The Swiss brand Zenith presented an updated version of the El Primero model in an attractive blue color.
The open heart watch dial has long been associated with the classic El Primero chronograph and its mechanism, which is visible through a hole in the dial. The cult watch of noughties, renewed in production by Zenith this year in a more modern form. The Zenith Chronomaster Open is now presented with a new dial color.
While the El Primero Open concept appeared in the 2000s, it was recently updated with the Chronomaster Open model. The new watch series was presented in March as part of the Watches & Wonders watch show. It adopted most of the well-known features of the Chronomaster Sport, but in a streamlined case and with a more complex dial architecture. The Zenith Chronomaster Open is essentially a Chronomaster Sport without the ceramic bezel and with a hole in the dial. And this makes it more interesting than the previous edition.
The Chronomaster Open Boutique Edition, like the standard models of this collection, is presented in a classic stainless steel case with a diameter of 39.5 mm. It is identical to the Chronomaster Sport in shape and finish, but has a slightly reduced diameter, mainly due to the absence of a ceramic bezel. The crown and pushers are also identical, and the overall shape is reminiscent of a classic modern watch with a slight vintage twist. It is quite a durable watch with water resistance up to 100 meters and sapphire glass on both sides.
New to the Zenith Chronomaster Open Boutique Edition is a dark blue dial – in the same vein as the Chronomaster Original Boutique Edition. With a radial finish, applied faceted markers and hands, it retains the classic gray and silver sub-dials that the El Primero watch is known for. Since this is an Open Zenith, the dial has an opening between the 9 and 12 o’clock marks, through which you can see the balance wheel, the escapement mechanism and the small seconds movement, which is under a transparent polymer plate.
Under the hood is the in-house caliber El Primero Caliber 3604, which is essentially a modified Chronomaster Sport movement. And there is nothing wrong with this, since this mechanism is an update of an iconic and reliable engine. Using the series’ traditional 5Hz frequency, it has a longer power reserve of 60 hours, as well as a silicon escape wheel and armature with anti-magnetic properties that do not require lubrication. The dial now features a central 1/10 second chronograph hand that completes a circle in 10 seconds. The rest of the display consists of a small seconds counter at 9 o’clock, a 60-minute counter at 6 o’clock, and a 60-second summary counter at 3 o’clock. The Zenith Chronomaster Open Boutique Edition watch comes with a brushed and polished steel bracelet.
