With Seiko marking its 140th anniversary in 2021, a slew of commemorative editions are expected – the brand already got the ball rolling last year with a King Seiko and Grand Seiko. Now the anniversary line up gets something more affordable, the Presage Sharp Edged Series 140th Anniversary (SPB205).

Limited to 4,000 pieces, the SPB205 is inspired by dawn in Tokyo, explaining the gold highlights on the dial set against an all-black case and bracelet, a first for the Presage series, which typically sticks to more traditional polished steel.

Initial thoughts

The Presage line is well liked for its variety of intriguing dial finishes at affordable prices. One of its sub-lines, the Sharp Edged Series, features a motif known as asanoha – which translates as “hemp leaf” – a geometric pattern traditionally found on clothing, that shimmers in the light thanks to its textured surface.

The SPB205 might just be the most striking of the series to date. The gold indices and hands contrast beautifully against the graduated, brown-black dial, which adds a layer of subtlety to the asanoha texture, unlike earlier models featuring more obvious renditions in brighter colours.

With its wide lugs and contrast finish on the bracelet, the SPB205 bears more than a passing resemblance to pricier Grand Seiko models. But it has a price tag of US$1,150, making the SPB205 compelling as a package – the dial, finishing, and blacked-out case.

Though priced US$150 higher than the earlier versions of the Presage Sharp Edged, its unusual blacked-out aesthetic is worth the extra. While the typical Presage model has a traditional, slightly formal style, the all-black finish gives the SPB205 a slightly more sporty feel, which might appeal to younger watch enthusiasts, who will surely appreciate its affordability as well.

That said, with Seiko’s preference for introducing multiple-but-similar variations of successful models, the novelty of this all-black look might not last too long.

All black

As the name suggests, the Sharp Edged Series has an angular case that brings to mind “Grammar of Design”, Seiko’s house style developed in the 1960s for Grand Seiko. Its dimensions are well proportioned and easy wearable at 39.3 mm by 11.1 mm, which will suit to range of wrists.

The blacked-out case and bracelet, a first for the Presage, is the highlight. They are finished with a “super-hard black coating” that Seiko doesn’t describe, but is likely similar to diamond-like carbon (DLC). And like the rest of the Presage line, the SPB205 is powered by the reliable 6R35, an automatic workhorse that’s often found in Seiko’s mid-range watches.

Key facts and price

Seiko Presage Sharp Edged Series 140th Anniversary
Ref. SPB205

Diameter: 39.3 mm
Height: 11.1 mm
Material: Stainless steel with black coating
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: 6R35
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, and date
Frequency: 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 70 hours

Strap: Stainless steel bracelet, with an additional black calf strap included

Limited edition: 4000 watches
Availability: From February at Seiko boutiques and retailers
Price: US$1150

For more information, visit Seikowatches.com.

Originally slated to be the ultimate watch fair that would also include the major brands that departed Baselworld, Watches & Wonders (W&W) did not take place in 2020 due to the pandemic and instead became a virtual show online, before being transported to China as an actual, physical fair. The event is returning in 2021 in exactly the same format, but with a far larger number of brands taking part.

W&W will happen online from April 7-13, where 38 brands will introduce their latest watches. The participants include nearly all of watchmaking’s major brands and conglomerates. All of Richemont’s brands will be present, including A. Lange & Söhne, Cartier, and Vacheron Constantin, as will the brands owned by LVMH – TAG Heuer, Hublot, and Zenith. The list of exhibitors also includes a handful of independent brands, but few are significant, save for Greubel Forsey.

Most crucially, the twin giants of Geneva watchmaking will be taking part, giving the event far greater influence and a wider audience – Rolex and its sister brand Tudor, as well as Patek Philippe.

Much like the traditional watch fair in Geneva, the online version of W&W will be open to retailers, journalists, and select clients of the participating brands.

W&W Shanghai in 2020. Photo – Watches & Wonders

And a few days later…

With strong demand for luxury watches in China – where social and economic life is largely back to normal – W&W will then take place as a physical fair in Shanghai once again, but this time just a few days after the online event. W&W Shanghai will feature 15 brands – mainly those owned by Richemont as well as Rolex and Tudor – and allow visitors the opportunity to see the newly-announced watches in the metal.

