BY DHANANJAY PATHAK
What happens when a renowned watch customization company collaborates with a leading watch brand? Well, what else, it results in the creation of a unique and intriguing timepiece such as the new Bamford Watch Department Zenith El Primero Chronomaster Radar watch.
Just in case you are unaware, Bamford watch department is a company based in the UK that specializes in customizing watches by giving them a bold and daring colorful twist that the manufacturer would not prefer to attempt. With the new El Primero Radar Bamford seems to have taken a more conservative approach. The dial which has been presented in brown is a big departure from the striking neon colors seen on many Bamford watches but looks quite appealing courtesy of the fume treatment. It starts with a lighter tone of brown at the center and turns almost black towards the outer periphery. But what is a Bamford without some playful touches and there are a few of them on this dial. First up are the radar inspired red highlights that can be seen on the 30-minute totalizer and the hands of the sub-dials. Then you have the radial white minute track which is quite reminiscent of older El Primero’s from the 1970s. As for the rest of the dial, there are applied hour markers, three sub-registers at 3, 6 and 9 and a date window at 6.
The case on this new watch has a familiar design as seen on previously released Chrono masters but been given a special bead blasted finish to give the watch a more rugged appearance. It measures 42mm in diameter and has a thickness of around 12.75mm resulting in a nice well-sized watch that should sit comfortably on a variety of wrists. A sapphire crystal protects the dial on the front and even the case back has been left transparent to enjoy a view of the beautifully decorated El Primero movement that powers this watch. The El Primero 400B is an automatic column wheel-based chronograph movement that comprises 31 jewels and a total of 326 components. It operates at a frequency of 5Hz, which translates into an ultra-smooth sweeping seconds hand which can be found on only a selected few watches. When fully wound the movement offers an impressive autonomy of around 50 hours.
The new Bamford Watch Department Zenith El Primero Chronomaster Radar is a Bamford with a mass appeal. Sadly, the watch is limited to just 50 pieces, so better hurry in case you want to get this one on your wrist. The watch would come attached to a black rubber strap with Cordura effect and double red stitching. The retail price on this bad boy has been set at CHF 7,900.
Visit Zenith here.
