One of the most striking new models of the latest edition of LVMH Watch Week is undoubtedly the Zenith Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar. Indeed, it demonstrates the ability of the Le Locle manufacturer to reinterpret in a contemporary context historical complications that it was already practicing in the 70s. In fact, Zenith is offering a real return to its roots. The Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar offers a dial layout similar to that of the models of yesteryear, all with a contained case diameter of 38mm. This is excellent news because some time ago triple calendar models had been presented with much larger diameters and I particularly remember a variation of a Zenith El Primero 410 with a white dial with a diameter of 42mm that was notoriously too big with information lost in the middle of the dial.
My favorite version, the one with the sunray slate gray dial:
No danger with this year’s new models: the watches are balanced and offer harmonious proportions and I really appreciated these new pieces which, while not surprising, are very well made.
They should be considered as reinterpretations of the historical models and not as clones because the fundamental difference remains the basic caliber. The Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar are powered by the El Primero 3610 caliber which is in fact the combination of the El Primero 3600 caliber with the triple calendar module. And who says El Primero 3600 caliber says chronograph second hand that makes one revolution of the dial in 10 seconds. The historical models use a traditional El Primero caliber with a chronograph second hand making a complete revolution of the dial in one minute. But for the rest, the organization of the dial remains the same: the moon phase display is housed in the lower subdial (the minute counter), the day of the week window is located above the left subdial (the permanent second hand) and the month window is positioned above the right subdial (the seconds totalizer). As for the most important calendar information, the dates, they are indicated via a window at 4:30.
The 38mm diameter offers ideal proportions:
Even though I am not a big fan of “calendar” watches, I find that Zenith has real know-how on the subject and this is felt in the execution of this new product. The proportions are optimal, the size of the case seemed ideal to me (the thickness of 13mm remains reasonable) and the presence of the moon phases nicely brightens up the dial. The upper windows of the day and month are rather discreet and even tend to be forgotten. The 50 meter water resistance is worth noting.
3 distinct dials are available: sunburst slate gray, sunburst olive green and silver-white “panda”. My favorite version is the slate gray one which I found very elegant even if the watch seems smaller than the one with the silver-white “panda” dial. The version with the sunburst olive green dial is only available in Zenith boutiques (physical or e-shop). The color is also very well balanced, offering a refined rendering, avoiding the risk of weariness in the long term.
The version with a sunburst olive green dial:
The transparent back of the steel case allows you to appreciate the El Primero 3610 caliber. Given the construction of the movement and the position of the additional module, its rendering is similar to that of the El Primero 3600 caliber. It is a movement that I find very beautiful to look at, not because of its finishes which, although neat, do not offer anything special. On the other hand, the architecture of the movement, its depth effects, its apparent complexity make it very attractive, reinforcing its status as a legendary caliber. And then, what does not spoil anything, its performances are excellent with a frequency of 5hz (and therefore a capacity to measure and here to display with legibility the 10ths of a second) and a power reserve extended to 60 hours. As for the calendar functions, I remind you that we are here in the context of a triple calendar and that it is not an annual or perpetual calendar. It will therefore be necessary to manually change the date when the transition from one month to another requires it.
The retail price of each version of the Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar is 14,000 euros with a leather strap or 14,500 euros with a steel strap. We are therefore more than 4,000 euros more than the Chronomaster Original with a leather strap, which is significant. The Chronomaster Original has the date and as in all cases the triple calendar does not prevent the need to manually adjust the dates, so it is the display of the moon phases, the day of the week and the month that explains the price difference. It is therefore all a question of perception of the value of the additional displays. If the customer feels that they bring a real plus compared to the Chronomaster Original, then he can accept the higher price. If he feels that they do not bring much more or that their added value does not “weigh” the 4,000 euros difference, then he will stick with the Chronomaster Original… which in any case is already a very beautiful watch. For me, in any case, I find that the price of the Chronomaster Original is more coherent at 9,900 euros than that of the Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar at 14,000 euros. And since I am not a fan of calendar watches, my choice would fall without hesitation on the simpler version.
The El Primero 3610 caliber:
In any case, Zenith was right to present this new product. First of all, there are many fans of calendar functions. In addition, this allows Zenith to revisit its past and be consistent with it. Finally, the expertise of the manufacture is expressed through the effective integration of the complication and the performance of the base caliber. In the end, the ball is in the court of the customers who will not fail to play comparisons with the Chronomaster Original and its label.
The version with the silver-white “Panda” dial and the steel bracelet:
The pros:
+ the ideal diameter
+ efficient integration of calendar displays
+ the performance of the El Primero 3610 caliber
The cons:
– the price difference with the Chronomaster Original
