Zenith And Swiss Open Gstaad: Reaching For Tennis Stars With The Chronomaster Sport And Chronomaster Original
Zenith has been a sponsor of the Swiss Open in Gstaad for the past six years, though it is only with Julien Tornare’s arrival as CEO of the historical Swiss watch brand that it has begun to publicize this fact. Tornare, a fan of the white sport, has worked to open the door to several interesting and potentially fruitful collaborations in the tennis world, including a partnership with the world’s foremost tennis coach Patrick Mouratoglou and his forward-thinking UTS tennis league.
Zenith CEO Julien Tornare with famed tennis coach Patrick Mouratoglou (wearing his eponymous Zenith model)
The Swiss Open, which was first played in 1915, is the oldest professional sporting event in Switzerland according to tournament director Jean-François (Jeff) Collet. It has welcomed many of tennis’ biggest names; the champion’s list looks much like a Who’s Who of European men’s tennis in the open era.
Set in the dramatic Swiss Alps in the middle of summer, Gstaad is one of the loveliest backdrops for a tennis tournament imaginable.
This view over the Swiss Open to the picturesque Alps surrounding Gstaad is worth the price of entry
As a sponsor, Zenith has a pop-up boutique at the tournament, where at the 2021 edition it was possible to try on the latest Zenith watches with Jean-Philippe Masson, Zenith brand manager for the Swiss market, and talk watches.
Latest Zenith watches: Chronomaster Original
In between the engaging tennis matches unfolding on center court, which I had a bird’s eye view of from Zenith’s skybox, I had the opportunity to handle a number of the brand’s most recent releases and fell in love with two in particular.
The most recent of these two releases is the Chronomaster Original. And while some might criticize this timepiece for being so close in looks to the original Reference A386 of 1969, I applaud it for the way that it fits this moment in time and the tastes of contemporary watch lovers as hardly another watch currently does.
Zenith Chronomaster Original on the wrist at the 2021 Swiss Open in Gstaad
Zenith has paid tribute to the original Reference A386 of 1969 with special and limited editions in the past, notably on the occasion of the watch’s fiftieth anniversary in 2019, but the Chronomaster Original marks the first time it has reentered the permanent collection in a stainless steel case.
There are three variations, but I am truly enamored of the one in which the watch fully commits to black-and-white styling (also known as reverse panda), including the black date window at 4:30 that neatly fits where it should without overpowering any part of the dial.
The case is a classic 38 mm in diameter but looks much bigger with its nearly bezel-less design. At 12.6 mm in height, it has enough heft to make its presence known without overwhelming the wrist. It remains consummately elegant while thoroughly sporty.
The pump-style chronograph pushers and crown work reliably and comfortably for an ergonomic experience. The faceted lugs are smooth to the touch.
While I am rather enamored of the Chronomaster Original on its calfskin strap with triple-folding buckle, for those who prefer bracelets it is also available on a redesigned steel bracelet, though not the “open ladder” style by Gay Frères that it was originally outfitted with and reintroduced in 2020 on the Zenith El Primero A384 Revival.
Zenith Chronomaster Original with white dial on the wrist at the 2021 Swiss Open in Gstaad
The Chronomaster Original is also available in a white dial with chronograph subdials in varying shades of blue and grey and a red chronograph hand.
A pink gold version features the white dial with chronograph subdials in varying shades of blue and grey and a red chronograph hand, and the combination works uncannily well.
Aside from details in its appearance as compared to the original Chronomaster Original, a fantastic new element that brings it solidly forward to the here and now is the updated El Primero Caliber 3600 with its visible one-tenth-of-a-second chronograph hand. More on that below.
Latest Zenith watches: Chronomaster Sport and El Primero Caliber 3600
While our Joshua Munchow has already thoroughly reviewed the new Chronomaster Sport in steel with polished ceramic bezel, I only just had the opportunity to see it in the metal – and I now understand the fuss. It’s really dynamic.
Zenith Chronomaster Sport on the wrist at the 2021 Swiss Open in Gstaad
But even more than that, it was oddly the newer pink gold variation released in May 2021 that caught my eye in Gstaad. And I say oddly because I am something of a purist when it comes to sports watches; I prefer them in stainless steel if possible. That said, the combination of the polished ceramic bezel with the polished pink gold case and pink gold-plated dial elements hit a homerun for me.
