Cut For Time: New Watch Introductions From Zenith, Hermès, Hamilton, And Breitli

Cut For Time: New Watch Introductions From Zenith, Hermès, Hamilton, And Breitling

A new wave of watch introductions has hit our shores just in time for summer. From chronographs to flights of fancy, there’s something for everyone. 

By Hyla Bauer
Contributor & Special Projects

Zenith’s New Chronomaster Sport in Rose Gold

Zenith’s El Primero chronograph movement, with its automatic, high-frequency column-wheel mechanism and faithful timekeeping, has been at the pinnacle of watchmaking since its introduction in 1969. Rolex even famously incorporated a custom-built El Primero movement in its Daytona collection from around 1988 until 2000, when Rolex completed its own in-house chronograph movement.

But back to Zenith and its all-new Chronomaster Sport revealed in January 2021.
 

The watch is now available in an 18K rose gold case with a black ceramic bezel. The gold provides an aesthetically pleasing color play between the matte white dial and polished black ceramic bezel. Moreover, this new Chronomaster Sport revived a classic colorway from 1969, making the 60-second subdial at 3 o’clock metallic blue, the 60-minute counter metallic grey, and the second counter at 9 o’clock metallic silver.
 

The color combination makes for envy-producing wrist appeal and highlights both the complexity and beauty of the watch. The watch is powered by the latest iteration of the El Primero movement, the El Primero 3600, and comes on a black calfskin strap with triple folding clasp. 
 

Breitling’s New Super Chronomat Watches

Two new “super” models just joined Breitling’s robust Chronomat collection. The new watches are modeled after a watch Breitling crafted for the Italian Air Force’s Frecce Colori squad over three decades ago in 1983. The daring pilots of the Acrobatica Nazionale Frecce Tricolori are the ”hotshot” aerobatic demonstration team of the Italian Air Force. 
 

What’s new here is the Super Chronomat’s bold 44mm size. Breitling CEO Georges Kern described the Super Chronomats as watches that will get you noticed, adding, “This watch is tough enough for every pursuit, but it won’t get in the way of your sense of style.”

The first of the two new "super" models is the Super Chronomat B01 44. There are several different material and dial/bezel color combinations from which to choose. The base model, which features a stainless steel case and rubber strap, has two dial and bezel color options: blue and black. The high-end of the range comes in an 18K red gold case with a matching bracelet and features a brown dial and bezel.
 

But, perhaps, the most intriguing feature is one of the bracelet options for the stainless steel versions of the Super Chronomat B01 44. More specifically, it comes with a separate UTC module built into the bracelet just below 6 o’clock. The Universal Time Coordinated display serves as a second time zone indicator and has a quartz movement.

Finally, all of the Super Chronomat B01 44 iterations feature ceramic bezels – a first for the Chronomat line – and come with the COSC-certified Breitling Caliber B01 automatic chronograph movement with 70 hours of power reserve. 
 

The second new model is for those who favor higher complications. The Super Chronomat 44 Four-Year Calendar, as its name implies, has a four-year calendar complication, meaning it only requires adjustment every four years during a leap year. The COSC-certified Breitling Caliber 19 movement powers the timepiece. The watch is water-resistant to 100 meters. Two versions are available – one with a black ceramic dial and bezel with 18K red gold accents, the other features a blue ceramic dial and bezel with 18K red gold accents. 
 

Hermès’ New Arceau Space Derby Limited Editions

Hermès’ latest watches take the wearer to the skies – or to space, to be exact. Housed in the classic Arceau case designed by Henri d’Origny in 1978, the three new timepieces are flights of fancy on the wrist and limited in production.

The watch dials feature elements of the design of the recently introduced Space Derby silk scarf created by illustrator Ugo Bienvenu, who, inspired by 20th-century American comic book superheroes, imagined brightly colored cosmic equestrian teams running a breathless derby in the stars.
 

Watch collectors will admire the intricately hand-painted dials on each of the three models. The vibrant colors are rich, and the highly detailed images are a product of multiple layers of micro-painting, with each layer dried in a kiln before the next is applied.

Two of the three models in the Arceau Space Derby collection are 12-piece limited editions featuring blue aventurine dials, 41mm 18K white gold cases, and the automatic manufacture Hermès H1837 movement with 50-hour power reserve. Both 12-piece limited editions depict a jockey and his chariot being pulled an armor-clad thoroughbred beneath a star-filled sky; however, one model has blue and indigo hues, while the other uses pink and yellow.
 

The third model in the Arceau Space Derby collection depicts a driver holding the reins of a horse-drawn carriage painted on a pink opaline dial. Limited to 24 pieces, it features a 38mm 18K white gold case, a bezel set with 82 diamonds, and a moonphase display.
 

Hamilton’s New Khaki Navy Scuba Automatic

Hamilton is extending the size range and incorporating a new alloy into the Khaki Navy Scuba collection. Previous models in the collection were certainly robust and provided the reliability, shock resistance, water resistance, and unidirectional rotating bezel crucial for diving. But with summer on the horizon and travel restrictions easing, this new watch comes just in time for adventure.
 

The stainless-steel timepiece measures a sizable 43mm in diameter, allowing for a larger dial for enhanced legibility. Plus, the heavy dose of Super-LumiNova on the hands, hour markers, and the 12 o’clock dot provides a strong glow for when you're in the darker depths. 
 

The watches are available in either a black or blue dial with a matching-colored ceramic bezel. The blue dial version comes on a stainless-steel bracelet, while the black is also available on a matte black rubber strap. The watches are powered by the brand’s H-10 automatic movement with an 80-hour power reserve.
 

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