Alright, with that, we have firmly established the place of the Zenith El Primero Synopsis within the history of the El Primero, and by now, we are familiar with the key points in how it surpasses just about any sourced movement out there. After that lengthy discussion about the El Primero paradox, it is more than timely to focus on the numerous other, surprisingly beautiful details of the Zenith El Primero Synopsis. The Synopsis is available in a 40 millimeter wide and 11.7 millimeter thick case that comes with a 100 meter water resistance rating and is available in either rose gold or stainless steel. Altogether, the collection comprises five different versions, with options being a steel bracelet and gold plated indices for the base steel model. Despite the somewhat conservatively sized case (a most welcome development for many) and the simple time-only feature-set, the Zenith El Primero Synopsis looks bold on the wrist.
The large logo, the substantial and unusually shaped opening, the well defined hands, and the thick minute track lend a well balanced, but then again, strong and masculine aesthetic to the Zenith El Primero Synopsis. Quality of execution is on par with what one has come to expect from Zenith: attention to detail is showcased in the case’s alternating finishing, the faceted hands, as well as the large applied indices with polished and brushed surfaces. Zenith did get the finer details right.
A more divisive design choice may be the monochromatic look of the stainless steel version with silver colored, rhodium plated indices: it is only the skeletonized segment with its gold and purple wheels, jewels, and blue screws that adds a splash of color to the otherwise “fifty shades of grey” color scheme of the dial. The stainless steel model is also available with gold-colored indexes and hands without any price premium, for those who like the stainless steel version but also prefer the gold accents throughout the dial.
Something I did not instantly like were the Roman numerals printed onto the flange ring at the very periphery of the dial; I wish the applied indices extended over to the flange or some other design choice was made, that did away with these numerals. Finally – and I really am nit-picking here – the seconds track and its segmentation on the inner edge of the dial is entirely redundant as there is no central seconds hand that would point to this scale. Nevertheless, the dial looks well balanced and, thanks to the properly sized and quite masterfully faceted hour and minute hands, legibility remains excellent – even in low-light conditions, as the hands and indices are coated with SuperLuminova.
In conclusion, it was about time that Zenith made its moves to address the humongous market of time-only watches – and with the new Zenith El Primero Synopsis and revised Elite collections, it has done just that. For those more discerning watch nuts who will not consider the Sellita-powered Elite models, the Synopsis provides a splendid – albeit considerably more expensive – alternative, bringing the iconic El Primero caliber back into the picture.
The starting price for the Zenith El Primero Synopsis is $6,400 for the stainless steel versions on the alligator strap (03.2170.4613/01.C713 with gold-colored hands and indices, and 03.2170.4613/02.C714 with silver-colored hands and indices), $7,000 for the same pieces on the steel bracelet (03.2170.4613/01.M2170 and 03.2170.4613/02.M2170), and finally, $15,300 for the rose gold cased model. zenith-watches.com
