We’re calling it: titanium construction will be one of the biggest sports watch trends in 2024. Unveiled ahead of the Ultimate Tennis Showdown (UTS)—for which the Swiss manufacture has served as Official Timekeeper since its inception in 2020—the Zenith Chronomaster Sport Titanium sees the flagship chronograph executed in a new metal.
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As a pioneer of ultra-precision timekeeping, Zenith is an apt fit for the role of Official Timekeeper of the UTS. Created by French tennis coach and entrepreneur Patrick Mouratoglou, the UTS shirks the traditional rules associated with tennis in favour of a more casual approach, wherein matches are played over four quarters of eight minutes (matches end when the time runs out, rather than being determined by games won). The UTS also does away with second serves, allows unlimited coaching from the sidelines, and permits just 15 seconds between points, and interviews players after each quarter. All in all, it’s a more entertaining and dynamic approach to the sport that opens it up to a new audience.
“In the UTS league, time is always in players’ minds because it is at the centre of the concept. Every match ends when time runs out, the match is time centred,” says Patrick Mouratoglou. “The Chronomaster Sport Titanium is more than a watch for us. It’s a symbol of how important time is in UTS.”
With match time central to the concept of the UTS, Zenith’s 1/10th second El Primero 3600 movement is the natural choice to keep time with. Here, it’s encased in grade 5 titanium, which is significantly lighter than steel while boasting one of the highest strength-to-density ratios of commonly used alloys, which ensures robustness and durability. The alloy’s corrosion-resistant paramagnetic properties mean it’s ideally suited to extreme environments both on and off the court.
The Zenith Chronomaster Sport has always been one of the more handsome sports watches; naturally, the titanium iteration doesn’t drop the ball on aesthetics, with an abundance of satin-brushed finishes on the 41mm case and bracelet working to highlight the sleek grey tones of the alloy. Eschewing the usual ceramic bezel, the Zenith Chronomaster Sport Titanium is crafted in titanium and features a sunburst satin-brushed finish which sets it apart from its tablemates. The monochromatic flavour extends to the dial, which sees the signature tricolour tri-compax layout executed in several (but not fifty) shades of grey; the chronograph counters appear in anthracite, grey, and silver and sit atop a galvanic nickel-grey sunburst dial. The timepiece is presented on a titanium bracelet, with the option to sub in a sporty rubber strap.
The manufacture’s iconic El Primero movement from 1969 has been modified (and dubbed the ‘El Primero 3600’) to allow for an extended power reserve of 60 hours. It’s visible through the sapphire glass exhibition caseback, with the contemporised architecture allowing for greater visibility of the blue column wheel and open rotor emblazoned with Zenith’s five-pointed star.
The Chronomaster Sport Titanium is priced at $17,500AUD (rubber strap) or $18,300AUD (titanium bracelet) and is available via the Zenith webstore.
Words by T. Angel
