Zenith

Celebrated my birthday with this latest addition!

Aug 23, 2021,03:13 AM

After periods of lockdowns, working remotely, and constantly hearing "you're on mute," we have been blessed with some amazing timepiece debuts during 2021. Without any doubts, my absolute favorite debut to date this year has been the Zenith Chronometer Sport:

Zenith definitely did not have the mute button on when they released this stunning sports chronograph back in January. The debut of the Chronomaster Sport was heard loud and clear by the WIS community. Due to the inevitable comparisons to the "Crowned" heavyweight champion of sports chronographs - the Rolex Daytona - this has probably been one of the most talked-about timepieces of 2021:

The moment I saw this beauty in the metal at my local AD, it was a no-brainer. They had the black matte dial variant, which I would usually prefer. However, I decided to have them order the white matte dial variant. Perhaps, since I've always been a fan of the El Primero's signature tri-color overlapping sub-dial layout, I believe the black ceramic bezel contrasts perfectly against the stark white dial and the blue, anthracite, and light gray registers:

It incorporates the latest generation of the El Primero "Striking 10th" movement, the 3600 Caliber, which was released in 2019. Although utilized in limited edition pieces, this is the first time Zenith has used it in a regular production model. This high frequency mechanism beats at 36,000 vph (5 Hz) and offers 60 hours of power reserve. Despite this being a sport chronograph, Zenith was not shy about showing off their latest accomplishment by providing us with an awesome view of the engine room:

For those of you unfamiliar with the El Primero "Striking 10th" 3600 Calibre, this movement allows the user to measure time down to 1/10 of a second. Rather than a tachymeter scale, the engraved black ceramic bezel is calibrated for 10 seconds in 1/10 increments. The central seconds hand completes a full revolution of the dial every 10 seconds. The running seconds is at 9 o'clock (light gray). The 60-seconds counter is at 3 o'clock (blue). Finally, the 60-minute counter is at 6 o'clock (anthracite). In the photo below, the elapsed time is 74.4 seconds:

Despite its illustrious history in creating one of the most iconic chronograph movements, the El Primero, Zenith is one of the most overlooked brands and has tended to fly under the radar. I would argue that they have relied too heavily on this movement and its multiple variations. Although the brand has undeniably produced some notable models, can anyone identify a truly iconic model within their collection, especially a stainless steel model, which is a requirement in today's environment? It's actually quite difficult. Will the Chronomaster Sport become the true emblem of the brand? Only time will tell.