I have hopes for a stainless steel version to come later in the year, though I can’t at this time see why splitting these launches would be necessary. The El Primero has a global and extensive fan base, so if you want to mess with their minds and make them feel worthless, launching nothing more than an all-gold limited edition for $19,900 is a tried and proven way of doing that. And other than some strange case supplier-related limitations, I cannot think of a solid reason why this must have been necessary. As I said, this case study is, rather inexplicably, exclusively available in 18k white gold, 18k rose gold and 18k yellow gold. The A386 oozes ’70s style - yes, we all know it debuted in 1969, but the design, defined by its flat, angular lugs, unobstructed crown and piston-pushers, domed crystal, 38mm diameter and unashamed dashes of color is very much a case study in ’70s wristwatch aesthetics. The real head-scratcher here is when, if at all, are we going to see some non-limited, competitively priced steel homages to the original ~1969 variations of the El Primero – as I am sure we have plenty of fans lining up around the world for Zenith and a tribute to its original 5 Hertz chronograph. Sure, a total of 150 pieces, each of them clad in - and priced for - different alloys of solid gold, can reasonably have a preposterous warranty like that but it sure is a fun element to the “revival” of the first-ever El Primero model from 1969. Exclusively in 18k gold and limited to 50 pieces, each comes with a 50-year warranty. Behold three limited-edition references with the Zenith El Primero A386 Revival, launched as part of the 50th-anniversary celebration of one of the greatest automatic chronograph wristwatches ever made.

The 50th anniversary of the Zenith El Primero makes for a splendid opportunity for some justified tributes, homages or, as Zenith apparently likes to call them, revivals.

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