Zenith chronomaster revival el primero a385
The famed movement, El Primero was fitted inside this collection and to this day houses inside the Chronomaster’s case.
Taking its influences from the 60s and 70s, the Chronomaster collection bifurcates the art of watchmaking with simplicity. This marked the unprecedented growth of the Chronomaster collection and the El Primero with timepieces such as Chronomaster Open, Chronomaster Sport, and Chronomaster Revival. First launched in 1994, the Chronomaster collection was the first one to display the El Primero movement with a sapphire crystal case back. It is now for sale at and retails for CHF 8,900, EUR 8,800 or USD 9,000.The story of the Zenith Chronomaster collection is very well imbibed with the El Primero. However, it will only be available as a boutique and e-commerce exclusive. The Zenith Chronomaster Revival Safari (reference 97.T384.400.57.C856) is launched as part of the permanent collection. It is the direct descendant of the 1969 El Primero movement (the calibre 400 is the closest iteration to the original version), and it is visible through a sapphire caseback. This high-frequency (5Hz) chronograph comes with an integrated automatic architecture, a column wheel, and a lateral clutch. Inside the case, no surprises, as the watch comes equipped with the iconic El Primero Calibre 400. Matching this dial is a rubber and Cordura-effect strap in green with a matte microblasted titanium pin buckle. It also comes with a white on green date wheel, camouflaged with the rest of the dial. Instead, Zenith gives its watch an adventurous look with a matte khaki green dial, contrasting black registers and tachymeter scale, with a touch of vintage inspiration with its warm beige-coloured Super-LumiNova on the applied baton markers and hands. Don’t expect the classic tri-colour or panda schemes here. The other unexpected change in this Chronomaster Revival Safari is the dial. The case retains its classic barrel shape and compact 37mm diameter. No coating is applied because the matte titanium absorbs light rather than reflecting it. Not only is the look muted, but this finishing also brings out a darker colour for the material. The entire case, including the star-emblazoned crown and pump-style pushers, is fashioned from this material. Replacing the traditionally finished stainless steel case in a mix of satin-brushed and polished surfaces, the Chronomaster Revival Safari is crafted in titanium, a lightweight and resistant material, and finished with matte microblasted surfaces. This watch is a modernised take on the geometry and overall proportions found in the historical A384, however, with less vintage-inspired features. Today, and still based on the A384 architecture, the brand launches an adventurous and rugged edition, the Zenith Chronomaster Revival Safari. There have been some more editions based on these faithful re-editions, with a more contemporary take, such as the Shadow or the Liberty editions. Zenith has been playing hard on the vintage trend in recent years, bringing back some of its most glorious watches from the inaugural El Primero trilogy – A384, A385, and A386 -, to other important models, such as the A3817 launched a couple of weeks ago.