About This Watch:

The first ZRC Grands Fonds 300 was commissioned for the French Navy in the 1960s.  After granting approval for its use, ZRC was asked to solve a design issue the French Navy had with the crown placement at the 3 o’clock position.  They felt the position was too vulnerable during underwater manipulations and requested that ZRC “find a solution” to protect the crown, without hindering wrist movement, as well as ensuring that the case would not open underwater, which led to ZRC developing its unique “crown at 6” case design.

The History:  The Zuccolo Rochet Company was created in 1904, in Annecy. Their location near Lake Annecy led to the creation of robust, accurate, and reliable diving watches for professional divers. In 1963 The French Navy ordered the design of diving wristwatches that could meet their rigorous specifications, which led to the creation of the Grands Fonds 300.

The Watch:  The ZRC Grands Fonds 300 Spirit 1964 features a 40 mm stainless steel case, with a 4 mm sapphire crystal.  It is powered by an ETA 2824-2 movement and has a water resistance rating of 300 meters.  The Grands Fonds 300 has a unique screw-down crown system, with the crown located at the 6 o’clock position, which will not allow the watch to sit flush on the wrist if the crown is not locked down.  A unique feature of the Grands Fonds 300 is the ECS tab on the unidirectional bezel.  The tab allows for the bezel to be flushed out with fresh water, which removes any sand stuck inside.

The Details:  This ZRC Grands Fonds 300 Spirit 1964 comes with both outer and inner boxes, a ZRC booklet, instruction manual, warranty booklet, and fabric strap with stainless steel ZRC buckle with crown logo.  This timepiece case shows some wear on the case, case back, and bezel which are visible in the photos.