The new Zenith Chronomaster Sport Meteorite

Released in 2021, the Zenith Chronomaster Sport has been quite a success for the Le Locle-based brand. A versatile sports chronograph with enough arguments, visually and mechanically, to compete with the heavyweights of the category, it has been made in an array of different versions since its introduction. Ranging from classic to bold, we’ve seen steel editions with tri-colour dials, models in pink, with green accents, with a tri-colour ceramic bezel, in titanium or with a rainbow bezel. Meteorite isn’t new to the collection either, and in fact, the model we’ll be looking at today already existed discreetly, as a Japan-only edition. Well, the steel Zenith Chronomaster Sport Meteorite is now available worldwide, and it looks quite special. 

The recipe is pretty straightforward. We’re looking at a classic steel Chronomaster Sport equipped with a different dial and a monochromatic colour scheme – of course, something that speaks to us here, at MONOCHROME (obviously…) The base is known and still as appealing as when it was released in 2021. The watch is a modern, versatile sports chronograph with everything you expect from this category. The steel case, measuring 41mm in diameter, 13.6mm in thickness and a reasonable 47mm lug-to-lug, is sharp and modern, but retains enough classism to not feel too bold – meaning that it will certainly age well. The dial is framed by a glossy black ceramic bezel, engraved with a 1/10th of a second track – a specificity of this collection being its high-frequency movement. The right side is home to two classic pump pushers and water-resistance is rated at 100m.

The main novelty is the dial, which plays on textures first and foremost, and keeps things discreet on the topic of colours. Yes, in classic El Primero fashion, the Chronomaster Sport Meteorite has sub-counters in three different tones, but here these are treated in a gradient of white and grey, not the emblematic version with silver, grey and blue. This actually pairs well with the silver colour of the base dial, made from meteorite, and gives the Widmanstätten pattern, a naturally occurring geometric structure formed by the slow cooling of molten iron in space, all the possibilities to express itself. Hours markers and hands are classic for the collection, as well as the debatable date window at 4:30.

At the core of the Zenith Chronomaster Sport Meteorite beats the El Primero 3600, the latest generation of high-frequency chronograph by Zenith. With its 5Hz (36,000 vibrations/hour) frequency and a silicon escape wheel, it enables the chronograph hand to make a complete rotation every 10 seconds, capturing elapsed time to the nearest tenth of a second. Compared to a classic El Primero, it’s been upgraded with a 60-hour power reserve and a stop seconds mechanism, as well as more modern decoration.

Presented on a steel bracelet with brushed and polished links, fastened by a double-folding clasp, as well as an additional black rubber strap with a matching clasp, the Zenith Chronomaster Sport Meteorite, once a Japan-exclusive model, is now available worldwide, through Zenith boutiques (in-store and online) and authorised retailers. It is priced at CHF 16,900 or EUR 18,300.

For more details, please visit www.zenith-watches.com.