When talking about Zenith, what may come to everyone’s mind are the legendary stories of classic Swiss watchmaking and aerospace. The CHRONOMASTER flagship series of watches they launched in recent days has become the new favorite of watch enthusiasts with its ultra-high-frequency El Primero 3600 movement. Want to know the technology and design philosophy behind this watch? Keep reading, it will definitely open your eyes!

CHRONOMASTER flagship series watches

In the CHRONOMASTER flagship series of watches launched in 2021, Zenith has fully demonstrated the high-frequency timing skills of the El Primero 3600 self-winding movement. This movement not only has an ultra-high frequency of 10 Hz, but also has a power reserve of 60 hours. It also has 1/10 second timing and accurate time display. The hollow small seconds dial at 3 o’clock clearly shows every beat of the second hand, and the 60-second scale above the dial is the best guide for 1/10-second timing. The overall design of the watch is also classic and fashionable. The various combinations of stainless steel, rose gold, leather and metal bracelets make it suitable for both formal occasions and casual time wear.

Zenith Brand History and Aerospace

As one of Switzerland’s top watchmaking brands, Zenith’s history is closely related to the aerospace field. As early as the 1960s, Zenith developed an aerospace watch with a timing accuracy of 1/10 second for the Mercury project worn by NASA astronauts. The brand’s iconic movement, El Primero (meaning “the first”), was born in 1969 and became the world’s first mass-produced self-winding chronograph movement. Because of this, Zenith watches not only have excellent timing accuracy, but also incorporate unique cultural connotations into their designs.

DEFY Peak Series and High-Frequency Timing

As another classic series of Zenith, the DEFY Peak series has been favored by watch enthusiasts since its inception with its futuristic design and powerful technical performance. The newly launched DEFY Peak Series Sky Chronograph interprets the high-frequency timing technology of the CHRONOMASTER flagship series. It is also equipped with the El Primero 3600 self-winding movement, which has a precise timing capability of 1/10 second. The difference is that this watch adopts an all-black design language, with blue and orange details, which makes it more sporty. The flexible “interstellar” lug design allows you to easily change straps of different materials and colors to suit different occasions and moods.

Limited edition watch celebrating 160th anniversary

In order to celebrate the 160th anniversary of the founding of the brand, Zenith launched three special commemorative watches this year, from the CHRONOMASTER flagship series, the DEFY peak series and the PILOT pilot series. These three watches all use a new blue ceramic material. The case, bezel, crown and bottom cover are all made of this new material, and are limited to 160 pieces. The three watches not only represent Zenith’s perfect combination of modern watch design and traditional watchmaking skills, but also a tribute to the brand’s long heritage.

PILOT Pilot Series Large Date Flyback Watch

The ZENITH PILOT large calendar flyback watch equipped with the El Primero 3652 self-winding movement is a member of this anniversary celebration. The movement not only has a flyback chronograph function, but also integrates a large calendar display, which greatly simplifies the operation during flight. The uniqueness of this movement is that the large calendar and flyback chronograph functions are realized through the same hand. When the pilot needs to time the time, he only needs to press the button at 2 o’clock to start the time, and in the process, the large calendar hand will jump to the next date. When the pilot needs to stop timing, he only needs to press the button to deactivate timing and the large calendar hand returns to the previous date. When the pilot needs to reset the timing, he can press the button to reset it to zero o’clock that day and start a new round of timing. This design greatly simplifies the pilot’s multiple timing operations during the flight, making the time records during the flight clearer and more accurate.

Anniversary celebrations and watch innovations

What this anniversary celebration shows is not only Zenith’s tribute to the long heritage of the brand, but also a display of Zenith’s continuous innovation and pursuit of watchmaking technology over the past 160 years. Not only are these three commemorative watches made of unique “Zenith Blue” ceramic material, but also the new Zenith brand 160th anniversary commemorative badge released at the same time. The Zenith Blue Ceramic Watch not only displays the brand’s 160 years of exquisite watchmaking skills, but also the ultimate pursuit of details, craftsmanship, and materials.

Conclusion

Zenith’s 160th anniversary celebration is not only a tribute to the brand’s history, but also a perfect combination of technology and art. Whether it is the CHRONOMASTER or the DEFY series, they both demonstrate Zenith’s extraordinary pursuit in the field of watchmaking. Which watch is your favorite? Share your views in the comment area and don’t forget to like and support!