BY JOVAN K
There’s something slightly strange about the new Chronomaster Solo Sport. Zenith has taken the Chronomaster, one of its most recognizable modern collections, and removed the one thing you would normally expect to find there: the chronograph. What’s left is a three-hander powered by the high-frequency El Primero 3620.
The stainless steel case measures 40mm, making it a little more compact and easier to wear than the 41mm Chronomaster Sport. It keeps the sporty character of the collection, but gets a few changes that actually make it feel more like an everyday sports watch. There’s a screw-down crown with crown protectors, a unidirectional rotating ceramic bezel and 200 meters of water resistance. So while the name says Chronomaster, this one is definitely not trying to be a delicate dressy piece. The sapphire crystal on both sides also gives you a good look at what’s happening inside.
The dial is probably the biggest visual change because, obviously, there are no chronograph sub-dials anymore. Instead, Zenith has gone for ceramic dials with a repeated 45-degree Z pattern. The white version gets a sunburst finish, while the black and brown versions have a polished surface. There’s also a segmented “shark tooth” minute track around the outside, which is a nice reference to Zenith’s older designs. Applied faceted hour markers and Super-LumiNova keep things easy to read, while the big 36,000 VpH text at 6 o’clock makes sure you don’t forget what’s powering the thing.
There are four versions in total. You can choose between white, black and brown dials with a date at 3 o’clock, or go for the black no-date version. Personally, I think the no-date is the one that makes the most sense. Without the date window, the dial feels much cleaner and the whole idea behind the Solo Sport becomes clearer.
Inside is the automatic El Primero 3620, derived from the El Primero 3600 chronograph movement. It runs at 36,000 vibrations per hour, (5Hz), which has been one of the defining characteristics of the El Primero since its introduction in 1969.
Here, that high frequency isn’t being used to measure tenths of a second as it is in the chronograph. Instead, it simply drives the three-hand display, giving the seconds hand that smooth, high-frequency sweep. The movement has a silicon escapement, stop-seconds function and around 60 hours of power reserve.
Zenith puts the watch on a three-link stainless-steel bracelet with its new ZENCLASP folding clasp. The clasp has tool-free micro-adjustment in 2.5mm steps, giving you 10mm of adjustment directly on the wrist. It’s one of those small details that doesn’t look particularly exciting on paper but makes a big difference when you’re actually wearing the watch.
The Chronomaster Solo Sport is available now, with the three date versions priced at CHF 9,900 and the black no-date version at CHF 8,900.
Removing the chronograph from a Chronomaster sounds almost wrong, but you get the 5Hz El Primero, a 40mm case, 200 meters of water resistance and a clean three-hand layout. It isn’t trying to replace the Chronomaster Sport. It’s doing something a little different, and for once, less really does feel like more.
Explore more at Zenith
