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Thread: Review: Zenith Chronomaster Sport 03.3100.3600/69.C823

  1. #1
    Grand Master MartynJC (UK)'s Avatar
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    Review: Zenith Chronomaster Sport 03.3100.3600/69.C823

    Following on from my review of this one:

    REVIEW: Zenith Chronomaster Sport 03.3100.3600/21.M3100.T3

    May I present a short pictorial review of my white dialled version. Unfortunately the black had a fault with the chronograph movement that did not engage completely after being activated so it was accepted back by Zenith for a full refund. I wanted to try the white dialled one and sourced this one quickly - though it still seems to be sold out mostly. It is presented on the dark blue rubber strap with double butterfly deployant clasp. However I have swapped this over to a leather NATO which is very comfortable. The lug width is standard 20mm so I have quite a few straps and options available.

    The fundamentals remain the same - so please check the link above for stats. The movement works perfectly on this watch so I hope this alleviates concerns among the (TZ) community. Regardless, this has been worn regularly since purchase (this last week) and all is good.

    It is the first white faced watch I have owned. Now the bug has bitten I am looking at others - perhaps the Omega SMP 300 Diver, New BB Chrono White face, AP RO 37mm (cough).

    Anyway - I guess you guys love pictures?

    I find the finish of high quality - the sub-dials are mesmerising - and can play havoc with my camera as it is without an anti-aliasing filter - but does allow for hi-res photos.





    (on next photo - those are not permanent marks on the ceramic bezel!)



    comparison with the black



    Thanks for looking!

    Have a great evening.

    Final wrist shot:



    and a final closeup



    Martyn
    Last edited by MartynJC (UK); 11th April 2021 at 22:35.

  2. #2
    Master badger1's Avatar
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    That is lovely! Do you prefer the white dial having had both? I think I'd go for the white

  3. #3
    Master
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    Very nice looking watch. Great pics too.

  4. #4
    Master
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    Nice, interesting, review. But how do you find ‘readability’? Only white hands against a white dial, with three coloured mini-dials suggests problems to me when the light is poor.
    Same with the Daytona (but, importantly, not the standard Speedmaster). I seem to have a ‘thing’ about this issue. Maybe it’s age....

  5. #5
    I think I prefer the white dial over the black, very nice

  6. #6
    Craftsman
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    The white dial is lovely. Did you not like the bracelet on your previous version?

  7. #7
    Thanks for sharing - I prefer the white dial over the black dial, it's more distinctive and striking. Enjoy it!

  8. #8
    Grand Master MartynJC (UK)'s Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by paskinner View Post
    Nice, interesting, review. But how do you find ‘readability’? Only white hands against a white dial, with three coloured mini-dials suggests problems to me when the light is poor.
    Same with the Daytona (but, importantly, not the standard Speedmaster). I seem to have a ‘thing’ about this issue. Maybe it’s age....
    the visibility is great. The hands are nicely faceted so pick up any reflection - the appear to have black edges, even though I know they don’t. They do have black tips and the parts near the center are also black (where they are not limes)

    The tri-colour dials I must say are some of the easiest to read as they are not silver on silver - contrast of the silver hands makes for easy reading. This watch is not the same as the Daytona in this respect. Hope that helps?

    it looks like the Daytona is white on white? So may be less easy to read?
    Last edited by MartynJC (UK); 12th April 2021 at 15:14.

  9. #9
    Grand Master MartynJC (UK)'s Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MalaMD View Post
    The white dial is lovely. Did you not like the bracelet on your previous version?
    I did, but this one was immediately available without - so jumped at it. The strap is rather good though and has a firm double deployant which makes it secure.
    Last edited by MartynJC (UK); 12th April 2021 at 11:21.

  10. #10
    It looks really nice - I'm going to try one versus the BB Chrono later in the year.

  11. #11
    Master
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    Thanks Martyn, it looks lovely. I seem to be hunting a white dial too, this is probably the front runner but neck and neck with the seamaster and the new Tudor chrono is good too. Odd...I don't normally like chronograph watches.

  12. #12
    I don't care what anyone says, I think this looks way better than a Daytona & I used to own one. Yes it takes a few visual clues from the aforementioned Rolex but it still exudes its own personality. The El Primero movement though is legendary and the 1/10th sec chrono is too freaking cool.

    The only thing that stopped me from getting one is because I have too many chronos. Already have 2 Chronomasters, a Speedy & most recently an EZM1. As of last week I put my name down for the new Tudor Panda Chrono & with any luck it could be on my wrist by the weekend.

    I am contemplating selling the 2 Chronomasters to help fund this one though.

    The one thing I will do if I ever get oneb is to brushe the polished centre links.

    Sent from my SM-G991B using Tapatalk
    Last edited by zen123; 12th April 2021 at 12:35.

  13. #13
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by zen123 View Post
    The one thing I will do if I ever get oneb is to brushe the polished centre links.
    +1, for sure. I think if the bracelet had on-the-fly adjustability as well as being all-brushed the watch would be completely perfect.

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Tom-P View Post
    +1, for sure. I think if the bracelet had on-the-fly adjustability as well as being all-brushed the watch would be completely perfect.
    It is strange how often this topic of on the fly adjustment comes up. I have to say with 40+ years of watch ownership, man and boy, I have never had to adjust my strap when out and about!

