The Zenith Chronomaster Revival Shadow Shines With A New Titanium Bracelet

There are some watches that kind of stay with you. They may not be in your wheelhouse as far as taste is concerned (or at least what you think your taste is), but something about them just resonates. This is how I feel, and have felt, about the Zenith Chronomaster Revival Shadow, a watch that has been in production for some time, one that I have reviewed in the past, and one that I still do not own but which continues to take up valuable real estate in my brain. 

The version of the watch that I got turned onto was the only one available until recently — a blasted-finish, black-coated titanium chronograph in the retro A384 case format that plays on the past but brings a decidedly modern design sensibility to the overall package. The dial is a matte, flat black and the text on it is well thought-out in terms of the vintage effect, down to the printing of the logos and numerals.

It’s as if you’re looking at a museum artifact, except that it's packed with one of the best modern automatic chronograph movements in the game, Zenith's own El Primero, and at 37mm it fits perfectly on my 6.25-inch wrist.

If you have been paying attention to Zenith over the past half-decade or so, you are sure to notice that the brand has done quite a job in balancing vintage revivals with innovative new releases. It’s the only brand I know that revives a watch and keeps everything true to form down to the clasp on a bracelet. I recall handling another Shadow model – the Defy Shadow – and noticing the use of a ‘70s-esque double enclosure clasp. Turns out, it was an almost 1:1 recreation of a Gay Frères design. This is the sort of thing that really gets me going in this industry, because it's all for the nerds — and that's me.

Zenith is also known for its ultra-specific ladder bracelets, which have alternating gaps in the links allowing for greater breathability, and for you to show off more of that arm. Because we all want people to see more of our arm. While the ladder design is not necessarily my cup of hoorological tea, I still respect the design and love when something like that has a direct correlation to a brand. 

All of this preamble is to draw attention to the newest iteration of the Chronomaster Revival Shadow which is fitted to a matching titanium bead-blasted bracelet in the ladder style — with the vintage clasp.

I first saw this watch under wraps at Watches & Wonders this past spring. It was right after being shown the orange Revival diver. And while I could have had Revival overload, I was so interested in the Shadow because it brought back all the memories I had of falling (intellectually at least) for the OG.

So what does the bracelet do for this watch? Well, it gives it a bracelet. I hesitate to really make this any bigger than it really is, but the bracelet looks so sharp on the Shadow. It gives a greater sense of cohesive design and an alternative look to the strap. In my mind, this watch should be owned by someone who wants to invest in both options, because this thing looks so darn good both ways.

You rarely see a brand keep an esoteric watch like this in a collection for such a long time and then update it further in a way that makes it better for an enthusiast. Does this bring me closer to buying one? Not sure, but it’s certainly on my mind once again.