Zenith Cal. 655 is a hand-winding movement with power reserve indicator and date produced since 1997. It features a fan-shaped power reserve indicator between 1:00 and 2:00 on the dial, a date complication with window at 4:30, and small seconds at 9:00. It is closely related to Calibres 670 and 680 in Zenith’s Elite movement family. It is also similar to Cal. 650, which lacks the power reserve indicator. The power reserve module adds 1.20 mm of thickness.
Cal. 650 was used in a variety of hand-winding Zenith Elite models. Many of the earliest such models listed “Elite HW” on the dial.
Technical Aspects of the Zenith Elite Movement
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.
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.