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For starters, the actual case color is closer to charcoal gray than black, with a smooth matte texture that feels undeniably premium on the wrist. On paper, the idea of a squared-off, blacked-out tonneau case conjures up a certain sort of aggressive wearing experience, but in practice, the Chronomaster Revival “Shadow” is a far more nuanced watch on the wrist than one might expect. With that said, it’s not without its own sense of wrist presence, as the angular tonneau-style shape works to give this design a broader visual profile than an equivalent round case.
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First released in 2020, the Zenith Chronomaster Revival “Shadow” has grown into a standout among the brand’s white-hot model range, combining vintage and modern visual cues together with a truly stellar movement to form one of the most compelling chronograph designs in recent years.Īt 37mm-wide, the micro-blasted titanium case of the Zenith Chronomaster Revival “Shadow” bucks the trend of beefy ‘70s-style sports chronographs in favor of something decidedly more svelte and elegant on the wrist.
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Few of its models, however, can act as a microcosm of Zenith’s newfound popularity better than the Chronomaster Revival “Shadow.” Although the design is ostensibly based on a never-released PVD-coated handwound Zenith chronograph from 1971, the pared-back, gray-on-black style feels effortlessly modern and offers one of the most stylish takes on the A384 El Primero silhouette to date. Although the marque has long been celebrated by collectors and hardcore watch cognoscenti, Zenith’s mix of horological expertise, pitch-perfect design, and finely balanced blend of vintage-inspired and futuristic models has led to an unprecedented level of mainstream interest and demand in recent years.
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Although the enthusiast landscape is constantly shifting and tastes naturally change over time, few luxury brands in the watch industry can match the sort of hot streak Zenith has enjoyed in the past several years.
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