Hot on the heels of a standout showing at Watches and Wonders – and riding the buzz of its record-breaking G.F.J. calibre – Zenith has added a new layer of luxury to its Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar Chronograph.
The sleek 38mm model, which made its comeback last year in stainless steel (and is one of the brand’s best watches, in my opinion), now arrives dressed to impress in full 18-ct rose gold.
This isn’t just a pretty face, though. The triple calendar Chronomaster is one of the most intricate takes on Zenith’s legendary El Primero movement – a high-frequency calibre that was always intended to carry more than just a stopwatch function. As early as 1970, Zenith was already playing with prototypes that married the chronograph with day, date, month and moonphase indicators.
Reborn in 2024, the current Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar stays true to that vision. The design nods back to the classic A386, with a boxy sapphire crystal, tapered lugs and pump-style pushers that wouldn’t look out of place in a vintage catalogue.
The dial layout is sharp and balanced: day and month windows sit at 11 and 2 o’clock, the date nestles at 4:30, and the moonphase tucks neatly into the chronograph’s 6 o’clock sub-dial.
Now, in rose gold, the watch dials up the drama. A black dial sets off the warm case tones, with matching rose gold indexes and sub-dials creating just the right amount of contrast. SuperLuminova on the hands and markers keeps it readable, even when the lights go down.
Powering it all is the El Primero 3610 calibre – a 5Hz movement that tracks tenths of a second, with a chronograph hand that races round the dial in just 10 seconds. Despite the added complexity of a full calendar, you still get a 60-hour power reserve and a full view of the movement through the sapphire case back.
The price? $26,300 / £23,900. It’s available now via Zenith boutiques, online and selected retailers.
Liked this? The Christopher Ward C12 Loco arrives with a new in-house calibre and seriously desirable styling
