I have just learned the story of the "Charles Vermont" Zenith El Primero, named after the man who saved the machinery used to produce the El Primero.

The history of El Primero might have ended abruptly in 1975. That was when Zenith Radio
corporation, the American company that had owned the brand for the past four years, decided
to stop making mechanical watches and to stick to quartz watches. The decision was irrevocable.
The order was to be executed without delay and the metal – along with a century of tradition –
to be sold by the ton to the highest bidder. Charles Vermot simply could not face the thought of
seeing his production equipment destroyed. At the risk of his job, he began hiding essential tools
and components. Charles Vermot labelled, listed, classified and protected the cams, cutting tools,
presses and machines, while recording the entire production process in a notebook.

Nine years later, the El Primero movement was miraculously reborn. One fine morning, the entire
set of lost equipment was back in place. Without Charles Vermot courageous act, the brand’s very
survival would have been in jeopardy.

Read more of the story here -- http://d-signersgroup.com/Images/Images600/ZE_Editorial.pdf

Special thanks to a Twitter pal, Tam_Hanx, who shows us his Charles Vermont, here --

http://zenith.watchprosite.com/show-forumpost/fi-1123/pi-4806983/ti-731153/

So can the vintage Heuer guys have a special watch named after our own man in Vermont, who David calls "The Master"?

Jeff