Okay, here’s my take on the Zenith A384, told as a personal story of how I got it working:
So, I finally got my hands on a vintage Zenith A384. It was… rough, to say the least. I mean, the thing looked like it had been through a war. I found this in an old watch store.
The Initial Inspection
First thing I did was wind it up. Nothing. Not a tick, not a tock. Bummer. I gently shook it side by side, Still nothing. I decided to check the outside. The crystal was scratched up pretty badly, the case had dings all over, and the original Gay Frères ladder bracelet was stretched out and missing a few links. But, underneath all that, I could see the potential.
Opening It Up
Next step, get the back off. Luckily, I’ve got a decent case back opener. I Carefully unscrewed it. Inside, it was surprisingly clean, considering the outside. It’s got that El Primero movement, which is kind of a legend. I didn’t mess with it too much at this point, just a quick look-see.
Basic Cleaning
I started with the easy stuff. I used a soft cloth and some cleaning solution that made for the watches, made specifically for watches, to wipe down the case and the crystal. It helped a little, but those scratches on the crystal were deep. I also took some air blow to gently cleaned the dust inside the dail.
The Movement
This is where I had to be extra careful. I’m no watchmaker, but I’ve tinkered with a few movements before. I noticed one of the screws on the rotor was loose. So, I very carefully tightened it. That was a scary moment, let me tell you.
- Carefully tighten the loose screw.
- Checked the other screw on the movement.
- Make sure every parts were the original.
Giving it a Wind (Again)
With the screw tightened, I gave the crown a few winds. And… it started ticking! That was a huge relief. I let it run for a few minutes, and it seemed to be keeping decent time. I didn’t really know how the watch running condition yet, but the ticking sound made me happy.
Next Steps
It’s still a long way from perfect. The crystal definitely needs replacing, and I’m going to have to source some links for the bracelet. I’m also going to take it to a proper watchmaker for a full service, just to make sure everything is running smoothly.
I’m pretty happy with how it’s turning out. It’s a classic watch with a cool history, and I’m excited to get it back to its former glory.
