Zenith Chronomaster Revival “Safari”
June 10, 2021The last time I checked, it was still 2021. In the watch world, that means all green everything. We’ve seen green-dial timepieces from just about every brand this year, and now Zenith has joined the fun. The Zenith Chronomaster Revival “Safari” is yet another variation of the classic Zenith A384 Revival case design, but with a few flourishes to make things interesting.
The case is fashioned from titanium and then microblasted, providing both a visual and tactile texture. The watch features contrasting black subdials and patina-effected markers which could also be interpreted as playing into the safari theme. Taking green-ness to its apex is the Cordura-effect rubber strap (rubber that looks like leather) with tan stitching that matches the markers.
If a white dial chronograph with black subdials is a panda dial, can we dub this the “crocodial?” The safari theme adds some context to the color choice and the faux-patina. Without seeing it in the metal, I think this vintage effect works well with the A384 case because it, itself, is a vintage reproduction. Zenith has used microblasted titanium before on the Revival “Shadow” (a very underrated watch) and I imagine it looks equally cool here – especially when paired with what looks to be a textured matte green dial
Having gone up-close with the Zenith Chronomaster Revival Liberty last year, I’m pretty familiar with the overall fit and feel of this model. At 37mm in diameter Zenith offers a conservative – if not downright small – sizing in a world where most chronos have ballooned to 42mm or larger. One of my favorite aspects of this model range is the dial design. The printing of both the text and numerals all appear as if they’re hand-painted – a nice touch. The date window here is green, matching the dial and preserving the overall design symmetry. And lest anyone protest the date location at 4:30, it’s actually historically accurate to vintage Zenith Chornomasters in the A384 case style. Taking things home is the El Primero 400 Automatic column-wheel chronograph caliber – a serious value-add.