Rolex vs Zenith

I prefer the look of the Zenith's multi-coloured sub-dials, and that it has a date.

Same here. Such an amazing watch!

In the white version I will go with the Zenith. In black I choose the Daytona.

Daytona wasn't special on my wrist and I've been very pleased with my Zenith experience.

They only thing keeping me from buying a zenith is the bad after sales services in the US.

Context?

• Give me the Daytona

• Sell Daytona

• Buy Zenith

or

• Buy Rolex at retail

• Sell Rolex

• Buy Zenith

obviously taking the piss a little - they are both nice, I’d be happy with either

El Primero’s subdials, but the Daytona’s proportions, particularly the bezel width (it feels too wide on the zenith).

Zenith, more interesting IMO- and if most people go one direction (ex hype demand for Daytona), I am likely to go the other. Just my nature

I hate to say it but that Daytona is fire.

Zenith colored subdials are gorgeous — but the Daytona takes nearly everything else in my opinion. Far better clasp, better bracelet, better proportioned (for my tastes anyway), and the Zenith bezel looks off to me, just a bit too chunky versus the elegance of the Daytona. Both gorgeous watches, but put them on a table in front of me and it’s the Daytona all day.

Zenith is very nice, but would choose the Daytona.

Is it true the Zenith doesn’t have hacking? Read that in a comment posted here. The only watch I don’t/didnt have hacking is a cheap Flieger and an Invicta diver.

Also reminding folks that Rolex was using Zenith movements in the Daytona until 2000. That history is a major flex imo.

I love them both but the coloured subdials of the zenith make it a gorgeous watch

Neither

I got a microbrand that is kind of a blend between the two, both style wise and size wise (40.5 mm)

Zenith without question - superior chronograph in every way except for the bracelet. But I don’t buy an inferior watch because it has a better bracelet.

More beautifully finished movement you can see. Arguably better legacy for the watch comparison not brand comparison. Pushers you can actually use. And personally I find the design of the cosmonaut clunky.

Not quite, that’s a bit misleading: Rolex used *one* Zenith movement *as a base*, they didn’t just drop in a stock El Primero 400 movement, similar to how Omega used ETA movements before the coax; In fact Rolex took the El Primero base and made more than 200 *patented* changes/improvements to the El Primero, including completely chucking and replacing 50% of the movement to the point it was pretty much a different movement in comparison by the time they were done with it, and christened it the 4030, a significantly better movement (and watch) than the El Primero 400 it was based on. It’s a flex in favor of the Daytona. 🍻

Hmmm… do I hate date windows more than the harder-to-read Daytona dial?

Also they slowed the movement down from 5hz to 4hz to reduce wear and tear

I chose blue steel bezel Zenith but when the Ceramic Chronomaster Sport was launched quite a few of my enthusiast friends opted for the black dial Zenith which pops more than the white. I used to own a gold El Primero Daytona but would have preferred a steel white dial model which was wait listed back in the early 90s. One of my friends finally was offered a black dial El Primero Daytona years ago at MSRP bought it with a 10% courtesy discount so distraught with the black dial that he sold the watch to a reseller at a small loss. My friend convinces me that guys who chase Daytonas are not well adjusted. lol.

Yes, the 4030 improved on the El Primero 400 in several respects. The mere fact that Rolex discarded 50% of the Zenith movement in the rebuild negates the notion that the 4030 was a pure Zenith movement — it was a Zenith base which Rolex saw room for improvement on, which they did.

This was common practice — for example Omega using ETA movements as a base, or Patek using both Valjoux and JLC movements. Few went as far as Rolex did in its in-house upgrades to the EP 400 however (for example, Patek commissioning JLC modifications), tangentially also speaking to Rolex’s watchmaking prowess, something often ignored in online flame wars.

I feel totally fine👍

In general I prefer Zenith to Rolex, but the Chronomaster sport pictured in this duel unfortunately disappointed me when I got it on the wrist. I'm not big on this version of the Daytona either, but having tried both I must admit I prefer it among these two.

Daytona all day

Of course! You have amazing taste and collection of watches. I was not suggesting otherwise. Have a great day.👍

Didn’t think you were. I was aiming for your friends🤓

👍

The Chronomaster sport is my grail watch sort of. As much as I loathe that term lol.

Daytona no question