Zenith Elite

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BRANDS: Zenith

Production: 1994 – Current
1910s	1920s	1930s	1940s	1950s	1960s	1970s	1980s	1990s	2000s	2010s	2020s

The Zenith Elite is a family of compact automatic winding movements used in the Zenith Elite series of watches from 1994 to present. It was introduced alongside the revived Zenith El Primero and formed the basis for the company’s rebirth in the modern era. Although Zenith was to replace the compact 11.5 ligne Elite with a line based on the larger double-barrel Cal. 6150, this plan never came to fruition and the original Cal. 670 and Cal. 680 and complicated derivative movements remain the mainstay for Zenith’s automatic watches.

Technical Aspects of the Zenith Elite Movement

Zenith Elite Cal. 680

The basic Elite movement measures 11.5 ligne (25.60 mm) diameter and most models are under 4 mm thick, despite a central automatic winding rotor and date complication. A few models used a larger main plate to move the date window outward or to support complications like a running 24 hour ring. The thinnest Elite movement is the hand-winding Cal. 650 at 2.83 mm and the thickest and most complicated is the large Cal. 687 at 6.20 mm.

Unusually, many Elite movements (apart from the 660 and 670 lines) feature small seconds at 9:00, a distinctive feature that differentiates the watches that use it. Some, however, feature central seconds, an adjustable 24 hour hand, a power reserve indicator, and other complications.

All Elite movements use an annular Glucydur balance wheel with a self-compensating balance spring and fine micrometer screw for adjustment. The automatic winding rotor is mounted on ball bearings like the ETA 2892 and originally included a tungsten carbide element for higher winding power. Most Elite movements boast 50 to 55 hours power reserve and all operate at 28,800 A/h.

Image: Europa Star 205, 1994

History of the Zenith Elite

In 1991, Zenith decided to pursue development of an in-house movement for volume production. The project was lead by technical director Jean-Pierre Gerber, who pursued a slim and adaptable movement similar in size and construction to the popular ETA Cal. 2892-2. The intent was that it would be slim enough to support complications, as was done with the ETA movement, and it was designed with both central and small seconds, unusual for the time. Development included Carole Forestier of consulting company Conseilray.

This early press photo shows Zenith’s then-new Elite movement

Calibres 670 and 680 were the company’s first use of modern computer-aided design (CAD), and the result was a robust, accurate, and reliable movement that would remain in production for decades. Along with the slim Cal. 661, these were the original Elite family of movements.

This exploded view of Cal. 682 shows the various components of the Elite base and popular complications

In 1996, Zenith introduced two complicated models. Cal. 672 and Cal. 682 (central seconds and small seconds, respectively) feature a central 24 hour hand adjustable using a pushbutton at 10:00. These were used in “Dual Time” models in the Class and Captain lines but were retired in the 2010s.

A hand-winding version was introduced at the Basel Fair in 1997. It was available in two versions, the basic Cal. 650 and complicated Cal. 655, both with small seconds at 9:00. The latter also features a fan-shaped power reserve indicator at 1:30 and date window at 4:30. These were slimmer than their automatic counterparts, measuring just 2.83 and 4.03 mm thick, respectively.

More complications came in the 2000s. Cal. 685 has a power reserve indicator similar to the hand-winding version, while Cal. 683 combines the power reserve and 24 hour complications into a single unit. The most complicated version is Cal. 687, which adds a running 24 hour ring around all of these complications. The main plate for this movement was enlarged to 30 mm to accommodate the 189 components and 41 jewels used. The confusingly-named Elite Cal. 67 and Cal. 68 appeared in ladies watches at this time, and the company experimented with a larger plate for the rare Cal. 6850.

Zenith CEO Jean-Frédéric Dufour radically simplified the company’s lineup of watches when he took over in 2009, reducing the company’s cost structure. A new complication was added in his tenure: A moon phase indicator. He decided to phase out the Elite movement in entry-level watches, relying on the Sellita SW300, and to develop a new double-barrel Elite movement for more expensive models. When Dufour went to Rolex in 2014, Aldo Magada replaced him and modified this decision. The Sellita models were swiftly cancelled and the large Cal. 6150 was positioned as the next-generation Elite.

The modern Cal. 670 SK features a silicon escapement and skeletonization

Little development of the Elite line occurred, and the planned complications on Cal. 6150 never appeared. The company reversed course after 2017, cancelling the large double-barrel movement and refocusing on the original Elite. Zenith introduced a silicon escapement in 2018, using Cal. 670 as a base, as the new Cal. 670 SK. As of 2020, Zenith relies on the original hand-winding Cal. 650, center-seconds Cal. 670, Cal. 670 SK, and Cal. 679, and small-seconds Cal. 680 and Cal. 692.

Zenith Elite 650 and 660: Ultra-Thin

Cal. 661, a simple two-handed version, was one of the original Elite movements. The hand-winding Cal. 650 and 655 were soon introduced as well. All of these movements were advertised as “ultra-thin” by Zenith.

Movement	Years	Winding	Jewels	Seconds	Complications
Elite 650	1997-present	Manual	32	9:00	Date
Elite 655	1997-2000s	Manual	32	9:00	Date, Power Reserve
Elite 660	Not Produced	Automatic		None	Date
Elite 661	1994	Automatic	26	None	None

Zenith Elite 670: Central Seconds

Cal. 670 was one of the original Elite movements, and remains in production as of 2020. It has central seconds, unlike most Elite movements, and serves as a base for a few complicated versions. Cal. 670 SK, introduced in 2018, is especially notable, as it includes a silicon escapement and is often skeletonized.