Zenith Chronomaster Sport Gold on the wrist at the 2021 Swiss Open in Gstaad
Like the Chronomaster Original, the Chronomaster Sport is powered by the updated El Primero Caliber 3600, a relatively new movement seen for the first time in a regular collection timepiece in the stainless steel Chronomaster. This updated caliber brings the El Primero into the modern era.
Aside from a reduction in the number of parts, improving efficiency and allowing a 60-hour power reserve, Caliber 3600 changes the basic chronograph mechanism by including silicon components to reduce the energy drain of the chronograph while maintaining consistency and accuracy. This movement still uses an El Primero-typical lateral clutch but boasts improved functionality via tooth optimization and gear train adjustments.
Zenith El Primero Caliber 3600
The new configuration also makes for a more interesting view of the movement from the rear. The blued column wheel is more visible, and, as Joshua noted, the connection from the escape wheel pinion through to the central chronograph seconds via the lateral clutch feels higher end than the earlier calibers.
This movement’s finishing is right in line with that of its siblings, but it does feel a bit more special, which also casts more of a spotlight on its updated engineering.
All in all, these are beautiful watches inside and out.
Swiss Open Gstaad 2021 champion: Casper Ruud
The field for the 2021 Swiss Open was an exciting one on paper at the start of the week thanks to the announced presence of five top-20 players: Dominic Thiem (world number 5), Dennis Shapovalov (world number 10), Roberto Bautista Agut (world number 14), Casper Ruud (world number 16), and Cristian Garin (world number 18). In addition, other popular players including Benoit Paire, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Feliciano Lopez, and Zenith’s newest ambassador, 19-year-old Swiss player Leandro Riedi, were to take part.
The week, however, progressed somewhat unexpectedly with some withdrawals due to injury and early losses/upsets, so that the final on Sunday, July 25 was between Ruud and wild card Hugo Gaston, currently number 165 in the world. The Norwegian third seed defeated the young French prodigy 6-3, 6-2 to take home his second ATP championship in a row, moving his ranking up to number nine.
Casper Ruud lifts the 15 kg champion’s trophy of the Swiss Open in Gstaad
The duo played a fun match, which was anything but a walkover, with Gaston having reached his first-ever ATP final. In addition to the prize money, Ruud also took home a brand-new Zenith watch.
But perhaps even more fun to watch was the doubles final between Swiss players Marc-Andrea Huesler and Dominic Stephan Stricker and well-oiled Polish doubles machine Szymon Walkow and Jan Zielinski. The hometown duo, who also received wild cards to play at the 2021 Swiss Open, raised a lot of enthusiasm among the spectators in attendance at the stadium court, adding even more enjoyment to the stunning views and excellent tennis.
Huesler and Stricker did not receive watches for winning their first ATP doubles title, but – who knows? – that could be just the incentive they need to come back and try again.
For more on these two watches, please visit www.zenith-watches.com/int/product/chronomaster-original and www.zenith-watches.com/int/product/chronomaster-sport.
Quick Facts Zenith Chronomaster Original
Case: 38 x 12.6 mm, stainless steel
Movement: automatic Caliber El Primero 3600, 60-hour power reserve, 36,000 vph/5 Hz frequency, column wheel control of chronograph, lateral clutch, officially certified C.O.S.C. chronometer
Functions: hours, minutes, (hacking) seconds; date, chronograph with 1/10th of a second display
Strap: integrated steel bracelet or rubber strap with Cordura fabric texture
Price: CHF 8,400 (steel on strap), CHF 8,900 (steel on bracelet); CHF 18,900 (pink gold on strap)
Quick Facts Zenith Chronomaster Sport
Case: 41 x 13.6 mm, stainless steel or pink gold with polished ceramic bezel
Movement: automatic Caliber El Primero 3600, 60-hour power reserve, 36,000 vph/5 Hz frequency, column wheel control of chronograph, lateral clutch, officially certified C.O.S.C. chronometer
Functions: hours, minutes, (hacking) seconds; date, chronograph with 1/10th of a second display
Strap: integrated steel bracelet or rubber strap with Cordura fabric texture
Price: $9,500 (steel on rubber strap); $10,000 (steel with integrated steel bracelet); $21,300 (pink gold)
Disclaimer: Zenith paid for the hotel stay and tournament attendance for Elizabeth.
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Zenith Chronomaster Sport: A Chronograph That Reinvigorates The Senses
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