Since its founding in 1865, Zenith has relentlessly pursued excellence in precision and performance. The title "Master of Chronographs" embodies the brand’s ongoing commitment to innovation and excellence. It reflects both its storied history and numerous accomplishments that have advanced the art of mechanical chronographs.
Launched in 1969, Zenith’s El Primero was the first-ever automatic chronograph, its name, El Primero, meaning 'The First'. As such, the model has become a true icon among vintage wristwatches. It has an immediately recognizable design, featuring a round case with a thin bezel, a tachymeter scale, and a decimal scale up to 100 units. The distinctive overlapping subsidiary dials in different colors have become a hallmark of the El Primero chronograph. Zenith movements were later chosen by Rolex in 1987 as the base for developing their first automatic chronograph for the iconic Daytona.