The Shanghai fair is tangible proof of the importance of consumers in mainland China, which moderated the fall in Swiss watch exports in 2020 as most markets around the world shut down.

As with the virtual fair, the Shanghai event will be open to members of the trade as well as clients, who will most likely be able to buy watches during the event, as was the case during W&W 2020.

For more information, visit Watchesandwonders.com.

Introduced in 2018 and now endowed with a waitlist several years long, the Charles Frodsham Double Impulse Chronometer is perhaps the most notable English wristwatch of recent times.

Equipped with twin escape wheels, each powered by its own going train, the Frodsham movement was the first to successfully miniaturise the invention of Abraham-Louis Breguet that was then perfected by George Daniels and Derek Pratt, but only in pocket watches.

Now the first Double Impulse Chronometer to be offered on the secondary market has emerged at Phillips Perpetual, the auction house’s boutique in London (which now sells online, as brick-and-mortar retail is wont to do today).

The example on offer features the trademark white-ceramic dial with Arabic numerals, but matched with an uncommon white-gold case. Most examples of the Double Impulse Chronometer are to be found in steel or yellow gold, with only two white gold specimens having been made so far according to Richard Stenning of Charles Frodsham.

The bright-white ceramic dial has an unusual pair of hands that are both equal length, a quirk inspired by a Frodsham tourbillon pocket watch from the early 1900s

Like the other versions of the Double Impulse Chronometer, this example has prominent English assay marks on the reverse of the lugs, which include a crown that indicates gold, and a leopard’s head for the Goldsmiths’ Company in London, which has been using the hallmark since 1300.

The back reveals the movement, as well as the hallmarks: on the left lug are the leopard’s head, as well as “750” for 18k gold, while the right lug bears the “C.F. & Co. Ld.” emblem of Charles Frodsham

The twin escape wheels are visible below the three-armed balance bridge, with the serial number just below

The Double Impulse Chronometer retails for a little under £90,000, but with the company making just a handful each year, the current wait for a watch is over three years, which means an order placed now would be fulfilled sometime in 2024. Unsurprisingly, the example on offer costs more than retail.

Available at Phillips Perpetual in London, the Double Impulse Chronometer is priced at £150,000.

Essentially a slimmed down and pared back version of its flagship watch, the Octo Finissimo has gained more fans than the first-generation model, thanks to a sleek profile along with newly-developed ultra-thin movements.

Though the Octo Finissimo lineup is as wide as the watch is thin, the base model remains the most compelling, being an original take on the integrated-bracelet sports watch – a crowded and fashionable segment. Now Bulgari adds a brushed, silvered dial to the Octo Finissimo S, creating a tone-on-tone aesthetic defined by subtle contrasts in textures but looks surprisingly casual.

Initial thoughts

The just-released watch isn’t entirely new, so it has all the appeal of the earlier variants, most notably a slim, elegant profile on the wrist. But it does incorporate many incremental changes that set it apart from the original Octo Finissimo that was entirely matte titanium, before also being offered in sand-blasted steel, and finally in polished- and satin- finished steel.

The original Octo Finissimo models in (from left) rose gold, steel, and titanium

The brushed-silver dial on the newest variant, however, has given the watch a less formal style that is appealingly industrial with its expanse of brushed and polished steel. And the monochromatic palette is also unusual, distinguishing it from peers that tend to have darker dials that are almost always blue.

Price-wise, the new dial costs US$100 over the earlier version, a modest hike that leaves the watch competitively priced still.

More broadly, the success of the Octo Finissimo makes a good case study of building brand equity. While the steel sport watch with an integrated bracelet is something seemingly every watch brand offers, not all entrants enjoy the same acclaim, both commercial and critical.

One characteristic that sets Bulgari’s creation apart is its technical achievement – the brand has made the Octo Finissimo synonymous with ultra-thin movements, breaking one after another in movement height. As a result, the Octo Finissimo is more than just a luxury-sports watch – where it would be one of many – but it is the thinnest luxury-sports watch.

Casual but capable

The only novelty of the Octo Finissimo S is the dial. Though not overly exciting, it is good looking and fairly unusual. Vertically -brushed dials are uncommon, with the industrial norm being a radial, “sun ray” finish.

