Legacy, in watchmaking, is a dangerous thing. Some brands treat it like a museum piece, locked away, polished occasionally, and wheeled out when convenient. Others, like Zenith, treat it as a foundation, something to build on, challenge, and occasionally shake just to see what still holds. This is a brand that has spent decades perfecting the art of precision, most notably with its chronograph movements, and it carries that history not as baggage but as ammunition. At the ongoing Watches and Wonders 2026, Zenith does exactly what you would expect, and then a little more. It reveals the new Skeleton Chronomaster, a watch that strips everything back to expose the beating heart of its mechanics, alongside the far more refined and quietly opulent G.F.J. line, which leans into luxury without losing sight of technical credibility. Together, they form a rather compelling argument that heritage is not about standing still, it is about knowing exactly how far you can push forward without losing what made you relevant in the first place.
G.F.J.
The first timepiece is limited to 161 piece, has a 39.5mm model where the case, curved lugs, stepped bezel, and the crown at 3 o’clock are crafted in yellow gold. The dial is created from bloodstone, a variety of chalcedony, born when silica-rich groundwater infiltrates iron-bearing minerals, creating a stone of green and red, an oversized small seconds counter at 6 o’clock in mother-of-pearl, yellow gold applied markers are placed on a peripheral guilloché sector inspired by the brick facade, and faceted hour, minute hands are also in yellow gold.
The next timepiece is limited to 20 pieces, has a 39.5mm model where the case, curved lugs, stepped bezel, and the crown at 3 o’clock are crafted in tantalum, a hard, ductile, lustrous, blue-gray transition metal that is highly corrosion-resistant.
The central disc in black onyx introduces a polished, almost liquid surface with an oversized small seconds counter at 6 o’clock in grey mother-of-pearl. Encircling the dial, the brick-pattern guilloché sector, inspired by the façade of the ZENITH Manufacture, structures the periphery. with 11-baguette-cut diamond hour markers. The interplay of linear diamond indexes and slender white gold hour, minute hands creates a composition defined by restraint, where each element contributes to balance and proportion.
Visible through the sapphire caseback, the hand wound Calibre 135 of Zenith powers both the timepieces to reveal a decoration that departs from its previous anniversary iteration, returning instead to more classical codes with broad Côtes de Genève, refined hand chamfering, and a contemporary dark ruthenium finish accented by yellow gold coloured engravings. The barrel now delivers an extended 72-hour power reserve, while the gear train has been optimised for greater efficiency. A large balance wheel equipped with regulation screws and a Breguet overcoil ensures stability, complemented by the signature double arrow shaped regulator for precise adjustment and a stop seconds mechanism that allows for exact time setting. Each movement is regulated to an accuracy of +/- 2 seconds per day and is officially certified by COSC, reinforcing its chronometric performance.
CHRONOMASTER Sport
The 41mm timepiece gets a case stainless steel case with a rose gold bezel, crown at 3 o’clock and pushers at 2 o’clock, 4 o’clock. The mother-of-pearl dial gets a 60-minute counter at 6 o’clock, small seconds at 9 o’clock, 60-second counter at 3 o’clock, and a date window at 4:30. This 1/10th of a second chronograph gets rose gold hour, minute, and central chronograph hands, and hour markers coated with Super-LumiNova. Powering the timepiece is the El Primero 3600 movement with a 5Hz frequency, and a 60-hour power reserve. Turning the watch showcases the sapphire open caseback with an new star-shaped oscillating weight with satined finishings.
Stainless Steel with Green Ceramic Bezel
Housed in a 41mm stainless steel case defined by alternating brushed and polished surfaces, this iteration of the Zenith Chronomaster Sport Skeleton retains its classic pump style pushers, preserving its chronograph pedigree with quiet confidence. The dial, openworked yet purposeful, carries grey toned counters that contrast sharply against the architecture beneath, while baton style applied markers and faceted hands coated with C1 Super LumiNova ensure clarity remains uncompromised. The signature layout is visible through both sapphire dial and caseback, revealing the El Primero 3600SK with its blue column wheel, horizontal clutch, and silicon escape wheel, delivering a 60-hour power reserve. A green ceramic bezel, graduated over 10 seconds, frames the composition with precision, while the watch is delivered on a three link steel bracelet with an additional rubber strap for versatility.
Stainless Steel with Black Ceramic Bezel
This version takes the same 41mm stainless steel case and pump style pushers but sharpens the aesthetic with a black ceramic bezel, creating a more assertive visual contrast. The dial proudly showcases the iconic tri colour overlapping counters in grey, anthracite and blue, a direct nod to the original El Primero of 1969, maintaining a visual identity that refuses to be diluted. Skeletonisation exposes the movement’s inner workings, including the blue column wheel and horizontal clutch, while Super LumiNova coated hands and markers maintain legibility. The El Primero 3600SK continues to deliver high frequency precision with a 60 hour reserve, visible from both sides, and the watch is paired with a steel bracelet and an additional rubber strap for a more relaxed expression.
18ct Rose Gold with Black Ceramic Bezel
In 18 carat rose gold, the 41mm case transforms the Chronomaster Sport Skeleton into something far more indulgent without losing its mechanical edge. The pump pushers remain, anchoring it firmly in chronograph tradition, while the black ceramic bezel introduces a sharp modern counterpoint to the warmth of gold. The openworked dial reveals the same high frequency El Primero 3600SK movement, its blue column wheel and architectural depth on full display, while the signature tri-colour counters add a familiar visual rhythm. Baton markers and faceted hands with Super LumiNova maintain readability, and the watch is completed with a black rubber strap that tempers luxury with sportiness.
Limited Edition Rose Gold with Diamond Set Bezel
The most extravagant of the quartet, this limited edition of 10 pieces elevates the 41mm rose gold case into something bordering on theatrical. The pump pushers remain intact, but the bezel is now set with 50 baguette-cut diamonds, catching light with unapologetic brilliance. Beneath, the skeletonised dial continues to showcase the El Primero 3600SK in all its mechanical honesty, complete with its tri colour counters, blue column wheel, and horizontal clutch system. Despite the opulence, functionality is untouched, with Super LumiNova ensuring legibility and a 60 hour power reserve sustaining performance. Paired with a matching gold bracelet, this is less a watch and more a statement delivered with precision.
