Archiv für den Monat: Januar 2021

Zenith Chronomaster Revival A385

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Zenith celebrates the rebirth of a legend: The watch manufacturer is bringing back one of the earliest and most emblematic El Primero-equipped chronographs from the earliest days of the revolutionary calibre in the form of a Chronomaster Revival model. So Zenith looks back to the year 1969, a year which brought not only significant changes to the watchmaking world but to the manufacture histelf with the official launch of the El Primero calibre. The debut of the world’s first automatic high-frequency chronograph was celebrated with three distinct steel models. Among them was the A385, a tonneau-shaped steel watch with with an eye-catching gradient dial, which was the first „smoked“ dial ever to be made. And now, after more than 50 years. the A385 is making a brilliant comeback.

The Chronomaster A385 Revival is far more than just a vintage-inspired creation. This watch is an actual reproduction of the original model from the late 1960s. Zenith brought it by „reverse engineering“. Using the original blueprints and production plans, each part of the tonneau-shaped stainless steel case, including the pump-style pushers, is faithful to the original model. The only differences are the domed sapphire crystal instead of an acrylic glass and the display back. The 1969 model came with a solid steel case back which did not allow a view of the spectacular movement behind it. Luckily, these days are over and the new watch now offers an unobstructed view of its El Primero 400 chronograph movement.
The case measures only 37 mm in diameter and is water-resistant to 5 atm.

What made the A385 truly stand was its smoked brown gradient dial with a vignette effect that blackens towards the edges and provides a striking sense of visual depth, as if the dial was domed. For the Chronomaster Revival, Zenith sought to recreate the same warm tones and gradient effect, almost indistinguishable from the original with its red chronograph central second hand and silvery-white chronograph counters. Hours and minutes are displayed centrally, and at 9 o’clock you’ll find the small seconds. The central seconds of the chronograph are complemented by a 10-minute conter at 3 o’clock and a 12-hour counter at 6 o’clock.
Between the indexes at 4 and 5 o’clock Zenith has placed the date window.

The aforementioned El Primero 400 chronograph movement is a powerful automatic movement. It operates at a frequency of 5 Hz and provides a power reserve of more than 50 hours.

Keeping with the retro theme, the Chronomaster A385 Revival is available in two options: the first is the steel ladder bracelet, a modern remake of the Gay Frères bracelets. The second is a light brown calfskin strap.

Rado True Square x Tej Chauhan

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The latest design collaboration of Rado is a pure expression of Emotive Industrial Design, created to celebrate the Master of Materials. And it brings the watch maker to the future in style. Tej Chauhan is an award-winning British industrial designer famous for its pioneering design. With flowing shapes, innovative high-tech ceramic and bold colours, the Rado True Square Tej Chauhan visualises the great futuristic visions of pop culture.
Rado has always looked toward the future, as have countless artists, directors and architects who repeatedly tired and are still trying to define the aesthetics of tomorrow. Many of their spacey, colourful, revolutionary designs have already achieved cult status.
Tej Chauhan and Rado found ideal partners in each other; both strategically use shape, colour, materials and contrast.

The basis of the collaboration was the new True Square – the first square watch made from solid high-tech ceramic, whose flowing shapes are created using injection moulding. The matt yellow ceramic case highlights the unique texture of the high-performance material and is combined with a case back in polished dark grey PVD-coated stainless steel with sapphire crystal and special engraving. The case measures 38 mm in diameter and is water-resistant up to 5 bar.
On the matt black dial with silver-coloured concentric circles, the hands provide strong contrasts from the centre: the minute and hour hands are painted in white, the second hand in neon red. In an opening at 3 o’clock, the date is displayed in a typography specially designed by Tej Chauhan. Blue indexes between 9 and 12 o’clock refer to the time of the day when things start moving – in the morning at the office or in the evening on a night out. Faceted sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on the inside provides the best insights and impresses as an independent design element.

This watch is powered by a modern automatic calibre. The ETA C07.611works relentless and absolutely reliable and provides a power reserve of approximately 80 hours.

The Rado True Square x Tej Chauhan is complemented by a bracelet made from yellow leather elements held by ceramic connectors.

Into the Deep, Dark Infinite with the Angelus U50 Diver Tourbillon Black Edition

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After entering the scene as a diver’s watch like no other, the Angelus U50 Diver Tourbillon now returns in a bold black (and sadly) limited edition. And it definitely stands out with its uniquely structured in-house skeleton movement and dark tones. While equipped with all the essential features a diver’s watch needs to deliver, this tourbillon is also a high-performance timepiece. With its stealthy black silhouette, this limited edition effortlessly blends into any situation.

Housed in a bombastic, 46 mm wide, very lightweight yet robust titanium case, the U50 Diver Tourbillon features two large screw-down crowns. The one at 4 o’clock is used for winding and setting the time, while the crown at 2 o’clock is used to rotate the unidirectional 60-minute rotating bezel. Opposite, at the 9 o’clock position, a helium escape valve is placed to ensure the watch’s water resistance of 300 meters. With this feature, even during saturation diving the helium molecules will not be able to make their way into the case.
The titanium case has received a full black DLC-treatment.

Instead of a solid dial, the U50 Diver Tourbillon features an open face with a dark but legible hour ring in grey, as well as white Super-LumiNova on the indexes. Matching the dial, the hours, minutes and seconds hands are black coated and also filled with Super-LumiNova for excellent legibility. Both face and case back crystals are made of anti-reflective sapphire.

The U50 Diver Tourbillon’s A-300 mechanical movement is designed as a skeleton movement from the ground up; it’s not a cut-out version of an already existing calibre.
Much reduced in weight, its beam-type bridges and the fact that all the movement’s main elements are firmly secured between two plates guarantee a high stability. This design replaces the conventional main plate and bridges construction while increasing the mechanical resistance of the movement. The rigidity is further enhanced by Angelus’s six-spoke design, and of course, the calibre is entirely manufactured in-house.
With its core functions – hours, minutes and small seconds – the A-300 calibre provides a 55-hour power reserve. The frequency of 4 Hz guarantees a high precision.

The U50 Diver Tourbillon Black Edition comes on a black rubber strap. This limited edition contains only 25 pieces.