It’s otherwise identical to last year’s steel model, and similarly rated to 100 m (in contrast, the ceramic and titanium versions of the watch are rated to 30 m due to slightly different internal construction of the cases).

That also means the case remains as thin, at just 6.4 mm high – because the BVL 138 within is under 3 mm high. A movement so exceptionally thin does, however, comes at a cost because of the trade-off between chronometric performance and thinness. That said, the BVL 138 maximises its potential, being one of the best-performing automatic movements measuring under 3 mm high, as detailed by our contributors Tim Lake and Brandon Moore.

The BVL 138 as seen in another version of the Octo Finissimo

Key facts and price

Bulgari Octo Finissimo S Silvered Dial
Ref. 103371

Diameter: 40 mm
Height: 6.4 mm
Material: Stainless steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: BVL 138
Functions: Hours, minutes, and seconds
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 60 hours

Strap: Stainless steel bracelet with folding clasp

Availability: From Bulgari online shop, boutiques, and retailers
Price: US$12,000

For more, visit bulgari.com.

Addition January 29, 2021: The case is rated to 100 m, as last year’s steel model was.

From a robust profit of CHF748m the year prior, Swatch Group ended 2020 with a net loss of CHF53m – the first in decades for the Swiss watch conglomerate that owns brands like Omega, Longines, and Tissot. This reversal of fortune was attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced many of its retail stores to close while putting a halt to international travel.

On an operating level, Swatch Group eked out a tiny CHF52m profit – compared to CHF1.02 billion the year before.

The year’s results were mitigated by an improvement in the second half of 2020, with sales in the second half of the year rose 54.7% compared to the previous six months, as economic activity resumed in Asia with pandemic restrictions lifted, particularly in China, which experience double-digit growth for the full year.

And the Swatch Group also had to face a virus of the digital kind in the second half of the year. Reported in information-technology news but not in the mainstream press, the group suffered a cyber attack in September, leading to a mention of “a 10-day production interruption” at Omega in the results announcement.

Hit harder than most

With jewellery selling better than luxury watches, fellow Swiss rival Richemont was buoyed by its pair of jewellery brands that helped plug the hole caused by its faltering watch division. Although Swatch Group owns American jeweller Harry Winston, the bulk of its revenue is generated by watches and watch components.

Net sales fell to CHF5.59 billion, a 32.1% decrease year on year that was significantly more pronounced than the 21.8% decrease in Swiss watch exports for the whole of 2020, a barometer for the health of the broader industry.

The production division of Swatch Group, made up of companies supplying movements and components, saw a 4% decline in sales. More notable was the fact that the group implied fewer and fewer third-party brands are turning to its companies for components and movements, stating “some areas which mainly produced for third parties continued to report below-average capacity utilisation”, a consequence of its long-ago decision to gradually phase out movement supply to external brands.

Fewer stores and fewer people

Already well known within the watch industry, the Swatch Group’s stark cost cutting measures were tallied in its announcement. The group closed 384 stores worldwide, with Hong Kong bearing the brunt of the closures, with the city’s store count slashed from 92 to just 38.

Historically the biggest market in the world for luxury watches thanks to shoppers from mainland China, Hong Kong has steadily declining in the league tables as a consequence of civil unrest, political uncertainty, and now the pandemic, driving Chinese drivers to spend their money domestically.

The contraction of its retail network, as well as the loss of the Calvin Klein watch franchise, led to a workforce reduction of 10.2%, or about 3,500 workers – uncharacteristic for Swatch Group, which has historically kept its payroll stable.

Signs of recovery

The Swatch Group is, however optimistic that sales will recover to pre-pandemic levels in 2021, with the recovery that began in the second half of 2020 expected to continue.

For one, demand in mainland China remains strong, while the United States is continuing its recovery, with sales reaching pre-pandemic levels in December – likely due to the year-end festive season.

And in another sign of progress, the group’s high level of inventory – namely finished and partially-finished watches – continued to decline, falling 7.8% to CHF6.32 billion.

Garrick is a newish independent watch brand based in Norfolk, England. Founded in 2014, it specialises in watches inspired by historical English watchmaking, exemplified by the S1, an elaborately-conceived, but pricey, timepiece.

