New Zenith Chronomaster Sport El Primero
Discussion
I know this watch got a few brief mentions in the 'Incoming' thread, but I thought it deserved a thread for those that don't frequent that discussion.
This watch has been creating havoc on the interwebs over the last few days, with it 'all kicking off on YouTube' regarding various reviews, leaving comments sections looking like a warzone.
Bark and Jack gave it a review that came across as brief and slightly disinterested, and contained jokes and comments about how Zenith have essentially copied a Daytona: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxY1Gzudi0s
Other YouTube watch people then waded in with either support or disappointment at the "they copied Rolex" type reviews, and the whole debate over the new Zenith began.
Some watch vloggers defended Bark and Jack, then went even further and suggested the only reason you would buy the Zenith is because you couldn't afford or couldn't obtain a Daytona.
But who cares about what watch vloggers think?
My opinion is that I absolutely love it. I think the new movement is a work of art and technologically superb, I think the 41mm size was a great choice, and I can honestly say I prefer the looks over a Daytona.
I would actually prefer this to a Daytona because it's a Zenith, and not a Rolex. I say that as someone who loves Rolex and owns several models, but not a Daytona. Rolex is an amazing brand and watchmaker, but I just think that picking the Zenith shows some individuality and says "I don't particularly want or need a Daytona".
As many of you know, there is a lot of history between the Zenith Chronomaster and the Daytona, and I think saying that Zenith copied Rolex is just lazy. You could argue that Zenith got there first as their movements powered the original Daytona.
UK price is £8300.
As much as I love it, I won't be buying one right now unfortunately as I have already bought a few watches in the last 12 months and simply cannot justify spending £8k on something else for a little while yet. I would like to think that they will start to appear used for less than £8k in 12 months or so, but honestly, I can't see it. I think demand will outstrip supply for this one and used prices will reflect that. Credit where it is due, Zenith aid they have no desire to create a 'Rolex situation' and they will attempt to increase production to meet demand, but I guess there is only so much they can do in that respect.
I think it is a beautiful watch and congrats to anyone who has ordered one.
Various reviews for you:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolbesler/2021/01/2...
https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/zenith-chronomas...
https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/watches/article/zeni...
This watch has been creating havoc on the interwebs over the last few days, with it 'all kicking off on YouTube' regarding various reviews, leaving comments sections looking like a warzone.
Bark and Jack gave it a review that came across as brief and slightly disinterested, and contained jokes and comments about how Zenith have essentially copied a Daytona: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxY1Gzudi0s
Other YouTube watch people then waded in with either support or disappointment at the "they copied Rolex" type reviews, and the whole debate over the new Zenith began.
Some watch vloggers defended Bark and Jack, then went even further and suggested the only reason you would buy the Zenith is because you couldn't afford or couldn't obtain a Daytona.
But who cares about what watch vloggers think?
My opinion is that I absolutely love it. I think the new movement is a work of art and technologically superb, I think the 41mm size was a great choice, and I can honestly say I prefer the looks over a Daytona.
I would actually prefer this to a Daytona because it's a Zenith, and not a Rolex. I say that as someone who loves Rolex and owns several models, but not a Daytona. Rolex is an amazing brand and watchmaker, but I just think that picking the Zenith shows some individuality and says "I don't particularly want or need a Daytona".
As many of you know, there is a lot of history between the Zenith Chronomaster and the Daytona, and I think saying that Zenith copied Rolex is just lazy. You could argue that Zenith got there first as their movements powered the original Daytona.
UK price is £8300.
As much as I love it, I won't be buying one right now unfortunately as I have already bought a few watches in the last 12 months and simply cannot justify spending £8k on something else for a little while yet. I would like to think that they will start to appear used for less than £8k in 12 months or so, but honestly, I can't see it. I think demand will outstrip supply for this one and used prices will reflect that. Credit where it is due, Zenith aid they have no desire to create a 'Rolex situation' and they will attempt to increase production to meet demand, but I guess there is only so much they can do in that respect.
I think it is a beautiful watch and congrats to anyone who has ordered one.
Various reviews for you:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolbesler/2021/01/2...
https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/zenith-chronomas...
https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/watches/article/zeni...
Put a black ceramic bezel on any traditional 3 dial chronograph people are going to say they copied the Daytona.
One could make an argument for the hands being the same but a sword hand is such a common hand design on zenith and every other manufacturer that I think it falls short. Not even the case shape is the same.
I'm glad they made it. There shouldn't be a monopoly on ceramic bezel chronographs.
One could make an argument for the hands being the same but a sword hand is such a common hand design on zenith and every other manufacturer that I think it falls short. Not even the case shape is the same.
I'm glad they made it. There shouldn't be a monopoly on ceramic bezel chronographs.
I only stumbled across it in the incoming thread, appreciate the review links 
Personally I would never buy a Rolex as there are just so many more individual or imaginative choices for the money, and they don't particularly appeal visually.
