The Historic Zenith Chronomaster Returns with a Meteorite Dial

The Zenith Chronomaster Sport, descended from one of horology’s most significant movements, now returns with a captivating meteorite dial.

The El Primero caliber of 1969 was the world’s first automatic chronograph movement, a groundbreaking innovation that cemented Zenith’s place in watchmaking history. So revered was this movement that even Rolex relied on it during the tumultuous Quartz Crisis, when the very foundations of Swiss mechanical watchmaking were shaken.

Yet the legendary watchmaking competency of Zenith stretches further back, to its founder Georges Favre-Jacot. In 1865, at just 22 years old, Favre-Jacot envisioned a vertically integrated manufacture—a radical concept at the time, and one that many dismissed as implausible. Today, “in-house” production has become the standard by which the finest maisons are measured, proving his vision prophetic.

Zenith’s commitment to precision has since been rewarded with over 2,300 chronometry prizes. The brand’s devoted following of connoisseurs reveres not only its mastery of high-frequency timekeeping, but also its ability to craft some of the most handsome luxury sports watches in the industry.

Much of Zenith’s modern success stems from a sharpened focus on the Chronomaster and Defy collections—a direction set under former CEO Julien Tornare. On August 26th, his successor, Benoît de Clerck, carried this legacy forward by unveiling the new Chronomaster Sport Meteorite. Encased in a 41mm stainless steel case water-resistant to 100 meters, the watch balances durability with refined elegance.

Having already earned the Chronometry Prize at the 2021 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, the Chronomaster Sport now takes on celestial beauty. Its dial, cut from genuine meteorite and painstakingly hand-finished, reveals the ethereal Widmanstätten pattern—a crystalline geometry born from the slow cooling of molten iron in space. While meteorite-dial Chronomasters used to be exclusive to Japan, this latest edition is available worldwide.

The dial’s most captivating feature remains Zenith’s signature tri-colour counters in silver, light grey, and anthracite, a hallmark of the Chronomaster line. The date window sits subtly between the darker subdials at 4:30, while rhodium-plated, faceted indices and Super-LumiNova-coated hands elevate both legibility and aesthetic refinement.

Powering the watch is the El Primero 3600 caliber, a direct descendant of the legendary 1969 A386 movement. It measures elapsed time to 1/10th of a second, displayed on the ceramic bezel, and its chronograph functions are operated via tactile pump-style pushers in true Zenith fashion. The sapphire caseback reveals the star-shaped oscillating weight, beautifully finished with satin textures.

Wearers can swap between an integrated stainless steel bracelet with brushed and polished links secured by a double-folding clasp, or a versatile rubber strap.

Favre-Jacot named his company Zenith because he aspired it for it to ascend to the pinnacle of horology, and call it kismet, Zenith’s latest creation is furnished with a piece of the sky.

The Zenith Chronomaster Sport Meteorite enters the market at USD 17,500, which is a compelling price for a watch steeped in heritage and innovation.