The small dial helps keep that wrist presence in check. The 47mm lug-to-lug gives the case more wrist presence on the wrist, but it never feels like it is taking over your wrist. Rather than taking the ill-advised path of upsizing this reissue as many brands do, Zenith did the right thing and kept the size true to the original. It is designed to embody the original A385 introduced in 1969 and was one of the first watches from Zenith to feature the El Primero movement. The Revival A385 is 37mm of tonneau-shaped goodness. Designed to be a callback to the first El Primero-powered chronographs, this watch is smaller in size, but that’s where the modesty ends. The El Primero we have our eyes on today is placed inside the Chronomaster Revival A385. It is reliable, highly accurate, and contains many “firsts” in mechanical chronograph movements. The El Primero carries this provenance in its catalog for a good reason. In the case of Zenith and the El Primero movement, it is the heart and soul of the Chronomaster line of chronographs and their most recognized movement. Rolex has amalgamated a watch case and movement with the Oyster Perpetual. Omega leaned on the history of the 1861 so heavily that it was in production for over 25 years. This can evolve to maintain that recognition across an entire line of watches. It is now for sale at and retails for CHF 8,900, EUR 8,800 or USD 9,000.Some watch movements carry so much recognition that they become part of the brand itself. However, it will only be available as a boutique and e-commerce exclusive. The Zenith Chronomaster Revival Safari (reference 97.T384.400.57.C856) is launched as part of the permanent collection. It is the direct descendant of the 1969 El Primero movement (the calibre 400 is the closest iteration to the original version), and it is visible through a sapphire caseback. This high-frequency (5Hz) chronograph comes with an integrated automatic architecture, a column wheel, and a lateral clutch. Inside the case, no surprises, as the watch comes equipped with the iconic El Primero Calibre 400. Matching this dial is a rubber and Cordura-effect strap in green with a matte microblasted titanium pin buckle. It also comes with a white on green date wheel, camouflaged with the rest of the dial. Instead, Zenith gives its watch an adventurous look with a matte khaki green dial, contrasting black registers and tachymeter scale, with a touch of vintage inspiration with its warm beige-coloured Super-LumiNova on the applied baton markers and hands. Don’t expect the classic tri-colour or panda schemes here. The other unexpected change in this Chronomaster Revival Safari is the dial. The case retains its classic barrel shape and compact 37mm diameter. No coating is applied because the matte titanium absorbs light rather than reflecting it. Not only is the look muted, but this finishing also brings out a darker colour for the material. The entire case, including the star-emblazoned crown and pump-style pushers, is fashioned from this material. Replacing the traditionally finished stainless steel case in a mix of satin-brushed and polished surfaces, the Chronomaster Revival Safari is crafted in titanium, a lightweight and resistant material, and finished with matte microblasted surfaces. This watch is a modernised take on the geometry and overall proportions found in the historical A384, however, with less vintage-inspired features. Today, and still based on the A384 architecture, the brand launches an adventurous and rugged edition, the Zenith Chronomaster Revival Safari. There have been some more editions based on these faithful re-editions, with a more contemporary take, such as the Shadow or the Liberty editions. Zenith has been playing hard on the vintage trend in recent years, bringing back some of its most glorious watches from the inaugural El Primero trilogy – A384, A385, and A386 -, to other important models, such as the A3817 launched a couple of weeks ago.
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