Zenith Striking Tenth

What’s faster than a speeding bullet? The central seconds hand of the Zenith Striking Tenth.  Also, Superman.

We occasionally stray from our vintage beauties for a modern watch, and the Zenith Striking Tenth is one of the select few that make the cut. Take everything that makes a vintage El Primero great and add on an exciting modern twist and you have a watch that any lover of vintage chronographs can appreciate.

If you’ve never seen this watch in action, stop what you’re doing and visit our friends at Hodinkee HERE to watch a video of the chronograph in action. Taking advantage of the 36,000vph beat rate of the El Primero movement, Zenith modified the chronograph with 11 new components to make the central chrono hand go around the dial once every 10 seconds instead of once every minute. Seeing the Striking Tenth in action makes anything else appear absolutely glacial. If you love chronographs, it’s nearly impossible to avoid the Striking Tenth’s sirens song.

To accomplish this impressive horological feat, Zenith designed a blue double-layered clutch wheel out of silicon, which you can quickly spot through the sapphire display back, to power both the continually running seconds hand and 10th of a second chronograph hand. The wheel has 100 teeth on it, so if you pull out a calculator and do some math, you’ll figure out that the second hand strikes 10 times per second, thus the name, Striking Tenth. This model is the first time Zenith has taken full advantage of their 36,000vph movement, and they couldn’t have put it in a prettier package.

Any fan of vintage chronos will immediately recognize the dial on this watch. Closely modeled after the reference A386, Zenith’s first El Primero chronograph, the Striking Tenth is a great example of heritage model done right. The tri-color subdials are Zenith’s trademark look, and this limited edition of 1969 pieces (1969 for the year the El Primero was first released) is the best modern interpretation of the classic dial.

Offering great looks, one of the best chronograph movements ever made, a unique (and fun to play with) complication, the Striking Tenth earns a spot in any watch collection. Whether you’re just starting out, or a major collector looking for a great modern piece to use as a daily wearer, the Zenith will put a smile on your face as soon as you get the chrono running. All you have to do is watch it spin and you’ll be sold.