Now the brand has launched its most compelling buy to date, the Garrick S4. Like its earlier model, the S4 still possesses many elements drawn from English watches of yore, but is executed more simply. The S4 still boasts an unusual level of hand-finished details – including a barrel and crown wheel cover decorated with floral engraving and hand-finished bevelling – but is priced far more accessibly, with a retail price that starts under US$6,000 before taxes.

Initial thoughts

While independent-watchmaking startups are proliferating, most don’t diverge too far from each other; many focus on dial and case designs that are modern looking, think Ming and Sartory Billard. The Garrick S4 is unusual, particularly in two attributes that set it apart – traditional, pocket watch-inspired design and hand-finished details – which bring to mind an earlier generation of independent watchmakers like D. Dornblüth & Sohn.

The most discernible feature of the S4 is the dial, which is unabashedly classical in style. But like the pocket watches that inspire it, the dial has depth, thanks to a multiple-part construction and varied surface finishes, including an engine-turned seconds register.

Over on the back, the view is necessarily simpler than that on the top-of-the-line S1, but effort has been made to dress it up. The cover for barrel and crown wheel is a nod to 18th century English watches. And it is also finished slightly better than the rest of the movement, having polished, rounded anglage.

But most admirably, Garrick has made the movement more than just a styling exercise. The S4 is regulated to run with a maximum deviation of three seconds a day. That’s not a monumental challenge, but it demonstrates the brand’s attention to quality even for an entry-level model. And it is not all that common – timekeeping is the fundamental quality of a watch, but it is rarely the focus in modern-day watchmaking, where craftsmanship and design are typically the key selling points.

The cover for the barrel and crown wheel is the centrepiece of the movement

And not unexpectedly given the affordable price, the movement is based on an existing calibre. Its architecture is derived from the Unitas 6498 – appropriately a pocket watch movement – which is apparent from its layout. But that means the S4 starts at £4,995, for the version with frosted dial and guilloche sub-dial, and rising to £5,995 for the model with an all-guilloche dial. And those prices include 20% UK tax.

The guilloche dial (left), and the bead-blasted dial with guilloche sub-dial

Handcrafted

Many parts that make up the S4 are hand made in Garrick’s workshop, giving them fine, traditional detailing while also allowing for customisation.

The dial, for example, is comprised of a base with separate chapter rings on top. Starting its life on an old-school lathe instead of an efficient stamping machine, the dial starts as a brass strip that is cut into a blank. The circular blank is then drilled with holes that serve as anchor points for the chapter rings, which are secured by pins. Before the chapter rings are installed, the dial blank is bead-blasted to create a frosted finish, or engine turned when guilloche is required.

Concentrically brushed and engraved, the chapter rings are then fitted to the finished dial. While the engraving is done with a laser, it is then filled with ink – a process done by hand using a syringe pen.

The multiple parts of a dial

Drilling holes on the dial blank

Painting the numerals

The movement is similarly decorated with a mix of hand- and machine-applied techniques. Based on a Unitas 6498, it’s been constructed to incorporate quintessentially English details, namely the three-quarter plate and cover for the barrel and crown wheels. The majority of the finishing is done simply but well, with milled countersinks and bevels.

But the most attractive feature is the cover for the crown wheel and barrel. Finished to a notably higher level than the rest of the movement, the cover is engraved with a fine, floral pattern, while having rounded, mirror polished bevels – a most unexpected flourish.

Notice the rounded, polished anglage on the cover plate

Key facts and price

Garrick S4

Diameter: 42 mm
Height: 10 mm
Material: Steel or gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: BF03
Functions: Hours, minutes, and seconds
Frequency: 18,800 beats per hour (2.5 Hz)
Winding: Hand wind
Power reserve: 46 hours

Strap: Alligator, calf, buffalo, or ostrich

Limited edition: No
Availability: Direct from Garrick
Price:
With guilloche sub-dial – £4,995
With fully guilloche dial – £5,995

Prices include UK VAT of 20%

For more, visit garrick.co.uk.

Fresh off the press at LVMH Watch Week – which like most trade fairs was entirely online – the Hublot Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami All Black is one of the highlights amongst all the new launches.

