The Wind Up: We Get Precise with Zenith’s Chronomaster Solo Sport

Hello, watch lovers! Happy Monday, and welcome back to another instalment of The Wind Up. As you know, this is Man of Many’s weekly wrap detailing the horological encounters, events, and releases that have caught our attention over the past seven days. I’m Rob, someone who foolishly dropped one of his own (rather expensive) watches over the weekend and is now bracing for a large repair bill, and it’s my pleasure to be joining you once again.

This week, I’ve been hanging out with three of Zenith’s new Chronomaster Solo Sport releases, including the slightly unconventional brown model, and I’ll be sharing my thoughts. We also look at Bvlgari‘s charmingly bizarre Octo Finissimo Dazzle, a new Roman-influenced pair of Mido Multiforts, and more.

As ever, there’s no time like the present and not a second to waste, so let’s crack on with the latest edition of Man of Many’s The Wind Up.

On the Wrist: Zenith Chronomaster Solo Sport

Recently, I’ve had the pleasure of getting around with my choice of three new 40-mm Zenith Chronomaster Solo Sport references. Over the course of a day, I’d swap between the white and brown models with a date window and the black model without one. What a luxury.

While essentially the same watch, they’re all entirely different in terms of the vibe they exude. That said, each one walks a fine line between sportiness and elegance in its own way. They’re not designed to be ostentatious, but rather to have heightened precision and everyday wearability at the core of their reason for being.

It’s hard for me to pick a favourite of the three. At first, there was something about the direct, classic approach of the date-free black model that really appealed. Over time, the brown model found a special place in my heart — I don’t know if I’ve ever encountered a watch that so perfectly pairs with a waxed Barbour jacket. Finally, the white model is the one that appeals to me least, but that’s more to do with my own personal indifference to many white-dialled watches, rather than anything approaching a flaw in the watch’s design and construction.

I already mentioned these watches’ heightened precision. They’re Zenith’s first Chronomaster three-hand watches, emphasising high-frequency cadence and precision over the sportier activities of their chronograph cousins, which have made up the Chronomaster family until these models were released.

This precision comes courtesy of the El Primero 3620 calibre. Operating at 36,000 vibrations per hour, it’s an example of the high-frequency that’s defined El Primero movements since their introduction back in 1969. The result? Better accuracy and a wonderfully smooth hand motion.

Sitting atop the 3620 are ceramic dials featuring a repeating 45-degree “Z” motif. Zenith claims this is designed to evoke the rhythm and vibration of the movement beneath. Whatever the inspiration, it’s a nicely understated dial decoration that adds a touch of interest without distracting you when you’re checking the time. I appreciate that.

I’m also quite fond of the jagged “shark tooth” minute track that encircles the dial. It adds a touch of drama and complements both the shape of the indices and the outer shape of the bezel, which has a nice action with a bright-sounding click.

Another feature I have to mention is the new ZENCLASP. It has an elegantly integrated micro-adjustment mechanism, meaning you can easily adjust your watch’s sizing on the go. It offers five positions separated by 2.5-mm incrementS for a total adjustment range of 10 mm. Paired with the three-link stainless steel bracelet, each of these references offers superb all-day comfort.

Whether you opt for the white, black, or brown, Zenith’s Chronomaster Solo Sport is a strong choice for those who value simplicity, precision, build quality, and all-day wearability over flash and gimmicks. If I had to pick one to make my own, I’d have to go with the brown. Its deep chocolate dial and gold-coloured hands and indices make it stand out in the well-served sports watch field, but you really can’t miss, regardless of which one you choose.

Zenith Chronomaster Solo Sport (White) Key Specs:

• Reference: 03.5000.3620/69.M5000
• Case: Stainless steel
• Diameter: 40 mm
• Thickness: 13.13 mm
• Water resistance: 200 metres
• Dial: White ceramic
• Bracelet: Stainless steel
• Movement: El Primero 3620
• Power reserve: 60 hours
• Price: AUD$17,400

Zenith Chronomaster Solo Sport (Black) Key Specs:

• Reference: 03.5000.3620/21.M5000
• Case: Stainless steel
• Diameter: 40 mm
• Thickness: 13.13 mm
• Water resistance: 200 metres
• Dial: Black ceramic
• Bracelet: Stainless steel
• Movement: El Primero 3620
• Power reserve: 60 hours
• Price: AUD$15,600

