Zenith El Primero Stratos Flyback automatic 46 mm

The story

The El Primero is the culmination of several years of research and development by Zenith to create the world's first automatic chronograph movement. The brand announced the El Primero at a press conference on January 10, 1969. Development of the caliber had begun in 1963, with the hope of launching it for Zenith's centenary in 1965. However, it was in this winter of 1969 that Zenith proudly presented a working model of its chronograph, making watchmaking history.

In the 1990s, Zenith once again pushed the boundaries of the contemporary chronograph. The company combined the El Primero's impressive automatic movement with flyback capabilities, allowing the wearer to instantly reset the central seconds hand to zero and start a new timekeeping run at the touch of a single button.

During the 1990s, Zenith responded to a call for tenders from the Ministry of Defense to design a watch for fighter pilots, with demanding specifications: a model capable of maintaining its precision despite violent accelerations of the order of 10G, as well as electromagnetic variations and extreme temperatures. Thus, in 1997, Zenith presented its first model: the Rainbow Flyback.

In the early 2010s, Zenith adapted this technology for a civilian watch, christened the El Primero Stratos Flyback Striking 10th. Combining the El Primero 4057 flyback movement (an evolution of the Rainbow's caliber 405) with a 1/10th of a second chronograph function, the seconds hand makes one complete revolution of the dial every 10 seconds. A major breakthrough in consumer timekeeping!

A stratospheric watch!

The Zenith Stratos is the first watch to break the sound barrier at the frontiers of space with Felix Baumgartner. Indeed, in 2012, the intrepid Felix Baumgartner took on the impossible during the Red Bull Stratos mission: accompanied by his Zenith watch, he soared into the stratosphere from a space capsule carried by a helium balloon. In free fall, Felix Baumgartner reached a record speed of 1,342 km/h. At the time, this jump set three new records: the first free-fall jump in history to break the sound barrier, the highest altitude achieved in a balloon and the highest free-fall jump ever attempted.

Subjected to significant gradients of pressure, temperature, altitude and acceleration, the ZENITH El Primero Stratos Flyback Striking 10th on the hero's wrist was still functioning perfectly when he arrived. This performance is all the more impressive given that it was a standard model.

The model

This El Primero Stratos Flyback Striking 10th is housed in a 45.5 mm stainless steel case with sapphire crystal and blue ceramic unidirectional bezel, which makes this model more casual than other Stratos models.

On this reference, we find a blue sunray dial, with applied hour markers, large luminescent hands, a date window at 6 o'clock and overlapping chronograph counters. This bold dial is perfectly legible, and we appreciate its "military" heritage combined with more "luxurious" polished elements!

This watch is mounted on a polished-brushed three-link steel bracelet, giving it that little sport-chic edge, despite its generous diameter...

The package

This Zenith Stratos is in very good condition. It will be delivered with its case as well as its user manual. This model, which has been authenticated and checked by our watchmaker, has also received polishing and satin-finishing. As such, it benefits from our Lepage Vintage 1-year warranty.