What We Know
Following a major anniversary year in 2025, when Zenith marked 160 years, it could have been possible, or even logical, to expect a bit of a slowdown this year. Instead, the brand maintains momentum with a strong slate of releases. Thinking back to last year at Watches and Wonders, the throughline was that signature blue, with a handful of releases leaning into it. This year, though, feels like a really nice complement—variation in design and color, a meaningful return to an important (old) movement, and a wider range of executions across the lineup.
First, the Chronomaster Sport in mother-of-pearl, which builds off the existing model, but now comes in a two-tone setup: a 41mm stainless steel case with a rose gold bezel, crown, and pushers. It’s still very much a sport chronograph, but the mix of metals softens it a bit. The dial is where most of the change is. You get a mother-of-pearl base with the signature overlapping 3-6-9 subdials in different colors. It leans heavily into contrast, which has always been part of the Chronomaster look, but here it feels pushed a bit further with the dial material itself.
Layout stays the same: hours and minutes in the center, small seconds at 9, date at 4:30, and the 1/10th of a second chronograph. That central chronograph hand still makes one full rotation every 10 seconds, powered by the El Primero 3600, providing a 60-hour power reserve, visible through the caseback.
It’s limited to 50 pieces, priced at $20,100, and comes on a two-tone stainless steel and rose gold bracelet, with an additional black rubber strap included.
Next are four Chronomaster Sport Skeleton models, which are essentially the same watch, just skeletonized. Two come in steel (one with a black ceramic bezel, one green), both on bracelets with an extra rubber strap. There’s also a rose gold version on rubber, and then a 10-piece full gold model with a diamond-set bezel.
The main change is the dial—or perhaps the lack of a dial. Instead, you get a tinted sapphire layer that lets you see straight into the El Primero 3600. The tri-color counters are still there, but now sit within the movement rather than on top of it. One of the more practical updates is the new folding clasp. It allows for quick micro-adjustments—2mm at a time, up to 10mm total—without taking the watch off. Otherwise, specs are familiar: 41mm case, 5 Hz frequency, 60-hour power reserve, 1/10th of a second chronograph.
Steel models start at $16,700 on a stainless steel bracelet (with additional rubber straps included) and are part of the regular collection; the rose gold version comes on a rubber strap at $31,500; the diamond-set full gold version is limited to 10 pieces on a matching gold bracelet at $111,000.
Finally, we have two new G.F.J. models, which both come in at about 39.5mm wide and just over 10mm thick. The yellow gold “Bloodstone” version has a three-part dial: a brick-pattern guilloché outer ring, a jasper bloodstone center, and a mother-of-pearl small seconds. Yellow gold markers and hands keep everything cohesive. The tantalum version goes in a different direction—with an onyx center and diamond-set hour markers.
Both are powered by the reworked Caliber 135. It’s manually wound, COSC-certified, with a 72-hour power reserve. Originally built for observatory competitions, it’s one of the more important movements in Zenith’s history, now updated but still very much itself.
The yellow gold Bloodstone model is limited to 161 pieces, priced at $51,900, and comes on a selection of leather straps; the tantalum model is limited to 20 pieces, priced at $83,400, and comes on a matching strap configuration.
What We Think
The G.F.J. models are the highlight for me, pretty easily. I had the chance to see the Bloodstone version a couple of weeks ago, and it’s incredibly well executed—the green tones of the stone against the yellow gold really pop. More broadly, this feels like a smart follow-up to last year. Less about a single theme, more about rounding things out—strong core Chronomaster updates, and then something with real historical weight anchoring the novelties with the Caliber 135.
The Basics
Brand: Zenith
Model: Chronomaster Sport (Mother-of-Pearl) / Chronomaster Sport Skeleton / G.F.J. (Bloodstone) / G.F.J. (Tantalum)
Reference Number: 51.3102.3600/01.M3100 (MOP) / 03.3130.3600/01.M3130, 03.3131.3600/01.M3130, 18.3130.3600/01.R951, 22.3130.3600/01.M3100 (Skeleton) / 30.1865.0135/56.C216 (Bloodstone) / not confirmed (Tantalum)
Diameter: 41mm (Chronomaster models) / 39.5mm (G.F.J. models)
Thickness: ~13.6mm (Chronomaster Sport) / ~12.8mm (Skeleton) / 10.5mm (G.F.J.)
Case Material: Stainless steel & 18k rose gold (MOP) / Stainless steel or 18k rose gold (Skeleton) / 18k yellow gold (Bloodstone) / tantalum (Tantalum)
Dial Color: Mother-of-pearl with tri-color counters (MOP) / openworked sapphire with tri-color counters (Skeleton) / bloodstone center with guilloché outer ring (Bloodstone) / onyx center with guilloché outer ring (Tantalum)
Indexes: Applied, faceted (Chronomaster models) / 18k yellow gold applied (Bloodstone) / diamond-set (Tantalum)
Lume: Super-LumiNova (Chronomaster models) / none (G.F.J. models)
Water Resistance: 100m (Chronomaster models) / 50m (G.F.J. models)
Strap/Bracelet: Two-tone steel and rose gold bracelet + rubber strap (MOP) / steel bracelet + rubber strap, rubber strap (rose gold), gold bracelet + rubber strap (Skeleton) / leather straps with yellow gold pin buckle; optional gold bracelet (Bloodstone) / strap not confirmed (Tantalum)
The Movement
Caliber: El Primero 3600 (Chronomaster Sport MOP) / El Primero 3600 SK (Chronomaster Sport Skeleton) / Calibre 135 (G.F.J. models)
Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds, date, 1/10th of a second chronograph (Chronomaster models) / Hours, minutes, small seconds (G.F.J.)
Power Reserve: 60 hours (Chronomaster models) / 72 hours (G.F.J.)
Winding: Automatic (Chronomaster models) / Manual (G.F.J.)
Frequency: 36,000 vph (5 Hz) (Chronomaster models) / 18,000 vph (2.5 Hz) (G.F.J.)
Chronometer Certified: No (Chronomaster models) / Yes, COSC (G.F.J.)
Pricing & Availability
Price: $20,100 (Chronomaster Sport MOP) / from $16,700 (Chronomaster Sport Skeleton steel), $31,500 (rose gold), $111,000 (diamond-set) / $51,900 (G.F.J. Bloodstone) / $83,400 (G.F.J. Tantalum)
Availability: Available through Zenith boutiques and authorized retailers
Limited Edition: 50 pieces (Chronomaster Sport MOP) / not limited (most Chronomaster Sport Skeleton models), 10 pieces (diamond-set Skeleton) / 161 pieces (G.F.J. Bloodstone) / 20 pieces (G.F.J. Tantalum)
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