Zenith Caliber El Primero 4054

The Zenith caliber El Primero 4054 is an automatic chronograph movement with a triple-date annual calendar complication, requiring adjustment only once per year.

In Zenith’s own words:

“The mechanism powering this chronograph represents the ultimate expression of Zenith’s horlogical expertise: the high-precision El Primero movement, which has been produced within the Manufacture for over 40 years. El Primero is the only series-made movement to beat at a frequency of 36,000 vibrations per hour, meaning a rate of one beat every tenth of a second. The Captain Winsor Annual Calendar Boutique Edition houses the automatic El Primero Calibre 4054. This in-house movement, circular- grained and adorned with Côtes de Genève, is visible through the sapphire crystal case- back, itself surrounded by the engraved inscription ‘Captain – special edition’.” -Zenith, Captain Windsor Annual Calendar Boutique Edition press materials

About the Annual Calendar:

“The creative mind behind it is none other than the curator of the Musée International d’Horlogerie (MIH) in La Chaux-de- Fonds, Ludwig Oechslin. This passionate enthusiast has designed an annual calendar displaying the day of the week, the date and the month, while requiring only one annual adjustment. This complication is intended to be more accessible than the perpetual calendar for a large number of chronograph lovers. In order to ensure excellent readability, this display is provided by three concentric discs. The outer disc indicates the date, the middle one the month, while the innermost disc shows the day of the week. The mechanism is both simple and complex: for 31-day months, the date disc moves the month disc forward, while for 30-day months, the month disc makes the date disc “skip” the 31 st . Only the transition from February to March requires manual adjustment. Based on a clever and elegantly restrained construction, this complication comprises just nine mobile elements, whereas most calendars require between 30 and 40.” -Zenith, Captain Windsor Annual Calendar Boutique Edition press materials

How to Set the Time/Date:

On most watches with a calendar complication, you would pull the crown out one click to set the date, and two clicks to set the time. With the Zenith El Primero, the opposite is true:

• Position 0 (against the case) – Winding position
• Position 1 (pulled out one click) – Time-setting mode
• Position 2 (pulled out two clicks) – Date setting mode

To set the month, pull the crown out two clicks to date setting mode and advance the date forward until the correct month is reached.

To set the day of the week, pull the crown out one click to time-setting mode and adjust the hands past 12am, then back to 8pm, forward past 12am, then back to 8pm – back and forth until the desired day is displayed.

Additional Resources:

• Zenith service price list
• Zenith general instruction manual (pdf)