When Zenith revives a calendar complication from the past, it’s not just a design exercise in retro aesthetics – it’s a meticulous homage to historic engineering mastery. In 2024, they introduced the Zenith Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar in steel, and now comes an even more prestigious version: in 18-carat pink gold, with a deep black dial and seamlessly integrated calendar, chronograph and moon phase displays.
The story begins in 1970, when Zenith produced just 25 prototypes of the triple calendar chronographs based on its iconic A386 case – one of the most recognizable designs in the brand’s history. Although these models never entered regular production, they carried the seeds of a potential that has now finally been realized in its purest form – the Zenith Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar. And it does so with what Zenith does best – the El Primero movement.
This movement was not only the first high-frequency automatic chronograph, but was also designed to accommodate calendar complications. The new edition faithfully continues this legacy – but now in a refined, luxurious form.
Rose gold and black dial – a combination that smells of eternity
The case of the Zenith Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar remains faithful to the original proportions: 38 mm in diameter, the perfect size for those who value watchmaking elegance over massiveness. Design elements are almost religiously preserved: the box-shaped sapphire crystal, pump pushers and elegantly falling lugs that merge softly with the strap.
But the magic really happens on the dial. A deep black background serves as a contrasting stage for rose-gold hands and indices, which reflect warmth and luxury in every corner. Symmetrically placed day (11 o’clock) and month (2 o’clock) windows complement the moon phase at 6 o’clock, while chronograph subdials round out the complex yet clear layout.
A black calfskin strap and rose gold buckle complete a look that is hard to describe other than "admirable."
El Primero 3610 – a heart that beats ten times faster
Beneath the case lies the heart of the watch: the El Primero 3610, the latest interpretation of the legendary caliber. It operates at a frequency of 5 Hz, allowing the central chronograph hand to complete one cycle in just 10 seconds – meaning it can measure time to an accuracy of 1/10 of a second.
Despite the added complexity of the calendar module, the watch maintains an impressive 60 hours of power reserve, a testament to watchmaking engineering at the highest level. When you turn the watch over, you see the blue column and the Zenith star – an elegant mechanical heart that beats with surgical precision.
Technical data – details for the experts
- Model: Zenith Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar (18k Rose Gold)
- Reference: 18.3300.3604/21.C840
- Housing: 18k rose gold
- Diameter: 38 mm
- Lug-to-lug: 46mm
- Thickness: 14 mm
- Mechanism: El Primero 3610, automatic chronograph with calendar and moon phases
- Frequency: 5 Hz (36,000 alternations/h)
- Power reserve: 60 hours
- Water resistance: 50 m
- Belt: black calf leather, rose gold buckle
- Limited edition? No
- The price: 26,300 USD (approx. 24,600 EUR, converted)
Check on the official Zenith website.
Who is this watch for?
This is not a watch for those looking for a status symbol – but for those looking for a story, a heritage and a refinement. This is a watch for collectors, for aesthetes, for those who can distinguish between the flashy and the truly beautiful. If this watch were a car, it would be a sleek Aston Martin from the Bond era, not a flashy supercar.
Conclusion: Zenith proved once again why it remains among the legends
With this version of the Zenith Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar, it not only revives history – it transforms it into a modern horological expression that combines technology, form and utility in equal measure. A chronograph that is not just a timekeeping machine, but a storyteller. And in rose gold – especially beautiful.
