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Zenith Elite Ultra Thin 33MM Stainless Steel
Ref. 16.2310.692/81.C706
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Stepping up in Zenith's range
The Elite line is where Zenith has long kept its dress credentials, and the 692 calibre is the movement that makes the collection's name literal — at 8.65mm the case sits closer to a coin than to a conventional automatic, thin enough to disappear beneath a sleeve without a thought. The movement itself runs at 28,800 vibrations per hour with a 50-hour reserve, a combination that required considerable engineering to achieve at this profile. The mother-of-pearl dial shifts with the light in a way no printed surface can, and the moonphase aperture gives it a second point of interest without crowding a dial that, at 33mm, has limited real estate to spare. On the wrist the proportions read as genuinely feminine rather than simply small — this is a case drawn for a slender wrist, not a standard design scaled down.
- Reference
- 16.2310.692/81.C706
- Brand
- Zenith
- Collection
- EliteCase Size: 33 mmCase Thickness: 8
- Case size
- 33mm
- Case thickness
- 8.65mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Mother-of-pearl
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Bezel
- Fixed
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- Elite 692
- Functions
- Small seconds, Moonphase
- Water resistance
- 30m
- Bracelet / strap
- Leather strap
- Strap colour
- Black
- Clasp
- Buckle
- Lume
- Luminous
- Condition
- Pre-owned
- Retailer
- Mappin & Webb
Additional specifications
- Power reserve
- 50 hours
- Gem set
- Yes
Learn more about Zenith
Georges Favre-Jacot founded Zenith in Le Locle in 1865, aged twenty-two, with an idea that was radical for the Swiss industry: bring every trade needed to make a watch — movement, case, dial, hands — under one roof and one management. The integrated manufacture was largely his invention, and the Le Locle site he built is still in use.
The approach produced results at observatory trials, where Zenith accumulated more precision awards than any other manufacture. The name itself came from a calibre Favre-Jacot considered the summit of his work.
Its defining achievement is the El Primero of 1969, developed over seven years and announced in the same year as the Heuer-Breitling consortium's Calibre 11 and Seiko's 6139. It was an integrated automatic chronograph beating at 36,000 vibrations per hour, allowing measurement to a tenth of a second — a frequency almost nothing else matched for decades.
It nearly did not survive. When American owners ordered the mechanical tooling scrapped during the quartz crisis, a watchmaker named Charles Vermot hid the plans, presses, and cams in a walled-off attic. When demand for mechanical chronographs returned, Zenith could restart production because of him. Rolex used the El Primero in the Daytona from 1988 to 2000.
LVMH acquired Zenith in 1999.
- 1865
- Georges Favre-Jacot founds the integrated manufacture at Le Locle.
- 1969
- The El Primero automatic chronograph debuts at 36,000 vph.
- 1975
- Charles Vermot hides the El Primero tooling from destruction.
- 1988
- Rolex adopts the El Primero for the Daytona.
- 1999
- Acquired by LVMH.
Also in 6 collections
This watch appears in Stainless Steel Watches (3,102), Watches Under 37mm (1,694), Women's Watches (1,631), Automatic Watches (1,425), Leather Strap Watches (998) and Dress Watches (485).
What the specifications mean
A slim watch on leather, made for wearing with a shirt.
Strengths
- 33mm wears small and slips under any cuff
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- Sits in the lower half of Zenith's range as we list it
Worth knowing
- 30m means keeping it away from water
Compare alternatives
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| Specification | 16.2310.692/81.C706 | R10201712 | L24095897 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £4,295 | £4,300 | £4,000 |
| Case size | 33mm | 32.5mm | 34mm |
| Water resistance | 30m | 50m | 30m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Leather strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet |
| Power reserve | 50 hours | — | 72 hours |
| This watch |
| Closely matched |
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
No. At 30m it will survive rain and handwashing, but not submersion of any kind.
Will the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Does it need a battery?
No. It is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.
How long does it run for when it's not worn?
About 50 hours fully wound — enough to survive a night off the wrist, but not a full weekend.
Cheapest place to buy
Mappin & Webb at £4,295, pre-owned. No UK retailer we track lists this reference new.
Is this available new?
Not from the UK retailers we track. This reference is listed as pre-owned only, at £4,295 from Mappin & Webb. A pre-owned watch has been worn, and is normally sold under the retailer’s own warranty rather than the manufacturer’s.
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