In 1969, at a press conference held on January the 10th, Zenith announced the imminent launch of the first fully integrated, high-frequency, automatic chronograph movement. With all these requirements, the bar was raised so high that the project could not be completed in time for the centenary in 1965 but it required four more years. A relatively small size and a date indication were additional specifications. And to make things even more challenging, the beating frequency of the chronograph had to be high enough to make it the most accurate chronograph wristwatch in the world measuring 1/10th of a second.

Instead of considering the easier option to add a chronograph module to a base movement, Zenith had a more ambitious plan: the chronograph function had to be fully integrated within the mechanism and actuated by a column wheel rather than by an easier-to-implement cam.

In 1962, Zenith began developing the idea of creating the first automatic chronograph in watchmaking history with the ambition to launch it in 1965, on occasion of the centenary of the Manufactury. An ergonomically designed stainless-steel bracelet, water resistance of up to 100 meters and a power reserve of up to 60 hours make this watch, which is equally suitable for men and women, a reliable everyday companion.While automatic movements for “solo-tempo” or three-hand watches started becoming popular in the 1940s and 1950s, no automatic chronograph movements had been manufactured yet. The matte black dial with a date display between four and five o'clock and an outer scale for the precise measurement of tenths of a second harmonizes perfectly with this. Further complications such as the 60-minute counter and the 60-second counter find their place in the overlapping totalizers, which are designed in the brand's colors, as is typical for Zenith. With its transparent counter for the running seconds, the self-winding 1/10th of a second chronograph movement El Primero 3604 characterizes this version not only with technical sophistication, but also with a fascinating visual appearance.

03.3300.3604/21.M3300) presents an unobstructed view of the watch’s high-precision beating heart, which Zenith accurately fits into the 39.5-millimeter stainless-steel case.

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