FLASHBACK - Zenith Daytona is back!!! New model for 2021!

[vh2k]

Originally Posted by myc ritz

WAY too close to Daytona knock off. They could have done much more with this.

Initial reviews and feedback on social media are overwhelmingly positive.

Every time someone mentions the Rolex Daytona and this Zenith in the same sentence, it’s a PR win for Zenith. Very smart move.

[Stan Cooper]

Originally Posted by the dark knight

How are the El Primero movements in terms of reliability, durability, and most importantly are they fairly easy to service for your local watchmaker?

I had my El Primero serviced by local watchmaker Rolf Klotz in San Francisco before he retired. It's been a solid, accurate, reliable movement (it's not the same caliber as in the new chronograph, though).

[Andad]

Very nice and similar to the striking 10th but both models lost me at the overlapping sub-dials, very untidy.

Your dial looks much better Stan.

[Rollieo]

Originally Posted by vh2k

13.6mm

Hmmm. Reasonable that it’s thicker with the date complication and 1/10th second capability. But man is 12mm and 13.6mm such a difference.

[Loevhagen]

Some people will probably buy this as they can't get the Daytona. These people will be making a huge mistake.

But those mistakes will lead to more of the new Zenith "Daytona lookalike" on the used market at a discount, as MSRP for these are too close to a new Daytona.

And - what:

[Cru Jones]

Hard to deny the aesthetic similarities. If one wants a Daytona, I don’t see one spending $10k on this one.

It’s a shame as the movement is quite nice in the technical and looks departments.

[Dhiren]

I love it ! Definitely going to get one


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[ndrs63]

Originally Posted by georgekart

From this link, man, it is clear they are not trying to make it look like a Daytona. Even the clasp looks so so different.

Yeah, that clasp is nothing like a Rolex’s.

Ps:
Has Rolex filed the lawsuit yet? I’m surprised it takes them this long


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[danwang0520]

no tachymeter??

[djona]

Originally Posted by Loevhagen

And - what:

Good eye.

[cornerstore]

It’s not really trying to be anything but what it is - a homage to a 1969 Zenith El Primero Chronograph A386 . I kind of like it .
https://www.visionvintagewatches.com...l-primero-a386

[tom2]

No disrespect to Zenith, but this is a low budget Daytona.

[Macnavara]

This is how the daytona should look next time

[HogwldFLTR]

It's a nice looking watch; not sure it would give me do as much for me as wearing my Daytonas does!! It would be another placebo in my medicine cabinet!!! I think not!!! At 40% off perhaps!!!

[georgekart]

Originally Posted by lhawli

I think Daytona owes Zenith a much bigger debt than a similar bezel or clasp... it's payback ;)

I don't know about that. It'd be like Mercedes creating a car that looks like a Pagani since they sell them engines. Rolex paid for the use of the movement. And they modified it extensively too. So it's not like Zenith can just grab a Daytona design just because they used to sell them the movement 20+ years ago.

[georgekart]

Originally Posted by cornerstore

It’s not really trying to be anything but what it is - a homage to a 1969 Zenith El Primero Chronograph A386 . I kind of like it .
https://www.visionvintagewatches.com...l-primero-a386

You know what's trying to be a homage to A386? A386 Revival. This looks completely different.

[Fleetlord]

To me this symbolizes a lot of the ills of the luxury watch industry.

“Me Too” styling. Quality issues (that endlink gap is worse than Invicta).
Inflated retail to generate “air of exclusivity” (exclusion because it’s expensive), which will lead to massive discounts. They will be overproduced and end up all over grey dealers.

Too bad because movement is great. Oh well.

[fskywalker]

Originally Posted by Stan Cooper

I like it! The 4:30 date window doesn't bother me at all, and one of the reasons I've resisted buying a Daytona is the lack of a date complication.

Good for Zenith!

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[BLNR Nairobi]

This will be popular. There are many people who would want a Daytona but cannot be able to get it from the AD (and may not be willing to pay the excess premium for a grey ...or risk some ‘non-Daytona Daytona’s’ that are nowadays difficult to differentiate from the real McCoy and make the grey market difficult for some) who may see this as a viable alternative.

Not for me, but I wouldn’t be surprised if one did a Coke-Pepsi test and this Zenith beat the (normal, non-Snoopy) Omega Speedmaster..

Sounds like blasphemy, but it’s not.

This watch will be more popular than some here may want to admit.

[Treble Treble]

Beautiful looking watch and chance to buy it, that’s novel


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[77T]

Not that I’d use a watch for lap time or race length purposes - I do think this has solved for the useless “units/hr.” bezel.

And the subdials are intuitive...”The three overlapping sub-dials consist of the two chronograph totalizers (60 seconds and 60 minutes) and the running seconds.”

Anyone in endurance racing has known for decades that the 30 minute totalizer is a disaster when a fuzzy head is awaiting its next stint.

In short, this Zenith is more fit for purpose than the Daytona.

As for a “ripoff” I can’t understand that moniker - the dial layout of a Daytona was a result of a Zenith movement all those years ago.

Is it worth almost $10K USD?
No...ergo, the discounts down to about $6K - which is Speedy turf.


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[charger_vital]

Originally Posted by Ghost410

How’s the quality of zenith compared to Rolex?

I have a Daytona and I had the El Primero Chronomaster 42mm until recently. As far as quality (fit, finish, movement, etc.), both definitely sit a step above the Omega and a step below Vacheron/AP/PP...

Between the two it's a tough call. I might give a slight nod to Zenith for finish... Slight nod to Rolex for durability... But they are both definitely in the same class.

[charger_vital]

Originally Posted by tom2

No disrespect to Zenith, but this is a low budget Daytona.

I have a Daytona and a Zenith and I could not disagree more.


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[charger_vital]

Originally Posted by georgekart

You know what's trying to be a homage to A386? A386 Revival. This looks completely different.

I think his point is that anyone who is calling the new Chronomaster an “homage” to a Daytona doesn’t know the history of Zenith... or of the Rolex Daytona for that matter. It’s not an homage when zenith has been the king of Chronos for 50years.


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[fooey]

This is gonna be a big seller!
Rolex are gonna loose a lot of sales to watches like this because of their stupid low production business plan!
i really like it!

[charger_vital]

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[jscw]

I saw a Zaytona this time.

[1William]

I like Zenith as a brand and they have done a good job with some of the new releases. This watch is not for me for so many reasons but I don't want something that looks like something else.

[emtee]

I think it looks great but yes clearly influenced by the current Daytona.

Look forward trying one on someday.

[wrxdev]

Looks good. Bracelet could be better designed for a $10k MSRP. Hoping for the novelty to wear out and this becoming available for 30 to 40% off. At that price, this will be a great piece.