  15. #15
    Craftsman
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    Quote Originally Posted by MartynJC (UK) View Post
    I did, but this one was immediately available without - so jumped at it. The strap is rather good though and has a firm double deployant which makes it secure.
    Got ya, congrats!

  16. #16
    Journeyman
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    Awesome review!

  17. #17
    Grand Master MartynJC (UK)'s Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by dukeskd View Post
    Awesome review!
    Why, thank you!

  18. #18
    Sod it, I went ahead & ordered one, got 10% discount so can't complain. Expected end of the month or early May. Black dial for me as I have the Tudor white dial Panda coming.

  19. #19
    Master
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    great pictures of a fine looking watch..think i would have the white dial over black but I would be happy with either really!

    i have always liked how Zenith show the date with the slight trapezium window placed at 4:30 but this seems to be a deal breaker for some..

  20. #20
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tom-P View Post
    +1, for sure. I think if the bracelet had on-the-fly adjustability as well as being all-brushed the watch would be completely perfect.
    Quote Originally Posted by paw3001 View Post
    It is strange how often this topic of on the fly adjustment comes up. I have to say with 40+ years of watch ownership, man and boy, I have never had to adjust my strap when out and about!
    Aye, definitely a subjective thing. I don't think I'm alone, but I have come to accept that I simply must have unusually expansive/contractive wrists! It is a complete dealbreaker for me. One of my first 'proper' watches was my Omega Seamaster GMT. It has great sentimental value, and I love the bracelet when it fits - which is about 20% of the time. Get it right for an active summer's day and it's flopping about as soon as I'm indoors, or in winter etc. So it's on an Isofrane.

    I could go on but the best way of conveying the point is observing that, although my wrists are modest, my SD43 is far more comfortable than my 16570 - which is obviously smaller and much, much lighter - for the simple reason that I can instantly get the fit spot-on on the SD with the micro-adjuster. I regularly move to and fro within a three-click range (if that makes sense - cold / normal / hot) in the course of a typical day.

    As a Zenith fan I am drooling all over this watch - ISTR egging Martyn on to buy his first one - but I am desperately hoping they sort this aspect out. I noticed that it was a feature of some of the reviews:

    https://www.ablogtowatch.com/zenith-...-3600-calibre/
    'The bracelet is quite nice, though I really hope a micro-adjust becomes a standard feature in watches at this price point.'

    https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/ze...00-introducing
    - see a number of the comments

    So I hope someone at Zenith is listening.

  21. #21
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by zen123 View Post
    Sod it, I went ahead & ordered one, got 10% discount so can't complain. Expected end of the month or early May. Black dial for me as I have the Tudor white dial Panda coming.
    do you mind me asking where you got the discount from?

  22. #22
    Journeyman
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    I'm just impressed that someone has one. I went to 5 Zenith stockists today, within 2 hours drive of Le Locle and the most they had was pictures.

    I cant decide if that's just hopeless logistics or an indication of popularity because they'd all sold out.

  23. #23

    Review: Zenith Chronomaster Sport 03.3100.3600/69.C823

    The issue is that this model was due for release last year and so you would have thought that stocks would have been built up but either

    a) Clearly not
    Or
    b) It has sold better then even Zenith expected.

    I love the white dial but happy to wait

  24. #24
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    As it happens I didn't manage to find a single one of the new Watches and Wonders models in the shops, from any brand.

  25. #25
    Grand Master MartynJC (UK)'s Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Shubs View Post
    I'm just impressed that someone has one. I went to 5 Zenith stockists today, within 2 hours drive of Le Locle and the most they had was pictures.

    I cant decide if that's just hopeless logistics or an indication of popularity because they'd all sold out.
    I think the latter. The chronomaster got a huge blanket bomb of coverage on social media and I can only assume Zenith were not ready for the orders. Well done Zenith. Let’s hope they learn from the experience. (I agree a tool less micro-adjustable clasp would be the icing on the proverbial).

    I feel slightly privileged to have tried both black and white faced models.
    Last edited by MartynJC (UK); 13th April 2021 at 18:58.

  26. #26
    Quote Originally Posted by paw3001 View Post
    The issue is that this model was due for release last year and so you would have thought that stocks would have been built up but either

    a) Clearly not
    Or
    b) It has sold better then even Zenith expected.

    I love the white dial but happy to wait
    I’m not sure either is true. Zenith only produced around 19,000 watches last year, after a high of 22,000 - I’m sure there was huge demand for the new Chrono - but they just don’t make that many watches.

    They were hoping to increase to 30,000 production over years.
    It's just a matter of time...

  27. #27
    Master
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    I keep coming back. It still looks just as bl00dy lovely! I've 2 years to wait for my next big birthday, which is when I told myself I'd get another significant watch. Sigh. Still, the chase is all part of it..... Right?

  28. #28
    Craftsman
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    Just seen that they are now doing a rose gold version - looks lovely

  29. #29
    Craftsman
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    Quote Originally Posted by MalaMD View Post
    Just seen that they are now doing a rose gold version - looks lovely
    Seen this on their instagram and agree it looks lovely. Wonder if they do a full bracelet version in rose gold.

  30. #30
    Craftsman
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    Here is a link to an article of the RG version:

    https://monochrome-watches.com/intro...d-specs-price/


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  31. #31
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    Beautiful watch but pretty flashy - for me it is now starting to look a bit like a Rolex, which I didn't think was the case with the steel versions.

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