Zenith could win Watches & Wonders with its blue ceramic Chronomaster Sport
Zach Blass- Zenith presents a US$22,700 blue ceramic limited edition of its Chronomaster Sport for the 160th Anniversary of the brand.
- It has a striking blue ceramic case and bracelet, but it also comes with a blue rubber strap.
- The El Primero 3600 remains exhibited within, but it boasts a special 160th anniversary rotor.
I dare you. I dare you to try and call this special anniversary celebrating novelty a Daytona homage. When the Zenith Chronomaster Sport made its debut, I will concede fairly, people noticed some visual parallels between it and the Daytona. A deeper dive could point out notable differences such as a high-beat automatic calibre, 1/10th of a second chronograph, and signature tri-coloured registers. The collection has since expanded with new colours and materials, ones that Rolex has never explored with its chronograph. But today’s novelty, one of three 160-piece limited editions celebrating Zenith’s 160th anniversary, is a Chronomaster Sport cased in blue ceramic and affixed to a matching bracelet. If you wanted a Daytona like this, maybe Artisans de Genève or other known customisers would be able to assist – for an exorbitant price. Zenith, however, proudly does it right from its own factory, drawing an irrefutable line in the sand.
Though this is a ceramic-cased version, a first for the collection, its dimensions are identical to the steel model at 41mm in diameter and 13.6mm thick. Its lug-to-lug span of 47mm keeps things compact for a modern chronograph, so it will suit most wrists very well. Despite ceramic being used for both the case and bracelet, Zenith has applied the same finishes that you would find on its metal Chronomaster Sport, imbuing it with 100 metres of water resistance as well.
The three-link bracelet is in full ceramic, including its folding clasp, and the watch comes bundled with a blue rubber strap with a steel clasp. Inside, you still have the Zenith El Primero 3600 automatic, a 60-hour, high-beat calibre that boasts a 1/10th of a second chronograph that sends the central chronograph seconds hand spinning around the dial once every 10 seconds. The only difference with this calibre is its special rotor, branded with “160 years” in honour of the special anniversary.
It is a shame that such a handsome design is limited to 160 pieces. This is a major flex piece from Zenith, with nothing stealth or under the radar about it. That being said, its limited nature stands to make it more of a collectible and generate some hype around a brand that deserves far more time in the spotlight. Considering the retail price and secondary market values of its known pound-for-pound rival, it makes the US$22,700 retail price of this Zenith Chronomaster Sport 160th Anniversary Edition very, very fair – and I suspect many will jump quickly to secure one.
Zenith Chronomaster Sport 160th Anniversary Edition Blue Ceramic pricing and availability
Zenith Chronomaster Sport 160th Anniversary Edition Blue Ceramic is available as a limited edition of 160 pieces. Price: US$22,700
| Brand | Zenith |
| Model | Chronomaster Sport 160th Anniversary Edition |
| Case Dimensions | 41mm (D) x 13.6mm (T) x 47mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | Blue ceramic |
| Water Resistance | 100 metres |
| Dial | Blue, tri-colour counters |
| Crystal | Sapphire crystal front and back |
| Strap | Blue ceramic bracelet, folding buckle Additional blue rubber strap, steel buckle |
| Movement | El Primero 3600, in-house, high-beat automatic |
| Power Reserve | 60 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, small seconds, date, 1/10th of a second chronograph |
| Availability | Limited to 160 pieces |
| Price | US$22,700 |