Zenith A3818 “Cover Girl” Remake Courtesy Of Revolution Magazine
And it is awesome. It may sound like it has a slightly anachronistic name, but rest assured — its origins are savory. Famed for its starring role on the cover of Manfred Rössler’s book, The Zenith A3818 “Cover Girl” with its identifiable minuterie is a stone-cold classic that’s been given a red hot makeover.
I say makeover, but it’s really more like necromancy. The Revolution × Zenith A3818 “Cover Girl” watch became part of brand lore when it was featured on the cover of Rössler’s retrospective. As one of the best watchmaking books ever written (seriously, it contains a wealth of interesting brand information), the famous facade fell into legend almost immediately.
Vintage vibe
The model’s case, which was first used for the El Primero-powered A384 (rereleased last year and updated with a traditional ladder bracelet earlier this year) is enjoying a clear renaissance. And with good reason. Its unapologetically vintage vibe is on-trend. Furthermore, the crisp lines of this retro silhouette have benefitted noticeably from modern machining methods. It is a crisp and exciting remake of a classic. Now, boasting a regal blue dial, the A3818 is set to win this family a whole host of new fans.
So why did Rössler choose it? What was it about reference A3818 that compelled him to put it on the cover of his book Zenith: Swiss Watch Manufacture Since 1865? “The beautiful blue color led to this decision. I like blue dials,” said the man himself. Simple and understandable enough.
Special edition Zenith
This isn’t the first special edition Zenith has done of late. Last year the brand released a couple of stand-out pieces with online curated space Mr. Porter and Bamford Watch Department and another with just Bamford. Bamford has an agreement with LVMH, making them the conglomerate’s go-to out-of-house customizer. As such, the company has quite a lot of free reign when it comes to the designs it chooses to bring to life. Last year’s radar model, called the Radar, pinched the defining minute track from the Zenith A3818 “Cover Girl” model and paired it with an entirely different case from the Chronomaster series.
As faithful as it gets.
For Revolution magazine, this collaboration is a dream opportunity to bring back a much-missed model. It comes at the perfect time for the brand, the magazine, and the industry. The magazine’s brain trust decided not to mess around with the original design too much, but one key alteration was made. The new dial and handset (including sub-dial hands) have been fully treated with luminous paint, so that elapsed time can now be recorded down to 1/10th of a second in the dark. The ladder bracelet returns (of course) but, otherwise, the watch is as faithful as it gets.
Many brands might have stayed away from mixing such masterpieces, but Zenith and Bamford pulled it off with Style. This straight-up remake, however, is a cut above. While the radar was cool and futuristic, the new Zenith A3818 “Cover Girl” is a modern classic.
To some, it will add the perfect amount of the visual interest to proceedings.
That minuterie has been described as a soundwave, sharks teeth, and a mountain range. However you see it, it is undeniably different. To some, it will add the perfect amount of the visual interest to proceedings. For others, it will likely induce a headache that can only be cured by the clean lines of the extremely palatable A384 base model. Thankfully, you now have a choice.
Modern functionality
I say “minute track,” but really, this is a seconds track. 300 fine markers decorate the dial. That is one for every two ticks of the second hand, which is moving at 36,000vph. This kind of modern functionality wrapped up in such a relatively dainty package (the Zenith A3818 “Cover Girl” measures just 37mm wide) is a real treat for throwback favorers. At just CHF 7,900, it’s also considerably cheaper than sourcing an original on the pre-loved market.
https://youtu.be/nRTxkkYsBJw
This 100-piece limited edition is the perfect way to honor the widely-respected Zenith El Primero caliber, which first appeared 51 years ago in 1969. That anniversary was duly celebrated last year, but Zenith is not done yet. It seems the much-loved Swiss Maison is continuing its roll. The rebirth of the A384 and its off-shoots alongside the growing popularity of the Zenith Defy family is truly something. Both, very different, successes bode well for a future that so easily could not have included the El Primero at all, were it not for the remarkable actions of one man. Learn more about Zenith, and how the El Primero survived here.
