Horological Meandering

Zenith & PuristSPro.com celebrate the watch community’s 15th Anniversary with the exclusive Cronometro Tipo CP-2 for PuristSPro - Special Edition of 50 pieces

 

The world’s most influential community of passionate watch aficionados, PuristSPro.com , celebrates its 15^th anniversary. On this occasion, PuristSPro partnered with one of the most respected fully integrated Swiss watch manufactures, Zenith, to mark this anniversary with a custom-made timepiece: The Cronometro Tipo CP-2 for PuristSPro !
 

Based upon Zenith’s recently presented homage to one of the most sought after military pieces, the Cronometro Tipo CP 2, a military chronograph created in the mid-1960s on special order of the Italian Army, the Cronometro Tipo CP-2 for PuristSPro is laden with chronometric delicacies and aesthetic refinements worth carrying a PuristSPro designation:



The purity of the design and the technical excellence secure the Cronometro Tipo CP-2 its popularity amongst watch aficionados: Optically true to the original, the difference is mainly a nod to another Zenith legend, the famous El Primero automatic chronograph movement. Renowned for its excellent reliability and its timekeeping precision, it was considered a worthy successor to the original’s manually wound Cal. 146 DP.



Like the latter, it features a classical column wheel controlled chronograph, but adds to this an efficient automatic winding and a precise fast-beat escapement with 36,000 VPH. Everything else, the 43mm stainless steel case, the bezel, the black dial with permanent seconds dial and minute counter, the arrow-shaped seconds hand are exact reproductions of the legendary original.

No wonder the Cronometro Tipo CP-2 became an instant favourite when both Zenith and PuristSPro teams brainstormed about the collaborative watch. Recognising that being Purists at heart (aptly summarised with the PuristSPro slogan ‘passion, opinion, information’) demands nothing less that excellence, a holistic vision for customisation was developed:







The El Primero calibre 4069 (the two-register variant of the original El Primero; featuring 254 individual components including 35 jewels) was turbo-charged with Zenith’s proven silicon escapement assembly.



An official certificate, individual to each single movement, attests its superior performance according to the standards of the Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres (COSC). The movement has a unique monochrome rhodinised finish (which includes all wheels and gears) and serves as a visible allusion to the movement’s uniqueness. The movement can be admired through a display back:



Having the performance of the movement certified by the official COSC, it was now more than fitting to replace the ‘Automatic’ inscription of the dial with the Italian word ‘Cronometro’, exactly like the historical archetype. On the back of the watch, a dedicated engraving on the bezel reads ‘ PuristSPro - 1 of 50' , referring to the strict limitation:



Finally, you'll find the words ‘Passion, Opinion, Information’ on the rotor, the core values uniting PuristS worldwide.



Two unique straps, a green NATO textile and an olive Nubuk leather strap, together with both a deployant and a pin style buckle, complete the package.









Only 50 limited pieces are available exclusively at PuristSPro.com .



Technical Details COLLECTION HERITAGE: CRONOMETRO TIPO CP-2 FOR PURISTSPRO SPECIAL EDITION:

• Reference: 03.2241.4069/27.C803

CASE, DIAL AND HANDS

• Material: stainless steel
• Diameter: 43 mm
• Diameter opening: 32.5 mm
• Thickness: 12.85 mm
• Crystal: Domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment on both sides
• Case-back: Transparent sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment on both sides adorned with limited edition engraving ('PuristSPro - 1 of 50’)
• Water-resistance: 10 ATM
• Dial: Black with ‘Cronometro’ inscription
• Hour-markers: Arabic numerals in SuperLuminova SLN C1
• Hands: Rhodium-plated, faceted and coated with SuperLuminova SLN C1

MOVEMENT:

• Movement El Primero 4069, automatic
• Calibre 13¹⁄₄``` (Diameter: 30 mm)
• Movement thickness: 6.6 mm
• Components: 254 Jewels: 35
• Silicon escapement
• COSC certification
• Frequency: 36,000 VpH (5 Hz)
• Power-reserve: Min. 50 hours
• Finishes: monochrome finish of all movement parts, oscillating weight with custom 'passion, opinion, information' engraving

FUNCTIONS:

• Hours and minutes in the centre
• Small seconds at 9 o’clock

CHRONOGRAPH:

• Central chronograph hand 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock

STRAP & BUCKLES:

• 2 straps, a green NATO textile with folding buckle and an olive Nubuk leather strap with stainless steel pin buckle
• Strap changing tool

Limited Edition of 50 units. One watch has been held back and will be auctioned in the near future for a charity chosen by PuristSPro or PuristSPro members.

HOW TO ORDER:
The price is US$8,700 plus net shipment. Please send an email or a PM to me, Andrew Luff or Bill N. Orders will be served according to receipt your committment.



ZENITH:Watch Manufacture Since 1865
Zenith is a brand that has been bringing style and substance to the wrists of watchmaking cognoscenti all over the world for more than 150 years. Founded in Le Locle in 1865 by a visionary watchmaker, Georges Favre-Jacot, the Manufacture Zenith gained swift recognition for the precision of its chronometers, with which it has won 2,333 chronometry prizes in a century and a half of existence: an absolute record. Having earned fame thanks to its legendary El Primero calibre – an integrated automatic column-wheel chronograph movement launched in 1969 and endowed with a high frequency of 36,000 vibrations per hour that ensures short-time measurements accurate to the nearest 1/10th of a second – the Manufacture Zenith has since developed over 600 movement variations. Zenith remains one of a select group of traditional luxury watch brands to produce all its movements in-house, the industry’s ultimate token of quality. Engaged in several vintage territories such as classic cars, Zenith currently offers a collection of exclusive and ageless finely crafted timepieces designed for sartorially minded men and women.Zenith’s rich heritage, tradition, passion and pursuit of excellence reflect the legacy of its slogan “Legends are forever”.

PuristSPro / Watchprosite: a multi-brand dedicated discussion forum on watches for enthusiasts across the world who enjoy luxury brand watches.
Established in 2001 with a team 25 brand moderators located on five continents, bringing you up-to-the-minute coverage and discussion on novelties in the watch world and all that is important to our horology focused community. We cover all the major luxury brands, smaller watch manufactures as well as independent master watchmakers alike. Our mission is

1. To be the best online destination for watch collectors, providing in-depth knowledge, reviews and technical reports on wristwatches.
2. To engage, entertain and educate the watch collecting community about wristwatches and the watchmaking industry.
3. To empower watch collectors with expert reports and reviews which can help them buy, collect and expand their knowledge about watch brands worldwide.