Zenith · ref A386 · 1969–1972
Zenith unveiled the El Primero on January 10, 1969. It was one of three automatic chronograph movements launched that year and the only one beating 36,000 times an hour, fast enough to time to a tenth of a second. The A386 was one of the first three watches built around it, alongside the tonneau-cased A384 and A385, and it's the one that defined Zenith's look. It has a round, bezel-less 38mm steel case with pump pushers, a white dial with overlapping blue, light grey and anthracite registers, a date at 4:30 and a red chronograph hand. Zenith puts production at around 4,500 between 1969 and 1972, well ahead of the roughly 2,600 A384s, and the A386 actually went into production first. Movado sold the same movement as the Datron HS 360. Some A386s come with an extract from Zenith's archives dating the original delivery, so ask about one.
The caliber
The El Primero cal. 3019 PHC is an integrated automatic chronograph with 31 jewels, a date and 50 hours of reserve, only 6.5mm thick. It grew out of Zenith's work on the Martel-derived cal. 146 chronographs. When Zenith's owners gave up on mechanical chronographs in the 1970s, workshop manager Charles Vermot hid the tooling, which is why the El Primero came back in the 1980s and still powers Zenith chronographs today. A386 movements come in Mk1 to Mk3 versions with different engravings.
The dial is where the value lives, so refinished or swapped dials are the main worry. Modern Revival and Chronomaster Original versions also turn up in vintage searches.
Buying guide
Only four A386s are for sale, so the $18,850–21,025 band is a handful of asks, not much of a market read. We'd go for the Mk III titled full set with box and warranty at $19,280 delivered from Italy, since a complete set is the best sign the watch hasn't been pieced together. Ask for a movement photo of the cal. 3019 PHC and compare the blue, light grey and anthracite registers with documented A386 dials, because the dial is where the value lives and where swaps happen. All four ship from Europe, so allow for import duty, and check the seller's feedback and return policy on the item page, since eBay's watch search doesn't show them.
$15,301.17est. delivered
An auction opening at $15,301 delivered from Germany with no bids at capture, the only way into an A386 under the band. We'd stop near $18,458, what the cheapest fixed-price one asks, and get movement and caseback photos before you bid.
Zenith El Primero HAU Chronograph Ref. 1969 A386 Calibre 3019 PHC
$19,279.82est. delivered
A Mk III titled full set with box and warranty, at $19,280 delivered from Italy, inside the band. Ask whether the warranty papers carry this watch's serial and whether the seller has a Zenith archive extract.
Vintage Zenith A 386 MK III El Primero Chronograph Full Set Box & Warranty
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 6, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
Snapshot
Checked . Some may have sold.
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 6, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
Used$15,301.17est. delivered
$15,194.25 + $106.92 shipping
Auction · no bids yet
Good buy
Auction, no bids at capture. Ships from Germany.
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Used$19,279.82est. delivered
$19,133.50 + $146.32 shipping
Buy It Now$19,133.50
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Good buy
Mk III, titled full set with box and warranty. Ships from Italy.
Seller: Seller on eBay
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Used$18,458.20est. delivered
$18,345.65 + $112.55 shipping
Buy It Now$18,345.65
Our take
Mk 2 with a red box, titled never polished. Ships from Italy.
Seller: Seller on eBay
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Used$22,748.00est. delivered
$22,699.00 + $49.00 shipping
Buy It Now$22,699.00
Our take
Titled cal. 3019 PHC, 38mm. Ships from Albania.
Seller: Seller on eBay
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Prices change daily. The live eBay search shows everything listed now, including anything new since Oct 6, 2026.
See every listing on eBay ↗eBay searchA fresh strap, a set of spring bars and a spring-bar tool are the cheap part of making an old Zenith El Primero A386 wearable again. This searches Amazon for the usual kit.
Search straps & tools ↗Amazon search
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