Pretty much everyone has seen a watch with a date window on the dial. Most can even recall what a day-date aperture looks like. However, few remember (or are aware of) the triple calendar complications that kinda used to be popular some 50 years ago. Thanks to the efficiency of its famed El Primero movement, Zenith happened to do them best with its superb dial distribution, putting each window — month, day, and date — in separate corners of the watch.
Back in January, Zenith revived the Triple Calendar for its Chronomaster Original line, which gave you all three calendar displays all while including three subdials. Now, the watchmaker collaborates with Hodinkee for the third time on a new version of the Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar with a few key inclusions.
The El Primero
Few brands better represent where the watch industry was in the mid-20th century like Zenith. Although it had been around for nearly a century by this point, the Swiss watchmaker debuted its biggest achievement yet: the El Primero movement. Introduced in 1969, the El Primero has been dubbed the world’s first automatic, integrated high-frequency chronograph caliber.
Since 1994, the Chronomaster has served as the primary host for the modern-day El Primero movement and has hosted a slew of variants and colorways, proving it’s one of the most versatile watch ranges in the biz.
Zenith x Hodinkee Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar
Of course, just like the one from earlier this year, the new Triple Calendar collab with Hodinkee places the day of the week at 10 o’clock, the month at 2 o’clock, and the date at 4:30. It also includes two chronograph registers at the 9 and 3, while the bottom of the dial features a moonphase subdial. This is a nod to a 1970 prototype, dubbed the Zenith 3019 PHF, utilizing the El Primero with a triple calendar moonphase display. Only 25 were made before production was abandoned.
Looking at the brand’s past, the new watches are powered by a high-frequency El Primero Caliber 3610 automatic chronograph, which can be viewed through the exhibition caseback.
Looks Can Be Deceiving
At a quick glance, the watch looks similar to the one released back in January. While we expected them to have the same specs, movement, and dial design, we didn’t expect this watch to be this similar in color (to the slate gray variant at least). However, there is a twist.
While appearing to match the slate gray variant of the inaugural timepiece, the latest Hodinkee version has a black dial but the subdials are cut from the 4.5-billion-year-old Gibeon meteorite, which is pretty cool. Also, if you look again, you’ll note that the moonphase disc here is black instead of blue, while the indices are rhodium-plated instead of gold-plated. There’s admittedly a lot going on with this dial but the specific design and color choices prevent it from looking busy.
The rest is the same as well, with the 38mm stainless steel case with a 14mm thickness, 50m of water resistance, and a raised sapphire crystal. Lastly, it’s given a stainless steel bracelet and black leather strap.
Spec Sheet
Case Size: 38mm
Case Thickness: 14mm
Case Material: Stainless steel
Water Resistance: 50m
Movement: El Primero Caliber 3610 automatic chronograph
Band: Stainless steel bracelet, black leather strap
Limited Edition?: Yes, 200
Pricing & Availability
Limited to just 200 pieces, the Zenith x Hodinkee Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar can be purchased from Hodinkee’s web store for $13,500.
Recap
Zenith x Hodinkee Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar
Zenith teams up with watch site Hodinkee for a new version of its Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar, featuring meteorite subdials and a more monochrome look.
