Zenith Dials In The Chronomaster Sport With Boutique Edition

Zenith introduced a selection of new Chronomaster Sport references this year at Watches & Wonders, including an assortment of lovely full gold and steel/gold examples that ditch the ceramic bezel altogether. One steel reference did manage to sneak in, however, and it might be the best Chronomaster Sport yet. It is the Boutique Edition, and it expands on the concept we first saw in the Ecommerce Edition of the Chronomaster Original, bringing a dramatic tri-color bezel to life, paired with a silver dial. 

The Chronomaster Sport quickly gained traction after its introduction last year (see our hands-on here), as a pure El Primero sports watch with little in the way of superfluous details. It nailed a certain look that brought together just the right elements of its past in a refreshingly modern way. The collection’s expansion was all but guaranteed, and we saw that happen this year with precious metals, new dial colors and strap options. This Boutique Edition is a bit different, however. It carries the tri-color theme of the subdials to the bezel itself.

This is a three piece bezel that’s been brought together as one seamless expression of the three tones, capturing deep blue, dark gray, and light gray. To achieve the effect, Zenith produces three separate bezels before cutting the relevant piece away, and combining the parts to create a new, single piece with all three colors present. The separation is crisp, with a defined line between each zone, rather than the slight blur you see on something like a Rolex GMT bezel, which is made as a single piece from the get go. 

The effect is beautiful in person, and there are no legible seams discernible to the touch. How it will handle wear and tear with age is of course unknown, but I reckon the meeting points are likely as strong as the ceramic itself, and likely just as susceptible to cracks (or chips, in my experience). It’s not an insert, but rather a single, relatively thick piece so the weak link will be the material itself. 

A sunburst silver dial hosts the oversized registers that correspond to the color of the bezel nearest to each. In total it’s a great look that has a distinct, and separate personality from the other Chronomaster Sport models, and feels a bit more Zenith as a result. I’m not going to go into any Daytona comparisons, as is often done with this watch, suffice to say that I held it alongside a 116519LN and found plenty of space between the two. This Zenith is very much its own watch and deserves to be seen as such. 

Best of all, you can buy the Zenith right now, directly from their website. Imagine that. 

The 41mm steel case is unchanged, as is the excellent El Primero running inside at 36,000 vph. You can read more of our thoughts on the case itself right here. The Chronomaster Sport Boutique Edition is available now from Zenith boutiques, both online and off. Zenith.