References GF41213 and GF41218, the new additions to the ZRC Grands Fonds 300 1964 Spirit collection, boast a number of attributes to charm lovers of vintage diving watches.
On their brown-hued dial, the beige glows of the “Old radium” luminescent material set off the “Magnum” hands and round indexes of the unidirectional rotating bezel.
Although the lines of the iconic case haven’t changed, a handful of details have been revamped with a view to boosting the overall wearer-friendliness of the watch.
In short, the Allen hexagon socket screw system on the case has been upgraded to offer more flexibility when changing the strap. Every screw is totally independent from the others. So, a single tool is all it takes to carry out a strap-change operation easily. Case pressure resistance has also been improved thanks to the inclusion of a two-part caseback.
The first, a fixed one in reinforced stainless steel, based on 3 pivots, ensures the engraving remains straight along the 12 o’clock-6 o’clock axis. A steel clamp ring closes the ensemble without creating any pressure on the caseback seal. Here, there’s no risk whatsoever of water entering the case.
Likewise, to this same optimization end, elements have been revisited to perfect the Grands Fonds 300. The crown set at 6 o’clock has changed. Its deeper, less polished knurling makes gripping easier.
The Crown Protection SystemTM, which prevents the strap from being attached and closed if the crown isn’t screwed correctly, is still included to secure immersions.
In the same vein, wishing to modernize the design of this new generation, the unidirectional rotating bezel with its 60 notches has been rethought. In its original version, there was a chance it could accidentally rotate during a dive.
This shortcoming has now been corrected. The bezel is henceforth aligned with the inner side of the case chamfering to be 2/10th more with drawn to ensure it doesn’t turn unintentionally or even jump. Here too, knurling has been bettered just like on the crown. Special attention has also been paid to noise to infuse its gyration with melodious clicking.
In these new models, the bezel insert is made of ceramic, which offers optimum resistance to corrosion and oxidation. As well as offering a host of finish possibilities, this material can be dressed in a wide array of colors and its presence makes the Easy Clean SystemTM system even more efficient.
This cutting-edge patented system prevents salt from crystallizing between the bezel and the case by ensuring fresh water flows freely inside the bezel when it’s being cleaned.
The 41.5 mm-diameter mono-block case crafted in non-magnetic 316L steel, with its one-of-a- kind silhouette extended by two massive beveled lugs hosts the Sellita SW200-1 caliber in its sophisticated version. This Swiss Made self-winding mechanical movement, beating at a standard frequency of 28,800 vibrations an hour (4 Hz), delivers a power reserve of at least 38 hours.
Both these references, with a date for one, no date for the other, also stand out with their “lollipop” direct-drive seconds hand featuring a red tip. The first model is worn on a fabric strap whilst the second is complemented by a traditional adjustable steel Diver bracelet.
