This Is Zenith's Final Watch Inspired By Lupin The Third
Watches with black-and-white dials feature titanium barrel-shaped cases.
Usually, you don't hear about a Swiss watchmaker partnering with a Japanese anime series to create limited-edition timepieces. However, Zenith partnered with Lupin the Third in 2019 to accomplish just that. A third and final release from the partnership follows the release of two special editions from the watchmaker.
A titanium barrel-shaped case with a contrasting dial of black and white highlights the Chronomaster Revival Lupin the Third–Final Edition. Gray counters with gold applied markers and hands are found on the semi-glossy black side. The contrasting black counters on the white half are complemented by beige Super-LumiNova. Limited to 250 pieces, this watch is modeled after two Zenith watches featured in the animated series.
It began as a manga comic in 1967, and Zenith introduced the El Primero, the world's first high-frequency automatic chronograph movement, shortly after. During the first and final episodes of the first and final seasons of the series, which premiered in October 1971, the series creators were inspired by the El Primero.
Arsène Lupin III, an internationally wanted thief, is the focus of the show, which was created by Monkey Punch. Along with Lupin, Daisuke Jigen is a marksman, and Fujiko Mine is Lupin's love interest. As a team, they challenge or rob other criminal organizations; Jigen wears a Zenith watch in one scene.
As a result of the a384 tonneau-shaped case depicted in the first episode of Lupin the Third and its unusual black dial, Zenith produced its first Chronomaster Revival Lupin the Third watch almost 50 years later. Following that, the second special-edition timepiece was introduced in 2020, and featured a white dial sporting the same panda-like configuration as the newest model.
There are three chronograph counters, a tachymetric scale, and the El Primero movement in the new model, which operates at a frequency of 36,000 volts per hour and with a 50-hour battery life. However, creating its unique dial was harder. In the production process, a blank dial is finished with a silvery-white finish on its right half, followed by a milling process for the black chronograph counters, and finally protected with transparent lacquer.
It took another painstaking step to add the third gray color to the watch's darker counters, which made the watch even more difficult to craft perfectly. In spite of the difficulty of reproducing the dual-dial effect for an entire series, the brand admits it was well worth it.
Zenith.com is now taking preorders for Chronomaster Revival Lupin the Third - Final Edition, which will be delivered by March 31st.
