On the 50th anniversary of El Primero, Zenith CEO Julien Tornare shares how the movement fits into his blueprint for the watchmaker’s future
History was made in 1969 when Zenith produced and launched the El Primero movement, which represented not just a remarkable feat for the watch manufacture but also its triumph in a race that is legendary in the watchmaking world. The other two parties in this famous competition to launch the world’s first automatic chronograph movement were Seiko and the collective trio formed by Breitling, Heuer and Hamilton‑Buren. And while both went on to unveil their own creations, the glory of being first was solely Zenith’s, which has been known since for this revolutionary achievement.
Today, the El Primero chronograph movement continues to impress watch enthusiasts from every generation with its extreme precision. This year marks the 50th anniversary of its creation, an occasion that the watchmaker celebrated in Singapore with A Star Through Time, an adaptation of its Le Monde Étoilé de Zenith showcase in Le Locle, Switzerland, in 2018. CEO Julien Tornare, who was in Singapore for the celebration in August, shares his thoughts on the El Primero movement, and his future plans for Zenith.