Mario C 
Le Locle brand Zenith channels their inner Fruity Pebbles at LVMH Watch Week 2025, as they introduce a brand-new Chronomaster Sport reference tailor-made for extravagance!
With a constant spirit of aspiration and self-improvement, Zenith has always been about reaching for the stars. For 16 decades, they have worked tirelessly and in silence, elevating some of the greatest watch brands in the world with their own technical accomplishments. Somewhere along that road, however, they decided it had turned high time for them to step out of the shadows and finally claim their rightful spot in the Pantheon of horological royalty.
Luxurious as it is lively, the Zenith Chronomaster Sport Rainbow is a well-deserved tribute to their countless achievements in the watch industry. Coming at the advent of LVMH Watch Week 2025, the new watch presents as a dazzling array of colours that belies the ruthless engineering set within – as is the case with all Chronomaster models!
Introduced in 2021, the collection represents the pinnacle of precision and performance in watchmaking, especially by way of the El Primero – an automatic high-frequency chronograph calibre. Where most chronographs can only beat at the classic luxury standard of 4Hz (28,800VpH), Zenith takes it a step further, with the integration of a faster – and more accurate – 5Hz (36,000VpH) beat rate. Since then, the watch has become a benchmark for both luxury aesthetic and technical precision, competing on the modern stage with other legendary chronographs in the watch industry. It’s for this reason, perhaps, that Zenith has chosen the Chroonomaster model as its figurative cake for their 160th anniversary!
Constructed in 18k white gold, this version of the Chronomaster Sport Rainbow builds off the legacy of the original rose gold rendition made for the Japanese watch store Yoshida. With a slightly more subtle flair, the new watch has been outfitted with the classic black lacquered dial and tricolour chronograph registers. Ironically, this allows the timepiece to pop even more thanks to its centrepiece: the 62 baguette-cut gemstones that adorn its bezel and indexes! 52 multicoloured sapphires, totalling 4.36ct, have been painstakingly arranged by Zenith’s craftsmen, while 10 stunning diamonds totally 1ct bring the entire work of art together.
Like I said, though, Zenith’s celebratory artistry is a far cry from their deep understanding of horological engineering, which is conveyed through a movement that is singular in craftsmanship and technological advancement. A product of half a centuries’ worth of innovation, the automatic El Primero 3600, with its 60-hour power reserve, keeps the watch beating. While the power reserve is a decent enough achievement on its own, Zenith’s additions are what truly make it special. As previously mentioned, a 5Hz (36,000VpH) beat rate is Scarcely believable in the industry, especially in the chronograph subgenre. Additionally, the El Primero 3600 is able to measure accurately to 1/10th of a second, thanks to a fast-moving chronograph second hand that revolves around the dial in just 10 seconds, as opposed to the usual 60.
Initial Thoughts
Through careful consideration and measured approaches over their 160-years in operation, Zenith has developed a reputation for being a ‘silent assassin’ in the watch industry: Not as vocal nor as brash as other brands, but constantly delivering every time they step up to the plate. However, being the Tim Duncan or the Kimi Räikkönen of horology can only get you so far, and so Zenith’s decision to finally step into their well-deserved limelight has been a long time coming – and we’re all thankful for it!
The Chronomaster Sport Rainbow, simply put, is a manifestation of all the oil, sweat, and gears dedicated to Zenith’s pursuit of complete horological mastery. Yes, the rainbow design may throw off longtime fans of the Le Locle brand’s perceived modesty, but in my opinion it’s a perfectly good way to commemorate your achievements, set in 18k white gold. After all, this year also marks Zenith’s 160th birthday – why not make a watch worthy of such as celebration?
Reference: 45.3104.3600/21.M3100
Specifications:
- Dimensions: 41mm case diameter x 47mm lug-to-lug x 13mm thickness
- Case Material: 18k white gold with 10 baguette-cut diamonds (1ct) & 40 baguette-cut sapphires (3.9ct)
- Dial: Black with 12 baguette-cut sapphires (0.46ct)
- Movement: Automatic El Primero 3600 with high-beat chronograph (5Hz/36,000VpH)
- Power Reserve: 60h
- Water Resistance: 100m (10bar)
- Strap: 18k white gold with folding clasp
