First Among Equals

The Peak joined in the celebration as Zenith marked the 50th anniversary of its iconic El Primero movement with a special exhibition in Singapore.

- Christy Yoong

It’s remarkable how just one man’s actions can change history. As I wandered through Zenith’s recent pop-up exhibition in Singapore to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its pioneering El Primero movement, I was repeatedly reminded of Charles Vermot. Not only did he ensure that El Primero actually survived to celebrate its 50th anniversary, he also, conceivably, secured Zenith’s star as one of horology’s leading lights.

What a trailblazing year 1969 turned out to be: the first man walked on the moon, while the Concorde broke the sound barrier. It was the year when the counterculture movement hit its peak with Woodstock even as the Arpanet project, the forerunner of the Internet, was introduced. For the world of haute horlogerie, 1969 will forever be the year of El Primero, the first automatic chronograph in history. Seven years in the making, El Primero was an exceptional feat: an integrated caliber designed as a complete whole and beating at 33,000 vibrations per hour. At a very svelte 6.5mm high by 29.33mm wide, it even came with a date function. The world’s most accurate chronograph at the time of its birth, El Primero remains the most precise series made caliber today.