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You are here: Home / Families / Zenith Elite

Zenith Elite

Last Update: May 25, 2020

BRANDS: Zenith

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

MovementYearsWindingJewelsSecondsComplications
Elite 6501997-presentManual329:00Date
Elite 6551997-2000sManual329:00Date, Power Reserve
Elite 660Not ProducedAutomaticNoneDate
Elite 6611994Automatic26NoneNone

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.

MovementYearsWindingJewelsComplications
Elite 6701994-presentAutomatic27Date
Elite 670 SK2018-presentAutomatic27Date, Skeleton
Elite 6721996-2014Automatic27Date, 24 Hour Hand
Elite 6792009-presentAutomatic27None
Elite 672004-2008Automatic27None

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.

MovementYearsWindingJewelsSecondsComplications
Elite 6801994-presentAutomatic269:00Date
Elite 6812010Automatic279:00None
Elite 6821996-2014Automatic269:00Date, 24 Hour Hand
Elite 6832003-2010Automatic369:00Date, Power Reserve at 3:00, 24 Hour Hand
Elite 6842000sAutomatic269:00Date at 6:00
Elite 6852002-2015Automatic389:00Date, Power Reserve
Elite 68502008-2010Automatic389:00Date, Power Reserve
Elite 6872008-2010Automatic419:00Date, Power Reserve, rotating 24 hour ring
Elite 6892008Automatic316:00None
Elite 690Automatic37NoneMoon Phase at 6:00
Elite 6912010-2016Automatic279:00Moon Phase at 6:00, Big Date at 1:30
Elite 6922009-presentAutomatic279:00Moon Phase at 6:00
Elite 6932012-2017Automatic269:0024 Hour Hand
Elite 682006-2010Automatic279:00Central 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.

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Calibre Start Year End Year Jewels Diameter (mm) Height (mm) Complications
Zenith 6150 2014 2020 35 30.00 3.92 Hacking Seconds
Zenith 650 1997 Current 32 25.60 2.83 Date, Hacking Seconds, Instant Date Change, Quick Date Correction
Zenith 655 1997 2002 32 25.60 4.03 Date, Hacking Seconds, Instant Date Change, Power Reserve Indicator, Quick Date Correction
Zenith 660 25.60 Date, Instant Date Change, Quick Date Correction
Zenith 661 1994 26 25.60 3.28
Zenith 67 2004 2008 25.60 3.81 Hacking Seconds
Zenith 670 1994 Current 27 25.60 3.47 Date, Hacking Seconds, Instant Date Change, Quick Date Correction
Zenith 670 SK 2018 Current 27 25.60 3.88 Date, Hacking Seconds, Instant Date Change, Quick Date Correction
Zenith 672 1996 2014 27 25.60 3.75 24 Hour Hand, Date, GMT Hand, Independently-Adjustable 24 Hour Hand, Instant Date Change, Quick Date Correction
Zenith 679 2009 Current 26 25.60 3.85 Hacking Seconds
Zenith 68 2006 2010 27 25.60 3.81 Hacking Seconds, Power Reserve Indicator
Zenith 680 1994 Current 26 25.60 3.28 Date
Zenith 681 2010 2015 27 25.60 3.47 Hacking Seconds
Zenith 682 1996 2016 26 25.60 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 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 26 25.60 Date, Hacking Seconds, Instant Date Change, Quick Date Correction
Zenith 685 2002 2015 38 25.60 4.48 Date, Hacking Seconds, Instant Date Change, Power Reserve Indicator, Quick Date Correction
Zenith 6850 2008 2010 38 4.68 Date, Hacking Seconds, Instant Date Change, Power Reserve Indicator, Quick Date Correction
Zenith 687 2008 2010 41 30.00 6.20 Date, Day/Night Indicator, Hacking Seconds, Instant Date Change, Power Reserve Indicator, Quick Date Correction, World Time
Zenith 689 2008 2008 31 25.60 4.365 Hacking Seconds
Zenith 690 2017 Current 37 25.60 3.97 Moon Phase
Zenith 691 2010 2016 27 25.60 5.67 Big Date, Date, Double Concentric Wheel Big Date, Hacking Seconds, Instant Date Change, Moon Phase, Quick Date Correction
Zenith 692 2009 Current 27 25.60 3.97 Hacking Seconds, Moon Phase
Zenith 693 2012 2017 26 25.60 3.94 24 Hour Hand, Date, GMT Hand, Independently-Adjustable 24 Hour Hand

Zenith 6150

Zenith 650

Zenith 655

Zenith 660

Zenith 661

Zenith 67

Zenith 670

Zenith 670 SK

Zenith 672

Zenith 679

Zenith 68

Zenith 680

Zenith 681

Zenith 682

Zenith 683

Zenith 684

Zenith 685

Zenith 6850

Zenith 687

Zenith 689

Zenith 690

Zenith 691

Zenith 692

Zenith 693

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