In 1969, Zenith launched the El Primero calibre, the first integrated high-frequency automatic chronograph movement. A revolutionary debut, a milestone in the history of the Maison, accompanied by the birth of another great icon: the A386, one of the first models equipped with the new calibre.
Original in name and design, always among the company's most emblematic, today that timepiece is back in the spotlight thanks to a modern reinterpretation: the Chronomaster Original, with its 38 mm steel case and dial available in matt black with silver-plated counters or in the version with the three famous coloured counters on a silver-plated background. The company also offers a rose gold version with a dark brown calfskin strap.
While retaining the traditional Zenith aesthetic motifs, such as the tricolour counters (for chrono seconds at 3 o'clock, horn minute at 6 o'clock and continuous seconds at 9 o'clock), the trapezoidal date display and the red chrono seconds hand in the centre, the Chronomaster Original boasts several improvements that optimise its performance in terms of precision and information display. 
Like the internal scale with its white background, which on the A386 indicated working time by means of a 1/100th of an hour measurement system, and which now has another function, as the chronograph hand with 1/10th of a second reading accuracy makes one revolution of the dial in 10 seconds, for a total of 100 measurable time units. On the flange, there is the 1/10th of a second chronograph scale, which has taken the place of the tachymeter scale. Animating it is the El Primero 3600 calibre (36,000 vibrations per hour, improved power reserve of around 60 hours), a self-winding mechanical movement.
To sum up, the Chronomaster Original boldly takes up an important legacy, that of the A386, without betraying the original design of the late 1960s. Changing, of course, but only to the extent necessary to ensure far better performance and precision.
Pricein steel, from 8,300 to 8,800 euro.
