Schlagwort-Archive: El Primero

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.

Mysterious: The Chronomaster Revival Shadow

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A timepiece shrouded in mystery. Its existence has eluded collectors and Zenith collaborators alike for decades, wondering whether it actually existed. As the legend goes, in 1970, shortly 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. Only a handful of this prototype was made, but the model was never officially produced or marketed. Some of the watchmakers and longtime employees of Zenith had heard of the rare watch, and there were even sightings. But they were largely unconfirmed and so the watch remained a mystery.
After Zenith began celebrating the 50th anniversary of the seminarl El Primero chronograph calibre in 2019, the manufacture’s team set out ot find the prototype of the black chronograph, which hadn’t been seen since the early 1970’s. The time had finally come to complete the black watch project that had begun almost half a century earlier. The Chronomaster Revival „Shadow“ does not directly reproduce a historical watch but reimagines what could have been.

The Chronomaster Revival „Shadow is heavily inspired by the obscure black chronograph prototype from 1970 and housed in a 37 mm case, a faithful reproduction of the very first watch fitted with the El Primero – the A384. But instead of the traditional choice of stainless steel with a superficial layer of black coating Zenith has opted for microblasted Titanium, bringing out the dark grey nuances of the lightweight yet highly durable metal with its completely matte finish. The case is waterproof up to 5 atm.

In spite of its dark demeanor, the Shadow remains a highly legible chronograph, with grey counters and tachymeter scale subtly contrasting against the deep, matte black dial. The hands and applied markers are filled with white Super-LumiNova that emits a bright green glow in the dark.
Hours and minutes are displayed centrally, and at 9 o’clock you’ll find the running second. The central second hand belongs to the chronograph, at 3 o’clock you’ll find the 30-minute-counter and at 6 o’clock the 12-hour-counter.

Unlike the prototype from 1970, which feature a manual-winding chronograph movement, the Chronomaster Revival „Shadow“ features the most prolific automatic chronograph ever made, the El Primero 4061. It operates at a frequency of 5 Hz and provides a power reserve of at least 50 hours.
And of course, the watch is equipped with a display back, so the movement can be admired accordingly.

The Chronomaster Revival „Shadow“ is delivered with a black rubber strap with a cordura-effect and a touch of white on the stitching.