#CHRONOMASTER EL PRIMERO OPEN FULL#The watch will come in two variations: a full stainless steel case, or two-tone stainless steel and pink gold. Both will feature a domed sapphire crystal on the front, and a sapphire case-back. It’s not a surprise, as Zenith has a penchant for some truly polarizing and bold designs, and this watch is a natural progression in the El Primero line which now has something like over 70 watches in production. Whether one likes or dislikes full open watches is down to personal preferences and taste, but that doesn’t mean a watch without a dial can’t be tastefully done.For Baselworld 2017, Zenith is releasing the Chronomaster El Primero Grande Date Full Open watch. Featuring a dial carved in sapphire, a dual-disc sun and moon phase, and for the first time in the Grande Date, a fully skeletonized architecture, it’s hard to not be both enamored and a little overwhelmed by the high-energy design. There can be no doubt to the wow-factor of the El Primero Full Open – it’s a striking watch, with a full skyline of wheels, tiny springs, cams, plates, and openworked sub-dials – it’s one heck of a view, and also something that you’re highly unlikely to get bored of anytime soon (or ever, for that matter). Let’s dig in and see all the pros and cons of this bold, new, and attractive iteration of such a much-loved chronograph. The end result is one bonkers looking El Primero that comes with tons of newness and excitement to it – but also a few issues that are worth mentioning. Kudos to Zenith for using the correct term and calling this a Full Open and not an El Primero Skeleton, although this piece does seem to include a few pieces that appear to have been modified to make the dial-side of the El Primero more fascinating to look at. It is also here where we should note that this is not really a skeletonized watch, as that term is traditionally used to refer to movements whose plates (and maybe some other parts) have been fully hollowed out so as to introduce as much transparency into the movement’s structure as possible. The Zenith Chronomaster El Primero Full Open 38.00 is a new reference for 2017, and while there have been numerous variations of the El Primero with different extents of skeletonization, this is the first one I can recall to be a 38mm-wide variant with a fully removed dial. Some will love the El Primero for that, but others will want to know that it’s a watch you can hear in quiet environments – not something you’ll likely make out in the boutique, when trying it on. In a quiet room, it is audible when on the desk at about two feet away, and when I lift my arm near my head – striking my Rodin’s The Thinker pose – I can hear it tick-tocking at its frantic and impressive 36,000bph. Notably, the El Primero 400 is also as loud as it’s ever been, especially now, with the open dial, that allows sound to pass through the case with yet greater ease. The column wheel, horizontal clutch, automatic winding, and a beautiful movement and sub-dial layout make it a true classic. It is, of course, a fully integrated chronograph caliber, composed of 278 parts, 31 jewels, and a balance wheel that beats at the much-loved 5Hz frequency, while power reserve runs over two full days at around 50 hours. The movement inside remains the El Primero 400 Automatic, a classic iteration that falls very close to the original El Primero caliber – mind you, it is now behind a grey tinted crystal that makes it a bit more difficult to appreciate under some lighting conditions. Both the front and back feature sapphire crystal windows, with the front featuring dual-side AR-coating over its boxed and slightly domed crystal element. The Zenith Chronomaster El Primero Full Open 38.00 comes in a 38mm wide and 12.45mm thick case, sporting an ample 100m of water resistance and matched to an odd, 19mm wide strap.
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