Prim Watches And All You Need To Know About This Czech Watch Brand

September 21, 2023

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Prim watches are very close to my heart. This brand makes the only watches manufactured in the Czech republic from start to finish. As a Czech, I love to see my home country continue this technically wonderful watchmaking tradition that started in 1949.

This watch manufacture is not as large as the most famous watch brands such as Rolex, Patek Philippe, or Omega, but are not lacking any of the qualities of these most famous marques. I will share with you all the important facts about this watch brand from it’s history to different watch timepieces originally manufactured in the town of Nove Mesto nad Metuji in Czechoslovakia.

History of Prim Watches

Prim started out as a subsidiary of Chronotechna Sternberk by 16 people shortly after the end of World War II. Due to their creativity, as well as a great set of watchmaking skills, they were able to create the first prototype which they named SPARTAK. Once serial production started in 1957, Czechoslovakia became one of only 12 countries in the entire world capable of producing wristwatches.

The logo PRIM has introduced in the late 760s The primary logo, the so-called “loaf”, was too complicated designed by Josef Zid as the original “loaf” logo and would not work on a wristwatch. Therefore, i In 19698 the new simple logo had been designed by constructor Josef Zid. The manufacture also moved to the modern location and the company started to use the new name was found as well as the new company name ELTON hodinářská a.s. PRIM watches managed to manufacture up to 500,000 watches per year, right up until the Velvet Revolution.

Prim watches always were a symbol of timeless design. After 1989 the parent company, Chronotechna, was privatized separately from ELTON hodinářská. From that moment, the company focused on quality instead of mindless mass production of watches. As a result, PRIM watches have become known for their quality, as well as individual customer care.

How are Prim watches made?

ELTON hodinarska is the only Czech manufacture. They are capable of producing the entire PRIM watch from scratch. From the case to the mechanical movement, and the dials to the hands, ELTON hodinarska will manufacture and assemble a new PRIM watch from the ground up. While offering Swiss movement watches at bargain basement prices, it is these in house watches that are simply amazing.

Watch Case

ELTON hodinarska uses all the finest materials to manufacture PRIM watches from the standard stainless steel and gold, to the more modern titanium, silver, and bronze. They aren’t just any workshop, they employ craftsmen skilled with more than just the basics.

Movement

There are more than 130 parts inside each self produced PRIM in house movements. ELTON hodinarska currently manufactures 8 different in-house movements and it takes more than 2 hours just to make (turn) the movement base due to numerous openings.

ELTON hodinarska also utilizes Swiss automatic and quartz movements in certain PRIM watches to complement the top of the line in house pieces.

Printing Dials and Hands

ELTON hodinarska manufacture is able to customize the different colors of the dials, but more importantly, they perform this customization on PRIM watches by hand. Each luminescent hand is painstakingly done by hand, which anyone that has relumed a watch understands is very delicate work.

Assembling

After having all the parts ready, it’s time for ELTON hodinarska to assemble the watch. It takes around 8 hours to hand assemble a PRIM watch with the in house movement. On top of that, the assembled watch undergoes another two weeks of testing before the watch leaves the factory. These tests include all the standard tests from water resistance to timing accuracy to power reserve. There is nothing you can get from a watch double the price that you can not get from PRIM watches by ELTON hodinarska.

PRIM Watches

Prim watches are gaining popularity among many people. The PRIM Orlik is undoubtedly the most sought-after watch to ever come out of this watch manufacture. All 300 pieces of the original Orlik were handed to the Army stationed in the city of Olomouc on November 25th, 1965. Every single PRIM Orlik was stamped on the case back with a 65-XXX, the 65 signifying the production year followed by a serial number.

Currently there are many PRIM models manufactured by ELTON hodinarska, including a modern version of the classic Orlik.