Wot's in da Box?: Summer doldrums edition

Captain Chrono

Captain Chrono engine is El Primero, so no, not a Captain Chrono. I'll give you a pass on that one.

It is a modern Zenith as many of you have surmised. As in from the current catalog. It is not a Primero.

Does it have a Fusee and Chain?

11. THAT would have been awesome! Alas, I have not won the lottery and it does not. I'm predicting you're going to be a bit let down in the end.

Is it from the Heritage collection?

12. It is not.

HINT: It has one of my favorite features of among the vintage Zenith sport watch dials.

Is it... from the captain collection (in general)

13. Yes!

Here is a picture hint.

Captain Central Second with the chocolate starburst dial?

Should have got half a point for picking Captain range

Close enough! Captain Central Second with the graduated smoke dial.



Well-executed brown dials are to me what blue dials are to Dennis. I saw one of these during my expedition to secure the Gonzo Primero this spring http://omegaforums.net/threads/fear-and-loathing-in-le-locle.4583/ and since then they just keep popping up. I resolved to get one if I could find an example at the right price, and I recently did.



As is usual with these, a bit difficult to capture the appearance in stills







Base Elite 670 inside



...and on the wrist

In that second last pic it actually looks a lot like a vintage Zenith

Thanks, gents. I've had my eye on these Captain Central Seconds since they came out - they are really very nicely proportioned, if just a hair large (40mm). I've tried several variations and liked all of them but not enough to make the buy.



I made the same connection. In fact, I mistook this one for a Moser when I first saw it in a shop window. When that happens, and then I find out it is actually a Zenith, it has my attention!

When Dufour rebooted Zenith in 2009, his initial three-hander watch effort was the UltraThin, but the markers were too small, leaving acres of unadorned dial, and I never made my peace with the characteristic nine o'clock running seconds dial of the Elite. Plus, it was trying too hard to be a JLC UltraThin. The Captain was a second effort, intended initially to be sportier, cheaper three-hander. It is a better balanced design, very easy to like, which looks good in a number of different versions. Its relative success is evidenced by the fact that the UltraThin is no longer a featured model, relegated to the moribund Hertage line. The Captian Central Seconds has new variations coming out yearly, and nicely fills the dress watch niche all by itself.

If I could improve on this one, I'd move the date window to the traditional Zenith position at 4:30, which would allow a full marker at six, and go back to the cursive font for the Elite or put the 'Captain' name back on the dial. Other than that, I really wouldn't change a thing.

Hmmm...that dial reminds me of that sad little Zenith with the manual wind 2542 movement where the seller had "seller's remorse" and too quickly refunded my money after the sale:



Love the dials on these,
gatorcpa

A couple more examples of the vintage Zenith smoke/fume dials - a design Zenith embraced back in the day