Zenith Chronomaster El Primero Ennstal-Classic 2018

The Ennstal-Classic is one of the most scenic classic car events in Europe and will be held in July this year for the 26th time. For a third time in a row after 2017 and 2016, Zenith will again provide correct timing of the event and celebrates this honour with a strictly limited special edition of its Chronomaster El Primero (and a fantastic Panda version to boot!):



It was last Monday when a group of journalists, classic car nuts and watch aficionados gathered (tightly packed) in the showroom of the renowned Vienna jeweller Hübner:





Well, we where there for something hidden, but that was not for very long:



The Ennstal-Classic organisers together with the Hübner team and Zenith Austria have created a strictly limited edition of the 42mm Chronomaster, which comes in a special box as well:





The Ennstal-Classic edition has a dark anthracite, almost black dial with silver subdials (also called 'inverted Panda dial') with a number of different accents:



My first hurrah: the watch is technically designed right, with a proper separation of colours of the hands between the timing function (black) and chronograph (red) - well done and very apropos for a watch that is destined to commemorate a car rally!



Also, the subdials are not overlapping completely, so reading the counted time is no issue.



Certainly, we have the logo of the Ennstal-Classic, which fits nicely to the overal design of the piece (colour matches well, nice size):



Then, one tiny little detail I love: the thing black frame around the date window at 6 o'clock. The frame moves the window aesthetically closer to the center, and is just lovely to watch:



Another detail which received attention are the pushers: They are colour coded as well, with black for start&stop and red for rest, respectively:



On the back the restraint applied on the dial gets a little bit lost: the famous (and visually certainly interesting) El Primero movement is overshadowed by the large and bold Ennstal-Classic logo. This in my opinion is a pity and could have been solved differently.



PuristS will have a déja-vu experience when they look closer... 'one of 25' sounds a bell? Like within the PuristS group this inscription was controversially discussed that night, with many loving it, but other also preferring an individual numbering.



Overall, a very well-done and nicely individualised piece, which makes a surprisingly powerful impression on the wrist:







The silvered dial elements capture light quite nicely - particularly at dawn when fading daylight mixes with artificial illumination:



In the following, I leave you with a few impressions of the evening and of the watch - no wonder is as a real 'click-bait', be it in passing...



... or more dedicated (ups, yours truly sneaked in again...)



Beauty in black: 'shall I stay or shall i go' -  leather or rubber, that is here the question, or better...



perforated brown (as here Helmut Zwickl, co-organiser of the Ennstal-Classic suggests)?



Its not strictly a male thing, for sure (and Andrea Daum-Hübner made sure there are also shorter straps for female wrists)!



Many wrist-trials with subsequent contemplation and discussions...







.. or technical evaluations (damn, me again!):



Even Strolchi, the resident watch-dog, did approve (well, its was made for him, right?):



Overall, all involved were happy with the evening - and the Chronomaster for the Ennstal-Classic Car Rally 2018:


(from left: Alexander Seidl (CEO Zenith Austria), Andrea Daum-Hübner, Astrid Stüger-Hübner)


(from left: Astrid Stüger-Hübner, Nils Maydell (M2Maydell PR), Andrea Daum-Hübner)


(from left: Andrea Daum-Hübner, Helmut Zwickl (co-organiser of the Ennstal-Classic), Astrid Stüger-Hübner )


(from left: Alexander Seidl (CEO Zenith Austria), Michael Glöckner (co-organiser of the Ennstal-Classic))


(the Inglorious Basterds (Wolfgang Greiner, Nils Maydell, Percy Christian Schoeler, Michael Greiner, yours truly) could not help to put the Zenith USB sticks to immediate use)

Congratulations Zenith, Hübner and Ennstal-Classic to a really attractive limited edition! I should mention that 5 of the 25 pieces will be awarded to the winners on the 5 competition categories of the rally, meaning that only 20 will be for sale. I expect them to go quickly!



Cheers,
Magnus

(all images watermarked with 'Zenith' are created by Georg Aufrichter)