A collaboration with the Japanese contemporary artist known for his anime-inspired “superflat” creations, the Classic Fusion Murakami is a time-only watch with a twist: free-spinning, diamond-set petals that bring Mr Murakami’s “smiling flower” to life.

Initial thoughts

In photos the Murakami edition seems, at a glance, dull and static, in contrast to Mr Murakami’s signature style. But the watch glitters and spins, and despite not being serious haute horlogerie, it is cool and compelling.

When I first heard that Hublot would be collaborating with Mr Murakami, I expected it to be dressed in psychedelic colours, so the muted All Black livery was a surprise.

But as it turns out, it was Mr Murakami’s idea. Commenting the launch announcement, he said, “The one thing I did request was to go all black on our first collaboration… because the very first impression I had when I learned about Hublot was its signature black rubber [strap].”

Still, the Murakami edition manages to convey the artist’s exuberant style without using colour, but instead relying on motion, texture, and the smiling flower emblem.

And the all-black aesthetic makes sense given the diamonds and large size of the watch. The sparkle of the stones contrast well against the brushed bezel and black ceramic case.

The only bit of the watch I would change is the narrow insert in between the bezel and case. As with most Classic Fusion models of this type, it is made of a hard resin, something that feels out of place even if the plastic is a fancy one.

The plastic insert just above the flower-shaped crown

Priced at a bit over US$27,000, the Murakami edition does cost more than twice as much as the standard, all-ceramic Classic Fusion. The disparity is, however, made reasonable by the movement, which is an in-house Unico instead of a Sellita, and the black diamonds on the front. Admittedly black diamonds have little value in themselves, but they inevitably cost more when installed on a watch, as most things do.

The success of this watch – and it will surely sell well – makes it certain that additional versions are to come. Hublot tends to do too much of a good thing, so hopefully there’ll be more of the Murakami watches, but not too many.

Spinning flower

Arguably the most interesting artist collaboration Hublot has done in recent years – contemporary art is a key element of Hublot’s branding – the distinguishing feature of the Murakami edition are its free-spinning petals.

Set with 456 black diamonds, the petals are actually a single disc set on ball bearings and weighted only on one edge, allowing it to spin with the motion of the wrist. Though uncommon, the mechanism is not new. Jaeger-LeCoultre once had something similar in the Master Twinkling Diamonds, and various watches with “mystery” rotors rely on a similar partially-weight disc.

Both the hour and minute hands sit on an extra-long pinion, allowing them to clear the petals. But only the tips of each hand are visible, with the centres being hidden by the face of the flower, which is an domed insert mounted onto the sapphire crystal and secured with adhesive.

As a result, though the case is the usual 45 mm of the standard Classic Fusion, the Murakami edition is about a third thicker at 13.45 mm high. As with most All Black models, the case is entirely ceramic – finished with either a mirror polish or linear brushing – save for the resin bezel insert.

While most watches of the Classic Fusion line – the brand’s entry-level range – are equipped with Sellita movements, the Murakami edition has upgraded mechanics in the form of the MHUB1214 UNICO, an automatic movement with a three-day power reserve, as well as a silicon escapement.

Typically combined with a chronograph module, the Unico movement is almost always found in chronographs. The Murakami edition is the first time-only Classic Fusion be equipped with the Unico, here in its simplest version.

Key facts and price

Hublot Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami All Black
Ref. 507.CX.9000.RX.TAK21

Case diameter: 45 mm
Case height: 13.45 mm
Material: Black ceramic; flower and petals set with black diamonds
Water resistance: 50 m

Movement: MHUB1214 UNICO
Function: Hours, minutes, and seconds
Additional features: Silicon escapement
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 72 hours

Strap: Black rubber with folding clasp

Limited edition: 200 pieces 
Availability: From Hublot boutiques and retailers
Price: US$27,300; or 37,400 Singapore dollars

For more, visit Hublot.com.

Correction January 27, 2021: The Murakami edition is the first time-only Classic Fusion to be equipped with a Unico movement, and not the first time-only Hublot of any type.

Launched alongside the Chronomaster Sport at LVMH Watch Week, the Zenith Pilot Type 20 Chronograph Silver is a limited edition that’s a nod to Zenith’s long history of aviation watches – with a twist.

