Zenith, renowned for its rich history and pioneering spirit in watchmaking, proudly introduces the latest addition to its Chronomaster Original line — a timepiece that pays homage to the iconic Zenith A386, one of the earliest round-cased steel El Primero references from 1969. The new Zenith Chronomaster Original, with its captivating black tricolour dial, marks a significant departure from tradition and sets a bold contemporary tone for this legendary line.
The Zenith Chronomaster Original is Zenith’s second piece to feature either a black or white dial, after the Zenith Chronomaster Sport.
In a striking departure from convention, the distinctive creamy-white dial of the traditional El Primero design — featuring three counters in varying shades of grey and blue — has been transformed into an intense black hue. This transformation extends to every element, including the date wheel, positioned in a trapezoid window at 04:30 and the 1/10th of a second and 10-second chronograph scales and is the first-ever black tricolour dial within the classic 38mm steel case originally designed for the A386 in 1969.
Retaining the iconic silhouette and proportions of its historical predecessor from 1969, the Zenith Chronomaster Original boasts a 38mm round bezel-less steel case crowned with a raised and domed crystal. Time-honoured design elements, including the pump-style chronograph pushers and the blend of radial brushed and polished surfaces, are faithfully recreated in this modern iteration. The bracelet, too, has been redesigned with solid links, replacing the open “ladder” design of 1969.
The latest generation of the El Primero high-frequency automatic chronograph calibre is at the heart of this horological masterpiece, showcasing a remarkable 1/10th of a second chronograph function. A central red chronograph second hand completes one rotation around the dial in 10 seconds, enabling precise fractional time measurement. This achievement solidifies the Zenith Chronomaster Original as a modern interpretation of one of the most emblematic El Primero references. A transparent sapphire display exposes the movement’s contemporary architecture, adorned with a blue column wheel and an open rotor bearing the emblematic Zenith five-pointed star.