Zenith Chronomaster Solo Sport (Brown) Key Specs:

• Reference: 03.5001.3620/72.M5000
• Case: Stainless steel
• Diameter: 40 mm
• Thickness: 13.13 mm
• Water resistance: 200 metres
• Dial: Brown ceramic
• Bracelet: Stainless steel
• Movement: El Primero 3620
• Power reserve: 60 hours
• Price: AUD$17,400

Bvlgari’s Octo Finissimo Dazzle is Hard to Look At (In a Fun Way)

Bvlgari has launched a trio of titanium creations at Geneva Watch Days, and while they’re all impressive in their own way, I’d like to focus on the Octo Finissimo Dazzle because it’s so charmingly bonkers.

Bvlgari describes its Octo Finissimo collection as “a space for aesthetic expression, engaging in a dialogue with contemporary creativity,” and that this latest addition “pushes the concept of visual deconstruction to the extreme.” The idea behind this limited edition of 80 pieces is to challenge the concept of legibility. If that sounds self-defeating when it comes to a watch, well, it is. But that’s the point.

The Dazzle features a geometric pattern akin to automotive camouflage that covers the entirety of its titanium case, creating an optical illusion that leaves only the watch’s outline clearly visible. The effect is that the watch’s signature angles blend into the pattern, transforming this immediately recognisable watch into something far more difficult to define. It’s the kind of intellectual exercise that helps elevate watchmaking beyond craft and into the realm of art.

Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Dazzle Key Specs:

• Reference: 104382
• Case: Sandblasted titanium
• Diameter: 40 mm
• Thickness: 5.15 mm
• Water resistance: 30 metres
• Dial: Opaline titanium with laser-engraved geometric motif
• Bracelet: Sandblasted titanium
• Movement: BVL 138
• Power reserve: 60 hours
• Price: USD$18,300

Mido’s Multifort TV 28 Takes a Roman Holiday

This week, Mido unveiled a pair of watches for the ladies (or the gents, who am I to say?) that I like very much. I’ve been a sucker for Roman numerals on a watch ever since my old man wore a brandless approximation of a Cartier Tank when I was a kid, and these releases are right up my street.

Sadly, at 28 mm, they’re significantly too small for my wrist, but I can admire them from afar. They pair Mido’s TV-shaped case with ivory-coloured dials adorned with black-lacquered Roman numerals, and are powered by a Swiss ETA F04.115 quartz movement.

Given the way the watch industry works, I’m hopeful these releases are testing the water for this design, and we might see a larger, more me-friendly take on the Multifort TV with Roman numerals in the nearish future.

Mido Multifort TV 28 Roman Dials Key Specs:

• Reference: M049.110.11.263.00 / M049.110.33.263.00
• Case: Polished and satin-finished stainless steel / Stainless steel with rose gold-coloured PVD treatment
• Diameter: 28 mm
• Water resistance: 50 metres
• Dial: Ivory-coloured, adorned with black-lacquered Roman numerals
• Bracelet: Satin-finished stainless steel with polished centre links / Stainless steel with rose gold-coloured PVD treatment
• Movement: Quartz ETA F04.115
• Price: AUD$800 / AUD$950

In Other Watch News…

If you’d like to explore some of the other watch stories that caught Man of Many’s attention over the last week, be sure to head over to our Man of Many’s Watches page. There, you’ll find our thoughts on a range of news and releases, including the following.

TAG Heuer’s new Monza Flyback Chronograph

The “Year of the Chronograph” continues for the official F1 timekeeper with a 500-piece limited edition that pays tribute to a 1976 release while showcasing the leaps in technical expertise and design the maison has made in the intervening years.

Piaget Polo Minute Repeater

A minute repeater is a flex at the best of times, but Piaget’s new Polo Minute Repeater is ambitious even within this esteemed company, producing 64dB of sound, alongside three harmonic partials and a damping factor of 2,600, all while maintaining a thickness of just 9.3 mm.

TUDOR Northflag

The TUDOR Northflag revives a line discontinued in 2021, and I’m very happy to see it do so. Targeting the current demand for integrated bracelet travel watches, it’s a handsome take on a utilitarian design that really appeals to me.