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New: Zenith Chronomaster Original - a successor to the A386
Zenith presents the long awaited successor to the A386 with the new Chronomaster Original in a 21st century rendition of the iconic El Primero.
124 articles · 4 videos found · page 4 of 5
Zenith pulls the stopwatch function from its most recognisable sports case and the result is more interesting than you'd expect
41 mm × 13.6 mm, lug 21 mm, Cal. El Primero 3600
38 mm × 12.6 mm, lug 19 mm, Cal. El Primero 3600
37 mm × 12.6 mm, lug 19 mm, Cal. El Primero 400
Deployant
Zenith presents the long awaited successor to the A386 with the new Chronomaster Original in a 21st century rendition of the iconic El Primero.
Hodinkee
It took 50+ years, but Zenith is finally giving the people exactly what they want.
Revolution
Introducing the Zenith Chronomaster Original
WatchAdvice
Let’s rewind a little, back to 2019. Zenith was celebrating the 50th anniversary of the El Primero and presented a box of 3 watches limited to 50 sets. Included in the set was the highly sought after A386 re-edition in steel. The only way to get your hands on this piece was to buy the box set, which came with a fourth slot for a forth-coming “1/1000th of a second” chronograph, to be released at a later time. Yes there were other A386 anniversary editions that can be had separately, but they came in precious metal. What people wanted was the steel A386. Zenith kept teasing the market with various versions of it, but not the exact iconic version that was released in 1969, as one of the first to house this ground-breaking chronograph movement. Then in 2020, the Manufacture edition dropped, with a prototype dial that was found in a little box up in the attic where Charles Vermot hid the tools, parts, and plans to build the El Primero back in 1975. The idea was that you could only purchase the Manufacture edition when you visit the Zenith Manufacture. Sort of like a gift shop purchase at the end of the tour. It would be extremely difficult to come by as you’d have to have made the trip to Switzerland to pick one up. Look, we gotta give it up to the product designers and planners. hats off to Romain Marietta, who probably has one of the best jobs in the industry. This was a superb idea. This guaranteed exclusivity and collectability. But then we all knew what happene...
Time+Tide
This year, Zenith introduced the Chronomaster Sport, a killer 41mm chronograph that presented buyers with a more technically intriguing alternative to the popular Rolex Daytona. It has since proved a hit success at retail, with initial allocations immediately snagged by buyers worldwide. But Zenith purists have been itching for a bit more of a nostalgia-driven … ContinuedThe post The new Zenith Chronomaster Original tastefully brings the beloved A386 up to speed appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
The last of the 1969 El Primero Revivals completes the original steel trilogy.
Revolution
Introducing the Zenith Chronomaster Revival Safari
Revolution
Zenith revives a watch that holds three of its most iconic creations in one chalice, in the form of the Chronomaster Revival A3817
Time+Tide
I still remember the morning that the Zenith brand manager for Australia stepped into the T+T HQ, excited to show us what he’d brought with him on that summer day. The watch roll unfurled and we all saw it for the first time – the Zenith Chronomaster – a watch that we all knew would … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Zenith Chronomaster Sport Rose Gold brings warmth to a winning design appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Deployant
The Zenith Chronomaster Revival A385 is a faithful reproduction of one of the original three stainless steel El Primero models from 1969, which featured Zenith's first gradient dial in a smoked brown tone and pronounced vignette effect that darkens towards the edges.
SJX Watches
When Zenith first took the covers off the Chronomaster Revival “Shadow” in the middle of last year, my immediate reaction was “That’s a super cool-looking watch.” Unlike its fellow remakes like the A384 and A386, or the more recent A385, the Shadow isn’t a replica of an actual vintage watch Zenith produced in its heyday before the Quartz Crisis. While the Shadow was inspired by a 1970 prototype with a black-coated case that never made it into production, the Shadow is very much a modern design. It imagines what a vintage A384 might have been, had it been released in all-black livery in the 1970s. Compared to Zenith’s recent vintage-inspired watches, most of which are faithful remakes, the Shadow is a breath of fresh air. So when Zenith offered the chance for me to spend a couple of days with the watch, I seized it. The El Primero A384 Revival that’s a faithful remake of the vintage original Initial thoughts I had a visceral reaction when I first strapped on the Shadow: my heart sang, and a smile crept onto my face. I was struck by how different it looked on the wrist; distinct not only from the other El Primero chronographs, but against other offerings at the same price point. In fact, it looked to me more like a Bamford collaboration rather than a standard model. On the wrist, the Shadow stands out in a subtle but striking manner, especially to a watch enthusiast. Anyone who knows Zenith will understand that’s an A384, but different. Reductive desig...
Time+Tide
Despite the five day lockdown, when we were heading into this time last week, life in Melbourne is generally very good. The Australian Open has been thundering along at full steam with some seriously good matches being played, summer is finally here with blue skies as far as the eye can see and life is … ContinuedThe post FRIDAY WIND DOWN: The Australian Open tennis watches, and spending some quality time with the Zenith Chronomaster Sport appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Editor’s note: We thought that as a reader service, for the inevitable questions that will come, that we’d ask about current availability of the Zenith Chronomaster Sport before publishing this story. The answer from Zenith Australia is that if you’re looking to order the watch today, you’re looking at a four to five month wait. … ContinuedThe post A month on the wrist with the Zenith Chronomaster Sport, the most hyped watch of 2021 so far appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
It turns out that a year of quasi-isolation and abnormality can do things to a person, like make them write a poem about how they can’t think of what to write until they look at something new to spark inspiration. Luckily for Joshua Munchow, he happened to have such an item in his possession, at least temporarily: here he tests out the brand-new Zenith Chronomaster Sport fresh off the heels of its debut during the digital LVMH Watch Week 2021.