While the style is the 1920s-inspired look typical of Zenith’s Pilot range, the new chronograph is dressed entirely in sterling silver, giving it a bright finish. Inspired by the aluminium bodies of vintage aircraft, the silver case will darken with time as the alloy oxidises, but the dial will remain pristine, protected by the case.

Initial thoughts

Zenith has been on a tear in recent years, introducing a diversity of watches, ranging from the Chronomaster Revival A385 to the mind-boggling Defy Inventor. Few of the new launches were Pilot models, resulting in a quiet spell for the line, a shame considering Zenith’s storied heritage in aviation watches. The new chronograph will no doubt do its part to revive the line.

Pilot’s watches are often aesthetically conservative – not so here. The Pilot Type 20 Chronograph Silver is meant to stand out on the wrist, and I’m all for it.

I had the opportunity to interact with a prototype, and the riveted, silver dial looks even better in the metal. The brushed surface has a shimmering quality that changes under different light, allowing it to catch the eye from every angle.

Clad in silver

The Chronograph Silver is cased in sterling silver, or 925, indicating it is 92.5% silver by weight. While not the first Pilot model to feature a silver case – that would be the Pilot Type 20 Extra Special Silver – it is the brand’s first chronograph in all-silver livery.

The watch retains the proportions of the standard Pilot Chronograph, measuring 45 mm in diameter with an oversized, onion-shaped crown.

The solid-silver dial is finished with a stamped pattern with a randomly-brushed finish meant to evoke the aged, riveted aluminium panels of vintage aircraft. And it’s matched with the Gothic numerals and cathedral hands that are typical of the Pilot line, both of which are naturally filled with Super-Luminova.

Inside, the watch is powered by the automatic El Primero 4069, a variant of the famed, high-frequency El Primero 400 sans the date window and hour totaliser.

Key facts and price

Zenith Pilot Type 20 Chronograph Silver
Ref. 05.2430.4069/17.I011

Case diameter: 45 mm
Material: Sterling silver 925
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: El Primero 4069
Functions: Time and chronograph
Frequency: 36,000 beats per hour (5 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 50 hours

Strap: Brown calfskin leather strap with rivets

Availability: At both retailers and boutiques
Price: US$9700

For more, visit Zenith-watches.com.

Having sold the first publicly-known Daytona “Zenith” in platinum, Sotheby’s is going to offer yet another. Once again a unique example, the Cosmograph Daytona ref. 16516 in platinum – and a blue-lacquer “Stella” dial – will go under the hammer at Sotheby’s Hong Kong watch auction in April 2021.

“Sothebys is delighted to present this automatic Zenith Daytona rendered in platinum with a ‘Tiffany blue’ lacquered ‘Stella’ dial in April,” says Sam Hines, Sotheby’s head of watches, who adds, “Manufactured in 1998, this previously unknown watch comes from the same collection as the record-breaking platinum Daytona with hardstone lapis lazuli dial sold by Sotheby’s last year.”

The “Tiffany blue” lacquered dial of the platinum Daytona that’ll be sold in April

According to Sotheby’s, only five platinum Daytonas with the Zenith El Primero movement were made in the late 1990s, at the request of Rolex’s then chief executive Patrick Heiniger. Each example was unique in having a different dial, but all were equipped wit the same cal. 4030 derived from the Zenith El Primero, which was phased out in favour of the in-house cal. 4130 in 2000.

The late Heiniger kept one for himself, and gifted the remainder to key business partners of Rolex. Sotheby’s has since sold two of the five, each achieving a record price for an automatic Daytona.

The first was a wedding present to a member of the Gobbi family that owns the eponymous watch retailer in Milan. It had a black mother-of-pearl dial, and sold for a then record US$871,000 in 2018. That record was quickly topped by the second known example, which was fitted with a lapis lazuli stone dial, sold in summer last year for US$3.27 million.

The platinum Daytona “Zenith” with a black mother-of-pearl dial that was sold in 2018

The second example in platinum, which has a lapis dial and sold last year

The third example is like the others in that it has an A-series case number – A171133 – and an inscription on the case back, this one for 1998. The lapis example from last year was also engraved with a 1998 dedication, while the mother-of-pearl specimen sold in 2019 was marked 1999. But unlike the other two that had dials made of natural materials, this has a glossy, lacquered “Stella” dial in baby blue.

