The chronograph is, without doubt, one of the most popular complications. A complex, purposeful piece of engineering, it is a must-have for watch aficionados… and the category has given rise to some of the most iconic watches (think Moonwatch or Paul Newman here). Among the numerous new models presented at Baselworld 2019, some really stood out. Here’s a look at 5 of our favourite chronographs of the fair.
High-frequency chronographs have long been part of Zenith’s identity. It all started in 1969 when Zenith introduced one of the best and most accurate chronograph movements ever created, the iconic El Primero. Fast forward to 2017, when Zenith introduced the Defy El Primero 21, an innovative chronograph with two regulators, capable of measuring hundredths of […]
Baselworld 2019 has come to an end. As always, it has been a rather packed event, despite a strange impression with the absence of Swatch Group’s brands, several other brands and an unusually high number of brands presenting their watches in different locations around the official ‘Messe’. If the mood was good overall, the future of the show was on everyone’s lips with speculations surrounding the attendance of the LVMH brands, Breitling and many more to the next editions of the fair. Now the dust has settled, team MONOCHROME looks back and chooses the best of show…
This year is the 50th anniversary of one of the most iconic movements ever created (if not the most well-known movement of the entire industry), the Zenith El Primero. While most brands would have looked at the past and introduced vintage re-editions of existing models only, Zenith took a different path. Here are the main […]
Zenith kicked off 2019 in a superb manner celebrating the 50th anniversary of its iconic chronograph movement, the El Primero. For once, the celebration was more about the importance of the movement than the watches. The El Primero (as indicated by its name) was the first automatic chronograph to be unveiled, back in 1969. For […]
More than three centuries after the invention of the sprung balance (by Hooke/Huygens), the oscillator is back in the limelight. Exploring new frontier and technological breakthroughs in mechanical watchmaking, the oscillator is considered the crowning glory for the most inventive and skillful watchmakers. Just a few days after the presentation of the Ulysse Nardin Freak […]
Back in the 1960s, as surprising as it seems now, there was only one way to use a chronograph: you had to wind it every morning. Indeed, all (literally all of them) were hand-wound movements… until 1969, when the world of watches changed drastically when three of the most prominent movements ever made were launched almost simultaneously. In January 1969 though, the very first to be introduced, as suggested by its name was El Primero, “The First” Automatic Chronograph. In order to celebrate the 50th anniversary of this emblematic movement, Zenith introduces an exclusive “50 Years of El Primero Anniversary Set” of watches, including a faithful re-edition of the mythical A386 and the introduction of a new movement, the Calibre 3600.
Following up on their well-priced/well-executed full-titanium Defy Classic Skeleton from 2018, Zenith has added an embellished version with rose gold, which is also the first two-tone 41mm Defy model. The titanium bezel has been replaced with 18-carat rose gold along with links in the integrated titanium bracelet. The same sporty look with an edge from the Defy Classic remains intact with the two-tone version, but the upscale aesthetic is targeting a more “coat and tie” clientele. The openworked (skeleton) dial is the only option this time around, removing the second blue sunburst dial from last year’s Defy Classic. The core product may be the same, but the cosmetic changes make a big difference to the overall package. Let’s take a closer look at the Two-Tone Zenith Defy Classic.
Introduced a few years ago, the Zenith Pilot Type 20 is a tribute to the brand’s rich aviation history. Among other highlights, in 1909, the French aviator Louis Bleriot became the first man to fly across the English Channel and did so with a Zenith watch strapped on his wrist. Zenith subsequently crafted an array […]
More and more Swiss watch brands are embracing e-commerce and shaping their online retailing strategy. One of the most recent examples of this digital shift comes from Zenith, which has just unveiled its first online exclusive watch. For the occasion, the brand teamed up with Grammy Award-winning music producer and hip-hop celebrity, Swizz Beatz to […]