Zenith

Team, I was chasing a De Luca for a very long time. I was able to locate several but they were the "new" version ("mercedes" hands) but I was hunting for a first edition. As a friend use to say "Keep hunting and any watch shows up", finally a Zenith De Lu...  

Congratulations on landing a beautiful watch and a true icon of post-Quartz Crisis Zenith. Not a just a De Luca, but a series I! This is the kind of classic that I love; revered by collectors, oozing character, real substance, and almost completely overlo... 

You are on the spot to mention the beauty of the plastic crystal reflex. Fantastic look, by my book. Cheers, Nilo

01.0040.400 (later it was changed to 01.0043.400), my references date it from 1988-1989 (my guess is 1988). Same source states that only 790 were produced! Rare and very maintainable, since it uses the classic El Primero 400 (not Z). Cheers, Nilo

As described on the attached Zenith maintenance document. Cheers, Nilo ...  

I like its style really. At the time I bought mine (1997), the De Luca was already quite famous and a reference for Rainbow models. Nice catch! Cheers, Mark My later cousin says hi ...  

Your Rainbow is gorgeous. I'm "torturing" a dear friend that has a Rainbow Flyback (the colorful one) and a De Luca latest edition. Let's see if accepts. Cheers, Nilo

Congrats! :) Yes, now you are closing in on vintage....! ;) Best Blomman

Just sit and relax because I'm about to add two more: a) A De Luca last phase (mercedes hands) b) The much desired Rainbow, fly back, tritium dial and hands! Then I'm done, for now, with El Primero(s). After this buying spree, I go to be focusing on ... n... 

I really like that watch, and the Deluca line overall. May I just add two tiny corrections to your marvelous post? Only the last release of the Deluca had screwdown pushers, while its predecessor had some kind of smooth sleeves around the pushers, that ha...  

About the pushers and the crystal. In respect to legibility, I have a friend that has the same issue and he sold me another Zenitth. Cheers, Nilo

Very nice model of de luca. Perhaps next year, but I am already saving an El Primero Espada or TV Screen Model El Primero from the 70's