Last year we showed you the revival of Zenith’s El-Primero A384 watch, a square-ish piece with plenty of vintage flair and a robust movement to boot. The Chronomaster Revival “Shadow” seems to follow suit, with the same blocky design as before but now with a greyed-out case. Some of you might be thinking that watches like this are for the likes of Omega and should stay that way. But, all you have to do is Google the Defy Xtreme, and you’ll get a sense of Zenith’s wild side.
But, this black watch from the brand has more history to it than you might expect. It’s not a custom-made piece for a rapper of some description; instead, it’s based on a 1970 prototype piece that never made it to production, until now. The case of the Chronomaster Revival “Shadow” watch is made from titanium that’s been microblasted to give it a matte finish. Coupled with the black dial and strap, this makes the “Shadow” stand out on the wrist but blend in after dark, perfect for cocktail parties. Or the cinema. The case is only 37mm at the widest part excluding the crown and pushers, thereby keeping with the vintage style.
Inside the case is, of course, and El-Primero calibre. The calibre 4061 inside it is a part of the legendary El-Primero range and, as such, has a 5Hz beat rate. This is higher than standard and improves upon accuracy and stability when on the wrist. It has a 50-hour power reserve, a column-wheel chronograph and silicone escape wheel and silicone lever too. This movement is found in most of the Chronomaster Open watches, which have a cut-out on the dial that displays the balance wheel in motion all the time. I love that feature, but I can see why it wouldn’t work here.
The watch’s strap looks like it’s fabric, but it’s actually rubber with a Cordura effect, along with black and white stitching effects too. That means this 50m water-resistant chronograph is good for the odd splash, but still not something we’d recommend swimming with.
The new Chronomaster Revival “Shadow” will retail for €8300, there’s no mention yet of whether it’s a limited edition.
Visit Zenith here.