Deployant
Zenith released their new El Primero chronograph early this year. It comes in two dial variants black or blue and in either bracelet or fabric strap. The bracelet version is priced at US$10,000 while the fabric at US$9,500. A key differentiator is its movement which uses a high beat chronograph seconds capable of measuring 1/10th of a second.
Time+Tide
I know its summer in Australia, but here in the United States it’s the bleak mid winter – so we really needed this heat from Zenith. Since we published our hands-on review of the watch, our readers have made it pretty clear what the nickname of the Zenith Chronomaster Revival A385 Brown Gradient Dial should … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: This Zenith Chronomaster Revival A385 “Cappuccino” is that rarest of things – a true one-off appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Revolution
Wei Koh unboxes his Zenith Chronomaster Sport and activates lightning mode with Toffee the Border Collie
Revolution
Zenith announces a brand new generation of their 1/10th of a second chronograph with the El Primero 3600 automatic powered, Chronomaster Sport
WatchAdvice
Pros: El Primero 3600 movement with 1/10th of a second chronographTri-coloured dials add a touch of class Rolex Ceramic Daytona anyone? Cons: Some may find it heavy on the wrist after a long period of wearTo change links have to unscrew using two screwdriversSome may not appreciate the monochromatic oscillating weight Over All Rating: 8.1 Value for money – 8.0/10Wearability – 8.0/10Design – 8.5/10Build Quality – 8/10 View this post on Instagram A post shared by Watch Advice (@watchadvice) Zenith has shown great success during the LVMH Watch Week 2020 in Dubai, which is why alongside other LVMH brands, they are now releasing their latest watches in a one-week online event. Zenith will put together a special presentation that is a mix of digital and physical representations to showcase the latest timepieces. Reference: 03.3100.3600/69.M3100 One of these latest models to leave the Zenith Manufacture is the new Chronomaster Sport. For Zenith, 2021 has been dubbed the year of the Chronomaster. The focus of the LVMH week for Zenith will of course then be on this latest Chronomaster Sport release, which features an evolved version of the El Primero movement, now being able to allow for 1/10th of a second measurement! Zenith CEO Julien Tornare spoke about the importance of LVMH event and also Chronomaster by stating that “My team and I are thrilled to finally be able to share with you something we’ve been working on for quite some time – a true evolution of a mod...
Time+Tide
Ok, here’s a fact: The Rolex Daytona owes a debt to the Zenith El Primero. A modified version of the El Primero movement powered the Daytona for 12 years, and marked the first automatic Daytona models. This all happened when I was merely 12 years old, in 1988. And now, Zenith is taking that debt … ContinuedThe post IN-DEPTH: The new Zenith Chronomaster Sport has earned the right to take a trick from a rival appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
This morning a new generation of Omega Speedmaster Professionals were announced, but that was not the only legendary chronograph revival and rejuvenation introduced today. Zenith has unveiled a new tribute to one of their chronographs from 1969: the Zenith Chronomaster Revival A385 Gradient Dial. Game-changers in their day, Zenith produced three watches that were not … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Zenith Chronomaster Revival A385 is the return of a sepia-toned legend appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
WatchAdvice
The Zenith Chronomaster Revival “Shadow”, a timepiece clouded in such mystery that its existence was all but forgotten, until recently. The story behind this timepiece goes back to 1970, where after the iconic El Primero movement was produced by Zenith, the manufacture also produced a prototype for a manual winding chronograph. This chronograph model was housed in a blackened steel case, which was quite rare during the ’70s. The manufacture produced only a handful of these concepts, with the watch never making it into full production. Soon after, the quartz crisis hit, which forced Zenith’s El Primero savior Charles Vermont to store all the plans and designs for mechanical watches including El Primero designs in a secret walled off attic in the manufacture. Just imagine though, if this beautiful all-black timepiece was never to be uncovered by the manufacture! Luckily this wasn’t the case, as in 2019 when Zenith began celebrating their 50th anniversary of the El Primero Chronograph caliber, the team at the manufacture decided to go through all the plans, designs, and parts that they found in the secret attic. Among the numerous items hidden away, was a box that contained the original prototype of this special black chronograph model. A model that hasn’t been seen by anyone since the early 1970s. The Chronomaster Revival “Shadow” project is a remake of the original 1970 model. Zenith, however, decided that instead of faithfully reproducing a replica of...
Revolution
Deployant
A timepiece shrouded in mystery. Its existence has eluded collectors and Zenith collaborators alike for decades. As the legend goes, in 1970, not long after Zenith debuted the groundbreaking El Primero calibre, the manufacture had produced a prototype of a manual-winding chronograph, housed in a blackened steel case – a rarity for the time. Only Read More
Revolution
Hodinkee
A limited edition exclusively for the North American market.
Time+Tide
Just a few short weeks ago, Time+Tide had the distinct pleasure of globally unveiling the last of the 50th anniversary special edition Zenith El Primeros. Called the Zenith Chronomaster Manufacture Edition, this gorgeous watch was the result of a surprise discovery that the team at Zenith had found in a dusty old cupboard in their … ContinuedThe post IN-DEPTH: The Zenith Chronomaster El Primero 38mm appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
This is the final version of the A386 available with the original Revival case.
Revolution
New from Zenith an A386 with tri-tone blue sub dials, inspired by a prototype dial discovered in their famed attic at the manufacture
Time+Tide
We have had some moments over the six plus year journey of Time+Tide, and this is certainly one of them. We have been asked by Zenith, one of the great manufactures, to help them launch this – the FINAL El Primero Special Edition in the 50th Anniversary year – the Chronomaster Manufacture Edition. Above is … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: Watch our epic video about the new Zenith Chronomaster Manufacture Edition, which includes an invitation from CEO appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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