Under its new “Master of Chronographs Since 1865” platform, Zenith unveils the revamped Chronomaster Open line as well as a new version of the Chronomaster Sport
Since its founding in 1865, Zenith has steadily built a reputation as a leader in precision and performance through iconic movements and ground-breaking designs. Of particular note, one field of watchmaking where the brand has truly shined is the chronograph. With so many world-firsts and record-breaking feats to its name, Zenith has maintained and cultivated its famed spirit of innovation, namely with the El Primero chronograph and its numerous iterations.
On this note, Zenith claims the title of “Master of Chronographs,” and is using its position to raise awareness and appreciation for one of watchmaking’s most ubiquitous functions. “Master of Chronographs” is a new 360-degree platform that has been developed to share the Manufacture’s unique know-how through its history, collections, movements, and its mastery of high-frequency chronographs. More importantly, it also aims to bring the art and science of chronographs and Zenith’s role at the vanguard of its evolution to a wider audience.
To top it off, “Master of Chronographs Since 1865” also combines educational activities, experiences, and interactions—both physical and digital—that speak to avid watch-lovers as well as newcomers to watchmaking and invites them to dive into the world of chronographs in an open and easily approachable manner.
“For Zenith, Master of Chronographs is not just a claim, but an aspiration. It’s a mission and a commitment. It’s something that we have cultivated and, I would say, rightfully earned over many years,” explains Julien Tornare, Zenith’s CEO. “We’ve contributed so much to the advancement of the modern chronograph, that we feel a certain responsibility to continue leading its evolution, but also to share our know-how with the world and allow people to appreciate the chronograph in a new way.”
He then continues: “We’ve worked for some time now on immersive and interactive ways to highlight the chronograph, and ‘Master of Chronographs Since 1865’ is the perfect platform to link all these initiatives. This is a new gateway for people to learn about the chronograph and how Zenith has mastered it and elevated it to new heights.”
In keeping with this spirit of openness and sharing knowledge and enthusiasm, Zenith also unveiled the completely redesigned Chronomaster Open collection as well as new versions of the award-winning Chronomaster Sport with rose gold versions.
For the latter, the brand presented thelatest additions to the line at this year’s Watches and Wonders with new references crafted in precious metals. Previously, the original steel Chronomaster Sport was crowned with the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève 2021 “Chronograph” prize. This time around, Zenith has crafted the Chronomaster Sport entirely in rose gold, including the bracelet and engraved bezel with 1/10th of a second scale.
The watch itself is available with either a black or white dial, with the signature El Primero tricolor counters with golden hands and applied markers. To bring out the warm radiance of the precious metal, the new version is finished with satin-brushed and polished surfaces. Aside from that, the Chronomaster Sport is also available in a “two-tone” aesthetic with stainless steel and rose gold, which is paired with a shimmery silver sunray-patterned tricolor dial.
On the other hand, the completely redesigned Chronomaster Open collection—which was originally launched in 2003 as the first chronograph with a partially open dial to reveal the regulating organ and escapement—comes in a more moderate 39.5mm case in steel or rose gold.
Appearance-wise, the new Chronomaster Open also revisits the iconic tri-color dial configuration with a transparent twist. The three counter colors are maintained thanks to a hesalite crystal element that serves as a readable sub-dial and allows viewing of the silicon star-shaped escape wheel instead of being completely removed, as was the case with the previous iteration of the Chronomaster Open.
The opening then reveals the movement with more straight bridges and a more contemporary grey tone. Speaking of which, beneath its lovely dial, the watch is driven by the newly developed El Primero 3604 calibre, which is based on the El Primero 3600 1/10th of a second automatic high-frequency calibre, but with a more open architecture.
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