Catching The Blues With A New Trio Of Zenith Blue Ceramic Chronographs
If you are on the hunt for a humble, under-the-radar, slow-release charmer of a watch, feel free to skip this article. Zenith gets all up in our faces at this year’s Watches and Wonders with a 160th-anniversary trio of blue ceramic chronographs. Subtle blue? Nope, not quite. Say what you will, but at least this release is daring. You either want to catch the blues like Eddie Bond or chase the blues away like Ella Fitzgerald.
So, are you Team Eddie or Team Ella? Let us know in the comments section below!
Zenith blue
We associate Rolex with green and Cartier with red. Zenith, however, historically featured the more humble blue in its branding. This is said to originate from the brand’s relationship with the sky. In part, this is due to the brand’s strong heritage in pilot’s watches. However, the very brand name and star logo refer to the sky as well, of course.
The starry theme is typically reflected by a dark midnight blue hue in Zenith’s branding. That, however, isn’t the color we see here today. For Zenith’s 160th anniversary, the house seems to be turning to a more azure hue of blue. The watches released today push it even further into cobalt territory. We’re still not quite in Yves Klein Blue territory, but Zenith seems to be coming out, emphasizing its Zenith blue branding with more verve and conviction.
To celebrate the brand’s 160th anniversary, Zenith has released three blue ceramic versions of existing chronographs. Only 160 pieces of each will be available. For those with a particular taste for this color, Zenith will also offer a box set containing all three watches. Let’s have a closer look.
The Zenith Defy Skyline Chronograph 160th Anniversary Edition
First up is a full-ceramic version of Zenith’s familiar integrated-bracelet chronograph. The case and bracelet are almost entirely brushed for a cool matte aesthetic. The dial echoes the bright blue of the case and bracelet for an almost monochromatic look. The sunray pattern on the dial should provide some strong light play, in case that’s your jam.
Inside ticks the El Primero 3600 caliber at a swift 36,000 beats per hour. This enables a 1/10th-of-a-second display of elapsed time for those of you with a taste for precision. The automatic caliber will tick for 60 hours after you have put the watch down. I reckon, however, that if you like this blue version, you will never want to do that.
The Zenith Defy Skyline Chronograph 160th Anniversary Edition measures 42mm across by 47mm long and 12.7mm thick. It has a retail price of CHF 22,900 CHF / €24,800 / US$23,800 and, as mentioned, is a limited edition of 160 pieces.
The Zenith Pilot Big Date Flyback 160th Anniversary Edition
On to the second model in Zenith blue. This is the Pilot Big Date Flyback 160th Anniversary Edition. What’s in a name? Almost everything, really. This is a blue ceramic version of the familiar 41mm × 52mm × 14.3mm pilot’s chronograph. As on the Skyline, the dial received a cobalt treatment to match the case. This dial, however, is fully media-blasted for an even more matte appearance than the brushed Skyline.
Inside ticks the El Primero 3652 movement, from the same pacey 36,000vph family of automatic chronograph calibers. This one, however, features flyback functionality and the eponymous big date complication.
The Pilot Big Date Flyback 160th Anniversary Edition is the most affordable of the Zenith blue trio, likely due to its lack of a ceramic bracelet. Zenith has priced it at CHF 15,400 CHF / €16,500 / US$15,500. Again, the brand has produced only 160 of these.
The Zenith Chronomaster Sport 160th Anniversary Edition
Finally, we get a bright blue Zenith Chronomaster Sport. If you were ever worried the Chronomaster would be confused with a Daytona, fear no more. This cannot be mistaken for anything but a Zenith blue Chronomaster!
Beyond the blue ceramic, the watch is completely familiar. It still measures 41mm across by 47mm from lug to lug. The thickness comes in at 13.6mm, as on the regular steel model. The watch is also still powered by the same El Primero 3600, featuring the same specs as the one in the Skyline Chronograph and regular-production Chronomasters.
This, however, is by far the flashiest of the Zenith blue chronographs. Not only does it have a polished bezel and polished center links, but Zenith throws in a sunburst blue dial to boot. I expect some serious bling from this in real life. The Chronomaster Sport 160th Anniversary Edition costs CHF 21,900 / €23,700 / US$22,700.
Initial impressions
So, are you Team Eddie or Team Ella? I am afraid I land somewhere in between. Would I ever buy one of these watches? I am quite confident that I wouldn’t. Do I like this move from Zenith? Yes, I do! Zenith isn’t the most outgoing and exuberant watch brand out there. I always consider it a bit of a connoisseur’s intellectual choice. Well, that notion goes out the window with these! “Brash,” “loud,” and “flashy” are descriptors that spring to mind.
On a more conceptual level, I am curious to see where Zenith goes with its blue branding. Will the house revert to its more subdued, darker blue after the 160th-anniversary celebrations are over? Or is this bright cobalt the new Zenith blue? Only time will tell!
What do you think of the Defy Skyline Chronograph, Pilot Big Date Flyback, and Chronomaster Sport 160th Anniversary Editions? Let us know in the comments section below!