Movement	Years	Winding	Jewels	Complications
Elite 670	1994-present	Automatic	27	Date
Elite 670 SK	2018-present	Automatic	27	Date, Skeleton
Elite 672	1996-2014	Automatic	27	Date, 24 Hour Hand
Elite 679	2009-present	Automatic	27	None
Elite 67	2004-2008	Automatic	27	None

Zenith Elite 680 and 690: Small Seconds

Cal. 680 was one of the original Elite movements introduced in 1994 and remains in production today. Most of its descendants feature small seconds at 9:00, though Cal. 690 lacks running seconds and the rare Cal. 689 relocates the subdial to 6:00.

Movement	Years	Winding	Jewels	Seconds	Complications
Elite 680	1994-present	Automatic	26	9:00	Date
Elite 681	2010	Automatic	27	9:00	None
Elite 682	1996-2014	Automatic	26	9:00	Date, 24 Hour Hand
Elite 683	2003-2010	Automatic	36	9:00	Date, Power Reserve at 3:00, 24 Hour Hand
Elite 684	2000s	Automatic	26	9:00	Date at 6:00
Elite 685	2002-2015	Automatic	38	9:00	Date, Power Reserve
Elite 6850	2008-2010	Automatic	38	9:00	Date, Power Reserve
Elite 687	2008-2010	Automatic	41	9:00	Date, Power Reserve, rotating 24 hour ring
Elite 689	2008	Automatic	31	6:00	None
Elite 690		Automatic	37	None	Moon Phase at 6:00
Elite 691	2010-2016	Automatic	27	9:00	Moon Phase at 6:00, Big Date at 1:30
Elite 692	2009-present	Automatic	27	9:00	Moon Phase at 6:00
Elite 693	2012-2017	Automatic	26	9:00	24 Hour Hand
Elite 68	2006-2010	Automatic	27	9:00	Central Power Reserve

Other Zenith Elite Movements

Cal. 6150 was to be the first in a new generation of Elite movements. It featured double-barrel power, allowing it to run for 100 hours, and a larger 30.00 mm diameter main plate. Introduced in 2014 and produced between 2015 and 2020, these variations never appeared. Instead, Zenith re-focused on the original compact Elite movement family.

Although not intending to be a movement supplier, Zenith has made their movements available to other companies. Panerai used a version of Cal. 680 as “OP VII” for the Radiomir GMT in 2001. Since 2004, the Elite movements were also used by Dior for their women’s models. Hublot uses Cal. 670 as their Cal. HUB1710 in various Big Bang models. And Urwerk used a Zenith Elite base for some movements.

Calibre	Start Year	End Year	Diameter (mm)	Diameter (ligne)	Height (mm)	Complications
Zenith 6150	2014	2020	30.00	13.75	3.92	Hacking Seconds
Zenith 650	1997	Current	25.60	11.5	2.83	Date, Hacking Seconds, Instant Date Change, Quick Date Correction
Zenith 655	1997	2002	25.60	11.5	4.03	Date, Hacking Seconds, Instant Date Change, Power Reserve Indicator, Quick Date Correction
Zenith 660			25.60	11.5		Date, Instant Date Change, Quick Date Correction
Zenith 661	1994		25.60	11.5	3.28
Zenith 67	2004	2008	25.60	11.5	3.81	Hacking Seconds
Zenith 670	1994	Current	25.60	11.5	3.47	Date, Hacking Seconds, Instant Date Change, Quick Date Correction
Zenith 670 SK	2018	Current	25.60	11.5	3.88	Date, Hacking Seconds, Instant Date Change, Quick Date Correction
Zenith 672	1996	2014	25.60	11.5	3.75	24 Hour Hand, Date, GMT Hand, Independently-Adjustable 24 Hour Hand, Instant Date Change, Quick Date Correction
Zenith 679	2009	Current	25.60	11.5	3.85	Hacking Seconds
Zenith 68	2006	2010	25.60	11.5	3.81	Hacking Seconds, Power Reserve Indicator
Zenith 680	1994	Current	25.60	11.5	3.28	Date
Zenith 681	2010	2015	25.60	11.5	3.47	Hacking Seconds
Zenith 682	1996	2016	25.60	11.5	3.75	24 Hour Hand, Date, GMT Hand, Hacking Seconds, Independently-Adjustable 24 Hour Hand, Instant Date Change, Quick Date Correction
Zenith 683	2003	2014	25.60	22.5	4.95	24 Hour Hand, Date, GMT Hand, Hacking Seconds, Independently-Adjustable 24 Hour Hand, Instant Date Change, Power Reserve Indicator, Quick Date Correction
Zenith 684			25.60	11.5		Date, Hacking Seconds, Instant Date Change, Quick Date Correction
Zenith 685	2002	2015	25.60	11.5	4.48	Date, Hacking Seconds, Instant Date Change, Power Reserve Indicator, Quick Date Correction
Zenith 6850	2008	2010		14.25	4.68	Date, Hacking Seconds, Instant Date Change, Power Reserve Indicator, Quick Date Correction
Zenith 687	2008	2010	30.00	13.25	6.20	Date, Day/Night Indicator, Hacking Seconds, Instant Date Change, Power Reserve Indicator, Quick Date Correction, World Time
Zenith 689	2008	2008	25.60	11.5	4.365	Hacking Seconds
Zenith 690	2017	Current	25.60	11.5	3.97	Moon Phase
Zenith 691	2010	2016	25.60	11.5	5.67	Big Date, Date, Double Concentric Wheel Big Date, Hacking Seconds, Instant Date Change, Moon Phase, Quick Date Correction
Zenith 692	2009	Current	25.60	11.5	3.97	Hacking Seconds, Moon Phase
Zenith 693	2012	2017	25.60	11.5	3.94	24 Hour Hand, Date, GMT Hand, Independently-Adjustable 24 Hour Hand