gup502
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The legend goes to
the first Rainbow flyback. Thanks for the very nice review and comparison of the two watches.
For me the latest reincarnation of the Rainbow fits well in today's trends of watch manufacturing. Contrasted to a true pilot watch which the original one was designed for, the new one has shiny casing and partly flashy bracelet can be annoying or distracting for real pilots (probably not so much for commercial pilots). The date window of the newer one also has sacrificed the timing markers to make a difference.
If the two were identical apart from the size, what would be the point of a re-issue? All I can say is a lot of thoughts were put into the design of the original one which makes it a legend in the manufacturing of watches at Zenith.
Zenith Coffee House Tales (vii): Back to the Future - the El Primero Stratos Flyback Rainbow
With the newest edition of the Zenith Coffee House Tales I would like to present the Zenith El Primero Stratos Flyback Rainbow watch as the other example on how the brand is trying to reconnect with its vast heritage and attempting to draw inspiration the...
I miss my "vintage" Rainbow
Perfect balanced, cool case, El Primero inside. The new one is part of the gigantic phase that Zenith is delivering. Too big for my average sized wrist. Congratulations for the post. Very illustrative comparison. Cheers, Nilo
Thanks Nilo, and I would be surprised if YOU...
would chose anything else than the original ;-) Best, Magnus
Another great coffee house tale, Magnus! :)
Thank you, I really enjoy this series! :) The new Rainbow is a monster! Huge! I prefer the old version size. As for the design of the new one I really like the more centered dial with overlapping sub-dials. The date at 6 is not a favorite location, especi...
Excellent post as usual.
To make a long story short, I have mixed emotions with the Stratos Flyback Rainbow. It is obviously a great watch but its size is too large for my taste... and for the EP movement. Anyway, your article is excellent and it was a pleasure to read it. Fx
Choosing one of the Zenith Stratos Flyback Rainbow
Magnus, Thank you and Ms R for the discussion. I used to accept all sizes of watches but as I got older, my preference is now for function over form. Inevitably, that function determines the ideal form anyway....so there is no loss of aesthetic merit. Thu...
Functionally there is definitely no reason to increase the size...
but marketing-wise I think it is ;-) Another aspect of watchmaking... Cheers, Magnus
I prefer the smaller size of the original one, but
love the crown, pushers and bracelet of the new one.
All of the above plus the apparent thinness of the watch...
which is clearly visible here: 'Apparent' because in fact the watch is thicker then the original - but extremely carefully designed. Best, Magnus ...
The legend goes to
the first Rainbow flyback. Thanks for the very nice review and comparison of the two watches. For me the latest reincarnation of the Rainbow fits well in today's trends of watch manufacturing. Contrasted to a true pilot watch which the original one was de...
Reflecting today's trends of watch manufacturing - yes, I think so!
and I guess this is essential in order to attract buyers. Zenith was a mere wallflower over much of its recent history, thus - besides us - very few potential buyers care about the original watch, I think, and are more interested in an attractive modern w...
Another great post! i prefer...
the old one. size is more elegant. also prefer the pushers and the bracelet on the old one. then there's the date placement which i think i better executed on the old one. nothing really compelling about the newer model unless maybe your wrist size is mor...
Thanks Echi, I appreciate the contemporary version...
as it is a true representative of today's 'tool' watches. More luxury than tool, just look at the Blancpain 50 Fathoms, for example. Cheers, Magnus
The most telling difference . . .
. . . other than size might be the shift in symmetry. The original evinces slanted symmetry with identically sized constantly running seconds and chrono hours counters at a 45º angle to the center line, accentuated by date aperture placement ~ 120º from t...
Absolutely, Art, and I think the slanted symmetry...
adds much to the charm of the old piece. Magnus