The Daytona I also don't particularly like in pictures, but have seen one worn in the flesh and on the F1 coverage and they do look quite nice on, so this is quite an interesting watch that I'll definitely look in to in more detail.
As OP says, part of the appeal for me is that it isn't a bloody Rolex, they're just such a dull choice
Personally I would never buy a Rolex as there are just so many more individual or imaginative choices for the money, and they don't particularly appeal visually.
The Daytona I also don't particularly like in pictures, but have seen one worn in the flesh and on the F1 coverage and they do look quite nice on, so this is quite an interesting watch that I'll definitely look in to in more detail.
As OP says, part of the appeal for me is that it isn't a bloody Rolex, they're just such a dull choice
Don't see the fuss myself.
Sure, it could be read as a cynical lookalike of the Daytona.
But there's only so much you can do with watch design. How many Submariner lookalikes are floating around?
To the guy on the street I understand they look the same, but to a watch nerd (i.e. me) there's tons of differences, but then I (we?) obsess about the tiny details around watches, so it's a different outlook.
For me, the classic over-lapping sub-dials of a Zenith are very distinctive, such that it's not overly close to a Daytona.
What are Zenith to do?
To many buyers they basically have one good string to their bow - the El Primero Chronograph movement.
They've been flogging various iterations of it for years, and struggled to make a meaningful impact with other models, so it's no surprise they've finally hit on a ceramic bezel version as a differentiator to the El Primero range.
The casual watch buyer likes this sort of stuff - techy materials marketing. If it looks like a Daytona, I doubt that'll harm its prospects.
The Daytona is a great watch, but I prize it for the Chronograph movement and the technology within. The El Primero has a fascinating history and is no slouch on the technology/performance either.
I'll avoid both and just stick with my 1861 Speedmaster I think. I'll look for a good deal on a used 38mm Chronomaster El Primero - they look rather lovely.
Sure, it could be read as a cynical lookalike of the Daytona.
But there's only so much you can do with watch design. How many Submariner lookalikes are floating around?
To the guy on the street I understand they look the same, but to a watch nerd (i.e. me) there's tons of differences, but then I (we?) obsess about the tiny details around watches, so it's a different outlook.
For me, the classic over-lapping sub-dials of a Zenith are very distinctive, such that it's not overly close to a Daytona.
What are Zenith to do?
To many buyers they basically have one good string to their bow - the El Primero Chronograph movement.
They've been flogging various iterations of it for years, and struggled to make a meaningful impact with other models, so it's no surprise they've finally hit on a ceramic bezel version as a differentiator to the El Primero range.
The casual watch buyer likes this sort of stuff - techy materials marketing. If it looks like a Daytona, I doubt that'll harm its prospects.
The Daytona is a great watch, but I prize it for the Chronograph movement and the technology within. The El Primero has a fascinating history and is no slouch on the technology/performance either.
I'll avoid both and just stick with my 1861 Speedmaster I think. I'll look for a good deal on a used 38mm Chronomaster El Primero - they look rather lovely.
The most interesting thing to me about the new Zenith is the movement.
Not in a engineering-watchmaking-obsessive way but from a functional standpoint.
It's one of the few automatic chronos that's actually designed to time things that last more than 30 minutes. The standard Valjoux 7750-style 30mins chrono sub-dial on most automatic chronos does my head in for reasons that I can't really justify so am not going to try.
That coupled with the 1/10 second capability of this movement makes this a properly functional chrono as well as a nice piece of jewellery. The Rolex is just jewellery, IMHO.
I don't like the bezel, and it's use is unnecessary given they use an in-board tachy scale on their older models, I would like the looks of this one alot more if they used an in-board 1/10 scale for this one thereby retaining the elegance of, for example the model below, which I think is just lovely. But times out at 30 mins and is therefore purely ornamental.
When they make a model that looks like this, but has the new caliber 3600 installed, I'm in. And the comparisons to the Daytona become an irrelevance.
Not in a engineering-watchmaking-obsessive way but from a functional standpoint.
It's one of the few automatic chronos that's actually designed to time things that last more than 30 minutes. The standard Valjoux 7750-style 30mins chrono sub-dial on most automatic chronos does my head in for reasons that I can't really justify so am not going to try.
That coupled with the 1/10 second capability of this movement makes this a properly functional chrono as well as a nice piece of jewellery. The Rolex is just jewellery, IMHO.
I don't like the bezel, and it's use is unnecessary given they use an in-board tachy scale on their older models, I would like the looks of this one alot more if they used an in-board 1/10 scale for this one thereby retaining the elegance of, for example the model below, which I think is just lovely. But times out at 30 mins and is therefore purely ornamental.
When they make a model that looks like this, but has the new caliber 3600 installed, I'm in. And the comparisons to the Daytona become an irrelevance.
No one can doubt the resemblance to a Ceramic Daytona but then again how many designs of a 'wrist watch' can you make that will appeal to the mass market?
I am lucky enough have a black ceramic daytona and Zentih El Primero in my collection, so I can say I am neutral in my view.
