pushers and crown are finished the same way, and the theme is followed through right onto the dial, which is dark grey with an evenly brushed finish.
An interesting anecdote that ties both companies together is the historical significance of the year 1969, which was marked by the introduction of Land Rover’s first luxury SUV, the Range Rover, as well as Zenith’s El Primero chronograph movement. This year’s special edition houses the latest version of that movement, the El Primero 400B, which is a high-beat (5 Hz), column-wheel chronograph, with a 50-hour power reserve.
In terms of design, this is one of the more straightforward collaborative pieces from Zenith – we’ve been accustomed to more elaborate dials from the manufacture recently, including that of the El Primero Chronomaster For The Rolling Stones. But even when there’s been a concerted effort to create a watch that, in the words of Gerry McGovern, Land …read more
