Watches & Wonders 2025: Zenith Blue Ceramic Chronograph Trilogy
Anniversaries are a big part of the product release cycle in watches, and Zenith is celebrating its 160th this year. It's taking the occasion to highlight history and technical watchmaking with the reintroduction of a movement from the mid-20th century in the new GFJ watch, but a limited-edition trilogy of chronographs in blue ceramic celebrate a different side of the brand. It showcases its development of materials and its strong identity as a chronograph manufacturer — in an eye-catching way.
Ceramic isn't new to watchmaking nor to Zenith, but these watches stand out both on the wrist and within Zenith's catalog. We're looking at the Pilot Big Date Flyback, the Defy Skyline Chronograph and the Chronomaster Sport all rendered in a rather vibrant shade of blue, the latter two of which even come on matching ceramic bracelets. They represent each of the brand's major collections except Elite which doesn't include a chronograph. Aside from their bold colors, each model maintains the dimensions, movement and other specs of the standard non-limited models.
Just as most ceramic watches were long available only in black or white, so are the majority of Zenith watches featuring the material. Things get considerably trickier when colors enter the picture, watch brands will often remind us, particularly in creating even and consistent hues. Zenith has made colored ceramic watches before with some examples in a khaki green and even blue, but they remain rare.
This particular variant of blue? Zenith says that it's the brand's "signature color." And you know what? It looks damn striking on these otherwise relatively conventional chronographs. Back in 2019, Zenith released a Defy Classic with a skeletonized dial and blue ceramic case (as well as black and white versions). The blue case gave it an edgy look that fit with its modern styling and skeletonization and was reminiscent of things LVMH sister brand Hublot does.
That's why it's interesting to see comparatively restrained designs rendered in all blue ceramic — and in such a flamboyant hue, no less. In the end, this helps keep the focus on the design itself and gives the blue ceramic center stage. That idea is further reinforced thanks to a monochromatic colorway broken only by red-tipped chronograph hands on the Defy Skyline and Chronomaster Sport. The latter also features different shades for its subdials, as is Zeniths tradition stemming from early El Primero models.
If you dig ceramic for its colors, scratch resistance, lightness and just its interesting technical character, these watches offer a pretty cool way to enjoy it — alongside all the other things that make Zenith chronographs legendary. You can get any of the models individually or as a set, and each is limited to 160 examples. Price for the Zenith Pilot Big Date Flyback is $15,500, the Defy Skyline Chronograph is $23,800 and the Chronomaster Sport is $22,700.
To learn more, visit Zenith here.