The new Zenith sport is a stunning watch and captures exactly what the market is after at the present time. It is a good looking watch and at 41mm is a sweet spot in size for me. I will save my final judgement till I can get one hands on.
I can seriously see myself dropping some £££ for this after I can get to try one on.
My only concern on the design is the coloured sub dials. They maybe a bit too colourful for me. Definitely something that appeals at the moment but not sure if I wouldn't prefer a more monotone sub dials. The current rage for colour pop on dials (Rolex OPs from 2020 release) is not something that I like.
yup, I'm boring. Call me Mr Grey.
(no reference to grey dealers!)
I am lucky enough have a black ceramic daytona and Zentih El Primero in my collection, so I can say I am neutral in my view.
The new Zenith sport is a stunning watch and captures exactly what the market is after at the present time. It is a good looking watch and at 41mm is a sweet spot in size for me. I will save my final judgement till I can get one hands on.
I can seriously see myself dropping some £££ for this after I can get to try one on.
My only concern on the design is the coloured sub dials. They maybe a bit too colourful for me. Definitely something that appeals at the moment but not sure if I wouldn't prefer a more monotone sub dials. The current rage for colour pop on dials (Rolex OPs from 2020 release) is not something that I like.
yup, I'm boring. Call me Mr Grey.
(no reference to grey dealers!)
Barchettaman said:
Anyone who needs 1/10 stopwatch capabilities will be using a digital stopwatch and/or electronic timing.
Nice to have, I suppose, but only in a one-upmanship kind of way.
Lovely watch. I’ll stick with my Lunar Pilot, however.
I doubt anyone who owns an analogue chronograph watch ever uses the stopwatch functionality.Nice to have, I suppose, but only in a one-upmanship kind of way.
Lovely watch. I’ll stick with my Lunar Pilot, however.
I own a IWC Portuguese Chrono and I have only used the chronograph once, when I first got it, just to see how it worked. I just bought it because I absolutely loved the looks of the watch. It would be the same if I owned the Zenith Chronomaster. I would never ever use the stopwatch function.
Most people buy them simply for the looks, or because they like the additional complication, or as you say some form of one-upmanship (which is a really silly reason IMO)
I would think the price tag would put off the vast majority of people who just need a stop watch.
I use mine occasionally, will never use the tachymetre. Done right a chronograph just looks good.
I'd like to have something with an el primero movement. I am not sure I love this. The bezel dominates it a bit.
I use mine occasionally, will never use the tachymetre. Done right a chronograph just looks good.
I'd like to have something with an el primero movement. I am not sure I love this. The bezel dominates it a bit.
Each to their own. I use a watch based chrono quite alot. Not to 1/10 of a second I'll grant you.
Being able to time stuff accurately with something attached to your wrist, in any weather, without having to scroll to a setting, via a menu or other multi-function interface, is just very convenient and the reason why watch beats phone, for this task, for me.
I get that some functions can make a watch (or any other object) look more attractive, and as we all do, I've got an unhealthy number of things that I want rather than need, but choosing something because it looks nice because it has a function that I know I'd never use is right on the margins for me. I'm sure I've done it too, I just can't think of when. As I say though, each to their own.
Being able to time stuff accurately with something attached to your wrist, in any weather, without having to scroll to a setting, via a menu or other multi-function interface, is just very convenient and the reason why watch beats phone, for this task, for me.
I get that some functions can make a watch (or any other object) look more attractive, and as we all do, I've got an unhealthy number of things that I want rather than need, but choosing something because it looks nice because it has a function that I know I'd never use is right on the margins for me. I'm sure I've done it too, I just can't think of when. As I say though, each to their own.
Lord Marylebone said:
andy tims said:
Fullook said:
By the way, if you're going to make have one of these - y'know, like really force me, I'll have this one please
Buy on the bracelet - add the strap. If the original Daytona didn't have a Zenith movement in it (the movement, let's not forget, that defined the visual aesthetic of the Daytona with it's sub-dials at 3, 6 and 9) and this new model had a steel bezel and not a ceramic one then no-one would be comparing one watch with the other. As has been said above, I don't see the fuss, in fact if the opinions shared in the Bark & Jack video weren't so strong would we even be having this discussion?
Still, I suppose there's only one thing worse than being spoken about...
Still, I suppose there's only one thing worse than being spoken about...
The original Daytona didn't have a Zenith movement... it was a Valjoux. The Zenith movement came 25 years later in the 80s.
CardShark said:
If the original Daytona didn't have a Zenith movement in it (the movement, let's not forget, that defined the visual aesthetic of the Daytona with it's sub-dials at 3, 6 and 9) and this new model had a steel bezel and not a ceramic one then no-one would be comparing one watch with the other. As has been said above, I don't see the fuss, in fact if the opinions shared in the Bark & Jack video weren't so strong would we even be having this discussion?
Still, I suppose there's only one thing worse than being spoken about...
Still, I suppose there's only one thing worse than being spoken about...
Gassing Station | Watches | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff