Genesis
In 1969, Zenith presents El Primero, the first ever integrated automatic watch, beating at the exceptional speed of 36,000 vibrations per hour and thus displaying 1/10th second precision – an achievement that makes it the world’s most accurate series-produced chronograph to this very day.
Zenith built the Rainbow Flyback model in 1997 based on technical specifications established for the French Air Force. The result was a rugged, high-performance timepiece capable of standing up to the most extreme conditions. The goal was to develop a watch capable of maintaining excellent precision even in extreme conditions of use – including violent accelerations from 9 to 11 Gs, variations in pressure and temperature, as well as vibrations and magnetic fields.
The brand with the guiding star now draws inspiration from this high-precision instrument in presenting a new sporty version: the El Primero Stratos Flyback Rainbow – a 250-piece limited edition exclusively available in Zenith Boutiques.
El Primero Stratos Flyback
The El Primero Stratos Flyback Rainbow is driven by the El Primero Calibre 405 B automatic movement built around a column wheel. The chronograph beats at the frequency of 36,000 vibrations per hour enabling 1/10th second precision. It is equipped with a date display, a telemetric scale, and above all with the famous flyback function. Closely bound up with the world of aviation, the latter enables pilots to stop, start and restart the chronograph at a single press on the push-piece, compared with three presses required for a standard chronograph.
Made of black Alchron – a light and resistant titanium and aluminium alloy – the case with its 45.5 mm diameter is topped by a rotating bezel bearing a scratch-resistant aluminium ring. The rounded sapphire crystal is shaped like an astrodome – the dome located on the fuselage’s dorsal ridge to enable astronavigation. The movement can be seen through the transparent engraved sapphire case-back.
On the dial side, the minutes counter at 3 o’clock appears in colours enabling night-time readings in infrared-lit cockpits, exactly like the first model developed in cooperation with a fighter pilot, while the hours are displayed at 6 o’clock and the small seconds at 9 o’clock. The white superluminova hour-markers create a striking contrast with the black of the dial and case, while the chronograph sweep seconds hand stands out in red. The inner bezel ring bearing a telemetric scale creates an overall depth effect.
The El Primero Stratos Flyback Rainbow comes on a sporty rubber strap fitted with a black PVD-coated folding clasp.
El Primero Stratos Flyingback Rainbow
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A new stylish and virile timepiece, inspired by its two illustrious predecessors, El Primero et Rainbow Flyback.
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