The platinum Daytona has an estimate of HK$4.0-8.0 million, or US$500,000-1.0 million.

The auction preview will happen April 17- 21, while the auction itself will take place on April 23, 2021 at the Sotheby’s sale room in Hong Kong located at Pacific Place. For more, visit Sothebys.com.

Correction February 5, 2021: The auction will take place in April 2021, and not 2020 as stated in an earlier version of the article.

Two years ago, when Zenith celebrated the semicentennial of the El Primero – the world’s first high-beat, automatic chronograph movement – a successor to the long-running workhorse was quietly unveiled as part of a three-piece set. Designed from ground up as a brand-new movement, the El Primero 3600 was equipped with modern tech and additional features, including twin chronograph seconds hands.

But the movement never made it to regular production, until now. The El Primero 3600 finally becomes accessible with the new Chronomaster Sport, a new line of sports chronographs featuring a shiny black-ceramic bezel and two dial options.

Initial thoughts

The debut of El Primero 3600 two years ago was noteworthy, but it was lost amongst the tasteful remakes – case in point – created to commemorate the anniversary. Now that the vintage remakes have reached their end with the final instalment announced just recently, the new movement can take the stage.

The El Primero 3600 is certainly an impressive upgrade and a completely different animal compared to the original El Primero. Most notable is the addition of a lightning central seconds that travels six times as fast, completing one revolution every 10 seconds, allowing it to measure 1/10th of a second. That truly unleashes the full potential of the El Primero movement, which runs at 10 beats a second, or 36,000 beats per hour.

Technical ingenuity notwithstanding, the watch itself looks good, albeit slightly derivative. The design is an incremental evolution of the Chronomaster 2 equipped with the El Primero 3600 that was part of the three-piece anniversary set. Amongst the tweaks are a wider ceramic bezel and lacquered dials in stark white or black – a look that calls to mind the flagship chronograph of the green giant in Geneva.

As is the case with most Zenith chronographs, the Chronomaster Sport is priced reasonably. It costs about 20% more than an average model with the original El Primero movement, clocking in at US$9,500 on a strap, or US$10,000 on a steel bracelet.

El Primero 3600

An improvement over the original in many aspects, the El Primero 3600 boasts long-overdue technical updates as well new innovations. Perhaps most relevant for daily wear is the extended power reserve that’s now 60 hours, ten more than the original calibre and approaching the modern-day norm of three days. Precise time setting has also been made easily with a hacking-seconds for the time.

But the true highlight are the twin chronograph seconds hands. With the clasped seconds hand relocated from the centre to the three o’clock register – resulting in the loss of an hour counter – the central seconds hand now fulfils a new function – it makes one revolution every 10 seconds, or six rotations per minute, to allow pinpoint reading of elapsed times with a resolution of 1/10th of a second via the scale on the ceramic bezel.

The central, 1/10th-of-a-second hand calls for with several additional gears linked to the escape wheel, the fastest-turning wheel in the timekeeping gear train. The additional gear train increases the speed of the lightning chronograph seconds by sixfold compared to the conventional running seconds.

The El Primero 3600, a column-wheel controlled, lateral-clutch chronograph movement

Key facts and price

Zenith Chronomaster Sport
Ref. 03.3100.3600/69.M3100 (white dial)
Ref. 03.3100.3600/21.M3100 (black dial)

Diameter: 41 mm
Height: Unavailable
Material: Stainless steel
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: El Primero 3600
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date, and chronograph
Frequency: 36,000 beats per hour (5 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 60 hours

Strap: Steel bracelet or rubber strap

Limited edition: No
Availability: At Zenith boutiques and online shop, as well as authorised retailers
Price:
Strap – US$9,500; or 13,800 Singapore dollars
Bracelet – US$10,000; or 14,500 Singapore dollars

For more, visit Zenith-watches.com.

Correction January 22, 2021: The 1/10th-of-a-second gear train is coupled to the escape wheel, and not the fourth wheel as stated in an earlier version of the article.