Okay, so I’ve been eyeing this Zenith Triple Calendar for a while now. I mean, who wouldn’t be? It’s a classic. But actually getting my hands on one and figuring out how it all works? That’s a whole different story. So, I figured I’d document my journey for anyone else who’s curious or just starting out with these complicated watches.
Getting Started
First things first, I finally got the watch. After weeks of searching online and calling around different watch shops, I found one in decent condition. It wasn’t perfect, but hey, that’s part of the charm of vintage, right? Holding it in my hands for the first time was pretty awesome.
Figuring Out the Complications
Now, the tricky part. This isn’t your average three-hand watch. It’s got the day, date, month, and even a moon phase! I spent a good hour just staring at it, turning the crown, and pushing the little buttons on the side (carefully, of course). I was totally lost at first.
- Setting the Time: This was easy enough. Pulled the crown out to the second position and turned it. Standard stuff.
- Setting the Date: Okay, this is where it got interesting. There’s a small pusher on the side of the case. I used a toothpick (gently!) to push it in, and each push advanced the date by one day.
- Setting the Day: Another pusher! This one was a little trickier to find, but it’s there. Same deal as the date – one push, one day forward.
- Month and Moon phase: I found that these two were interconnected. One corrector sets the month and the moonphase followed suit.
The Trial and Error
Honestly, it took a lot of trial and error. I messed up a few times, accidentally pushing the date forward too far or getting the day and date out of sync. But that’s part of the learning process. I spent a good evening just playing around with it, getting a feel for how everything works together.
Finally!
After what felt like forever (probably just a couple of hours, really), I finally got everything set correctly. Seeing all the complications lined up perfectly – the day, date, month, and that beautiful moon phase – it was a really satisfying moment. It’s like I’d unlocked a little secret code.
It’s definitely a watch that requires some patience and a bit of a learning curve. But that’s part of what makes it so cool. It’s not just telling you the time; it’s telling you a whole story. And now, I feel like I’m a part of that story, too.
