In a year where green dials have become a major fad, Zenith is keeping up with the Chronomaster Revival Safari, a chronograph “inspired by the great outdoors” according to the brand.

Pairing a matte khaki-green dial with faux-aged “lume” and an El Primero A384 in blasted titanium, the Chronomaster Revival Safari is one of the more unusual El Primero remakes to date, despite its fashionable colour.

Initial thoughts

If the Chronomaster Revival Safari looks familiar, that’s because it’s essentially the Chronomaster Revival Shadow in green. The Shadow was one of my favourite recent watches from Zenith, so that’s a good thing.

In fact, the microblasted titanium case suits the safari theme better than the monochromatic Shadow. Lightweight and non-reflective, titanium makes sense for a watch that’s meant to be for the great outdoors.

However, “faux-patina” on the hands and indices is a tad affected, especially considering the Safari is not a vintage remake, but rather a modern design conceived to capitalise on green dials being in vogue.

With a price tag of US$9,000, the new Chronomaster Revival Safari costs about 10% more than the Shadow and the A385 on a bracelet, making it less of a value proposition compared to the rest of the Revival lineup. Nevertheless, it’s still a fair buy relative to the rest of the market. And given the current popularity of green-dial watches, the Safari will prove to be a commercial success.

Jungle ready

The green dial has a matte, granular texture that reinforces the safari-themed livery. Unlike the Shadow, the Safari is more functional, having a seconds track on the outer perimeter of the dial, which means that it’s capable of recording elapsed time.

And it also has the date found on the standard A384. While I’m usually not a fan of date windows, the date here is discreet with a green wheel that blends into the dial.

Beating inside is the El Primero 400, a gently upgraded version of the original launched in 1969. Like the original, the El Primero 400 beats at a high frequency of 36,000 beats per hour, and is equipped with both a column wheel and a lateral clutch.

Key facts and price

Zenith Chronomaster Revival “Safari”
Ref. 97.T384.400.57.C856

Diameter: 37 mm
Height: 12.6 mm
Material: Titanium
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 50 m

Movement: El Primero 400
Functions: Time, date and chronograph
Frequency: 36,000 beats per hour (5 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 50 hours

Strap: Leather with pin buckle

Limited edition: No, regular collection
Availability: At Zenith boutiques and online shop
Price: US$9,000

For more, visit Zenith-watches.com.