I consider myself a bit of a chronophile. I am in love with a good watch. When I meet someone new, the very first thing I notice about them is what they wear on their wrist. It isn’t a status thing. It isn’t a judgmental thing. It is merely a curiosity. A pull to notice something about them that is similar to myself. A connection, if you will. For me, a watch is a story. Forget the status of luxury in a lot of these insanely priced collector’s items from all the top European watchmakers. They are fine, but for me, give me something that tells a story. Nobody tells a story like Zenith. Beginning with finding inspiration in the stars and naming the brand after the highest point of a journey, they tell a story like no other. That is why the new Chronomaster Revival A384 strikes me. It brings the innovation of the first drop in 1969, with the look of what a watch made then would look like today.
A faithful reproduction from 1969
Let’s start with the innovation of 1969. When the A384 dropped, it featured the El Primero calibre, the first automatic. Now, for me, I am a fan of winding my watch. It is another connection I have to the piece on my wrist. It gives me a moment to sit with what I am wearing. It feels like pausing with time, a moment of preparation for the day. For most people, that probably sounds a little too woo-wooey; they just wanna get on with their day. So, the automatic was a Godsend. Just put it on and go; the winding is done for you.
Now, let’s move on to the “Tropical.” This is the effect of sunlight and oxidation on the dial, which turns it all brilliant shades of brown. Think about your grandfather’s watch, the one that has seen the world, that carries the rays of the past. This is brought into today with the “Tropical,” the brown and white dial made to marry the innovation of the past with the patina of today.
