Swiss watch manufacturer Zenith and Japanese manga and anime series Lupin The Third are an unlikely duo, however, since 2019 the seemingly divergent brands have released two covetable timepieces; a Zenith A384 tonneau-shaped case with a black dial and then the same case with a white and ‘panda’ dial. Both timepieces were based on watches that never were, sported in the first and final episodes of the first Lupin The Third animated series season by Daisuke Jigen, the right-hand man and best friend of the titular character Lupin III.
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Now, the Zenith Chronomaster Revival Lupin The Third – Final Edition is here to complete the trilogy. Limited to 250 pieces the watch combines two dials, combining all the elements from both the Zenith chronographs that appear in the first and final episodes of the first season and distinguished by a diagonal split down the middle. On one side, the first Chronomaster Revival Lupin The Third edition’s semi-glossy black dial with deep grey counters and golden applied markers and hands, and on the other side, the second edition’s creamy-white dial with contrasting black counters in a “panda” configuration with beige SuperLumiNova.
Playful and fun yet somehow distinctly chic, the creation of the timepiece is an intricate process. First, the blank dial is finished in a silvery-white colour on the right half, then the black chronograph counters are milled while the rest of the dial is protected with a layer of transparent and colourless lacquer. As the second half of the dial must be painted black, the other white half of the dial is given a protective layer; if this isn’t applied correctly, the colours can bleed into each other, effectively ruining the dial. An additional layer of complexity is added in that a third grey colour must be applied for the counters.
The monochromatic dial is housed in a 37mm titanium barrel-shaped case, a reproduction of the 1969 A384 case in proportions and finish. The watch is finished with a retro-style titanium ladder bracelet, originally designed by the Gay Frères company. At the heart of the Zenith Chronomaster Revival Lupin The Third is an El Primero automatic high-frequency integrated chronograph calibre, visible through the sapphire display back engraved with a drawing of Daisuke Jigen.
The Chronomaster Revival Lupin The Third – Final Edition is available via the Zenith webstore and at Zenith physical stories around the world.
Words by AR Staff
