1969 was a very important year for the watchmaking industry. While it is still a never ending discussion on whose automatic chronograph caliber came first, it is accepted by everyone that the El Primero is the first to be designed as a whole rather than being an automatic movement with an added chronograph module. With an extraordinary high frequency of 36’000 VPH, the mechanical movement ensured outstanding timekeeping performance. So highly regarded were these El Primero movements that they would later be selected by Rolex as the base on which to develop the movement of the first automatic Daytona chronograph (reference 16520).

The name El Primero refers to both the watch model and the movement. The present El Primero reference 1301 is part of the early production. At the time of the El Primero launch, two case designs were available, the one on the present watch is the most sculptural of the two. With strong angles and wide sunburst satin finish sections, the watch exalts its beauty only when the case is perfectly crisp and has never been polished as in this example. To confirm the unworn condition of this watch, the caseback still retains its original blue paint.

The dial is no less impressive: the once-black outer track and subsidiary dials have evenly aged to an astoundingly charming hazelnut hue. Such a strong tropicalization not only highly enhances the aesthetic virtues of the piece, it is furthermore an extremely rare occurrence and enormously enhances the appeal and collectability of this remarkable wristwatch.