Movado Vintage with Zénith El Primero Chronograph Ref 431-705-501

Movado Vintage with Zénith El Primero Chronograph

Ref 431-705-501

Case: Steel, Diameter 39 mm

Zenith movement: cal. 3019, automatic, unidirectional rotating bezel, 2-counter chronograph

Brown crocodile strap

Very good overall condition

Rare / Collector

The Movado Vintage Chronograph Ref. 431-705-501 is a fascinating timepiece that combines the design language of Movado with the legendary Zenith El Primero movement. Produced in the late 1960s to early 1970s, this model represents a key era in Swiss chronograph history, as Movado and Zenith were closely linked at the time.

At the heart of this Movado chronograph is the Zenith El Primero 3019 PHC, one of the first automatic chronograph movements in history:

-High-frequency beating at 36,000 vibrations per hour (vph), ensuring exceptional accuracy.
-Integrated column-wheel chronograph, making it smoother and more reliable than cam-actuated alternatives.
-Date complication, positioned between 4 and 5 o’clock.

This movement is identical to the one found in the early Zenith El Primero A384, A385, and A386, reinforcing the strong Movado-Zenith connection of the time.

During the late 1960s and 1970s, Movado and Zenith were under the same corporate ownership, leading to a period of shared innovation. Movado used the El Primero movement in several chronographs, while Zenith incorporated Movado's design cues into some of its own models.

This collaboration allowed Movado to offer cutting-edge, high-beat chronographs under its own branding, making these models particularly rare and historically important.