Zenith Goes Green With Revival Safari

Zenith is returning to their Chronomaster Revival series once again, hot off the heels of the A3817 released last month, with a new model that embraces a contemporary green colorway paired with a matte titanium case. It’s called, naturally, the Safari, and I suppose it was only a matter of time before we saw the most popular color of the year appear on Zenith’s most popular chassis. Rather than going the heritage route here, Zenith is using the same titanium case found on the Revival Shadow. The result is certainly unique, or Zenith puts it, lush.

At its core, this is a watch we’ve discussed and reviewed at length, and yes, it’s good. The 37mm X 47mm case dimensions remain, as does the sub 13mm case thickness, though the square shape means it doesn’t wear quite as tiny as the numbers would indicate. It’s a lovely thing on the wrist and that hasn’t changed here. 

What is new, however, is the colorway, which can shift the personality of this watch by a wide margin, as we’ve seen before. The base of the dial is a textured khaki green that reads forest at a glance. The lume used in hour markers and hands is aged or yellowed or whatever you want to call it, and I’d say it accents the colors here rather well as a conscious design decision rather than an attempt at faux-tina. This is aided by the black registers at 3, 6, and 9 o’clock, which keep with the under-the-radar look.

The case helps here as well, which is constructed from titanium that’s been micro-blasted for a matte texture throughout. It’s the same case we saw on the Revival Shadow and takes a moment for your brain to register the look and material appearing on a case that was designed in the ‘60s. Somehow, it works. Especially with the khaki green ‘cordura’ strap with light khaki accents. 

Inside is the El Primero in caliber 400 guise, all visible through the open caseback. Nothing new to report there. The Chronomaster Revival is not a limited edition, but it will be available only through their Zenith boutiques and direct through their website. The price is a steep $9,000, which is $600 more than the Shadow, for reasons unknown. We’re guessing this won’t be the last such release on the Revival line, and while they do seem to be leaning hard into a good thing, there hasn’t really been a stinker in the bunch, so vive et vivant, I say. Zenith.