Earlier this year, Zenith revealed a revived version of a classic part of their past in the Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar. The triple calendar, with apertures for day and month alongside the 9:00 and 3:00 subdials, is an old fashioned complication with a ton of charm, and works particularly well in a heritage inspired watch like the Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar. When it was launched several months ago, it was clear to everyone that it would eventually produce additional variants, and here, for the first time, it’s the canvas for a limited edition, Zenith’s third with Hodinkee. The new Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar Limited Edition for Hodinkee reframes the concept of the watch and the result is quite handsome and a nice extension of their previous collaborations.
The idea behind this limited edition, according to Hodinkee and Zenith, is to bring together elements of the past, present, and future. This, of course, is something all mechanical watches do in their own way, with their centuries old technology, modern manufacturing techniques, and the hope that any watch will provide multiple generations with reliable service. This LE’s approach is both fanciful and literal.
For example, it’s powered by a movement that can only be described as advanced and modern. The Caliber 3610 is a high frequency movement with a chronograph capable of timing events to the 1/10th of a second. But it’s also a bit anachronistic, with a calendar complication that is decidedly retro.
Furthermore, this specific LE is a tribute to a rare El Primero prototype from 1970, the 3019 PHF. The plan for this watch, abandoned after 25 pieces were produced, was to incorporate a triple calendar moonphase module on top of the Zenith’s A386 movement. This raiding of the archives is something Zenith does particularly well. Few brands are more in tune with their past and interested in sharing the stories from their history that are a little off the beaten path. Some brands seem to tell the same well trod story with each release, but Zenith seems to revel in the obscure. That’s particularly appropriate for a limited edition, in my view.
The dial is black with rhodium plated hands and applied hour markers. The subdials are meteorite, a design note that quite literally brings the past into this release. The Gibeon Meteorite from which these small slices of the material were sourced is estimated to be 4.5 billion years old. No two subdials will be exactly the same, so it follows that no two examples of this Chronomaster Original will be the same either.
Like other Chronomaster Original Triple Calendars, this one measures 38mm in diameter and is 14mm tall. That’s a little thicker than the standard Chronomaster Original, but that’s to be expected given the additional complication. It’s mounted to a stainless steel bracelet and is water resistant to 50 meters.
The Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar for Hodinkee has a retail price of $13,500. This is a 200 piece limited edition, with the first 75 being made available through the Hodinkee Shop and Zenith’s e-commerce platform. Zenith x Hodinkee
