As the United States prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary this coming July, brands are finding ways to honor the nation’s milestone and its influence with special-edition releases that reflect the longstanding story of American spirit. For the Swiss watchmakers at Zenith, America’s impact on their industry and production came in the mid-19th century, when founder Favre-Jacot traveled to the U.S. and took an interest in the efficiency behind the American industrial movement.
Operating under the traditional “établissage” system, where components were produced separately before final assembly, Zenith adopted the industrial approach to keep all production under one roof. Zenith is proud to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States with the release of its all-new Chronomaster Revival Liberty II, limited in each version to mark the special occasion.
Representing such an important part of American history, Zenith chose to feature one of its most symbolic references for the limited release, the A384 from 1969. Its distinctive 37mm tonneau-shaped case is available in both traditional stainless steel (limited to 250 pieces) and a more modern, lightweight forged carbon version (limited to 25 pieces).
The dial itself showcases a white-lacquered finish with a contrasting chronograph hand, featuring 13 red and white stripes in reference to the original 13 colonies. In addition to the sub-dials, the tachymeter scale is painted blue, with the “250” and the “4” on the date disc in red as a nod to the colors of the American flag.
Underneath it all, the Chronomaster Revival is powered by Zenith’s legendary El Primero 400 caliber, derived directly from the world-renowned, in-house movement from 1969, which also happens to be the world’s first automatic, integrated high-frequency chronograph. The mechanism is visible through an openworked caseback, with commemorative engravings on the outer case that read “America 250th Anniversary” and “One of 250”.
The more traditional steel variant comes fitted on a matching stainless-steel bracelet, with an extra strap, while its lightwieght counterpart features a blue Cordura rubber strap for a more sporty look and feel. The all-new Zenith Chronomaster Revival Liberty II is now available at authorized U.S. boutiques, starting at $10,600 for the stainless steel and $13,400 for the forged carbon version.