[gb1969]

So which do you choose? New Rolex Daytona White Dial Panda (if you can even get one) or the New Zenith El Primero Chronomaster Sport White Dial? Take out all of the hype... Which watch do you feel is the better all around watch + movement?


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[gb1969]

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[CometHunter]

I think such a comparison is just too close to call, You should be asking this of your local watchmaker, because he's going to be the one who is qualified to discern a difference between the two... IF there's a difference. Both cases are equally well-built. And the movements are virtually alike. Both are equally accurate, and it was during the year 2000 that both companies started to make their own movements (from the Rolex Cosmograph's inception until 2000, Rolex was actually purchasing El Primero movements from Zenith to install in their Cosmos!
Personally, I'd go with the Zenith, as I feel all the Rollies (especially the Cosmograph) are rather overpriced!

 

[BigSteve]

I'd go with the Daytona.

I don't really care for complications on a dial but, if they're going to be there, they're damn sure all going to be the same color...

 

[gb1969]

Thanks to you both for your thoughts. Personally I think the Daytona, as fantastic and gorgeous a watch that it is, it’s a bit dated and I smell an updated version in the near future. Not to mention that it’s nearly impossible to get your hands on from an AD. That said, think I’m going with the new Zenith. I believe it has a number of qualities that make it not only a high quality watch but also a more functional contemporary watch.


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[rand777]

Both are equally accurate, and it was during the year 2000 that both companies started to make their own movements (from the Rolex Cosmograph's inception until 2000, Rolex was actually purchasing El Primero movements from Zenith to install in their Cosmos!

Rolex has only been making in-house movements since 2004. Zenith has been making in-house movements since at least 1900 when they introduced their Zenith caliber which led to the company later changing it's name to “Fabrique des Montres Zenith” in 1911.

Rolex purchased the manufacturing company that's been making their calibers for them since 1905 in 2004 (the Borer/Aegler family based in Biel). Hans Wildorf used them as a supplier since 1905 when he founded his watch company in London. In the 1930s the Aegler/Borer family made an agreement to be an exclusive movement supplier to Rolex with few exceptions (such as the El Primero in the Daytona).

 

[CometHunter]

Sorry - I probably wasn't clear. I wasn't my intention to say that Rolex was a manufacture by the year 2000. I had been aware of the Borer-Aegler connection to Rolex. But I was only referring to the Daytona movement inasmuch as the chronograph is only what the OP is asking about. (I'm trying to prevent this thread from straying off-topic.) And from the Daytona's inception, it used Zenith El Primero movements (Valjoux figures into the story too, but that's for a different thread!) Rolex stopped using Zenith movements in the year 2000 and then switched to their own Rolex caliber 4130 (ref.116500) chronograph movement.

 

[rand777]

Sorry - I probably wasn't clear. I wasn't my intention to say that Rolex was a manufacture by the year 2000. I had been aware of the Borer-Aegler connection to Rolex. But I was only referring to the Daytona movement inasmuch as the chronograph is only what the OP is asking about. (I'm trying to prevent this thread from straying off-topic.) And from the Daytona's inception, it used Zenith El Primero movements (Valjoux figures into the story too, but that's for a different thread!) Rolex stopped using Zenith movements in the year 2000 and then switched to their own Rolex caliber 4130 (ref.116500) chronograph movement.

Thanks for clarifying, that makes sense.

 

[CometHunter]

No problem!

 

[derek lino]

Rolex all the way!