Zenith is introducing a third modern A3818 Cover Girl reference this week in collaboration with Revolution, who helped bring their first two iterations of the charming chronograph to life back in 2020 (in steel) and 2022 (in titanium). This time, it’s the Cover Girl Carbon, and this execution pushes the throwback design well outside of its comfort zone, embracing the semi-exotic modern material not just for the case, but for the pushers, the dial, and even the bracelet. Unlike the first two, this rendition is constructed from high-modulus carbon fiber that’s been forged into shape, which pushes the weight saving to the extreme, at a mere 55 grams.
The use of carbon in watches have become somewhat commonplace in recent years, with examples available from the likes of G-Shock, Tissot, Norqain, Doxa, Formex and many others at a broad range of price points. Of course, it’s still seen in higher end creations from brands like Hublot, Bulgari, Panerai, Richarde Mille, and others, but the exotic value proposition isn’t quite what it used to be. We can thank streamlined manufacturing processes for this fact, which means we get watches like the Tissot PRX Carbon for under $1,000. At the same time, brands using the material on the higher end have an uphill battle in explaining to customers just what it is that differentiates their watches, from those in more accessible realms.
Forged carbon was invented by Lamborghini Advanced Composite Structure Laboratory (ACSL), and debuted in 2010 at the Paris Motor Show with the Sesto Elemento. The material differs from traditional carbon fiber in that it consists of a paste of tiny carbon fibers that can be formed to any number of shapes, which we see today in everything from bicycle parts, phone cases, and rings, to well, watch cases. The manufacturing process is shorter and more economical than traditional carbon sheet layups, and the resulting material enjoys a marbled appearance rather than the woven pattern of the sheets.
The types of fibers used and the precision of the manufacturing process varies, which is apparent in the range of watches that use it. Watches like the Victorinox INOX Carbon and Norqain Wild One feature a tighter, more consistent surface texture and color, while the Tissot PRX Carbon and Zenith Classic Defy Carbon get a marbled appearance. At the high end we find brands like Richard Mille putting their own spin on the material with proprietary compositions such as Quartz TPT, composed of hundreds of layers of quartz filaments piled on top of each other. Richard Mille also creates a unibody chassis with their material that fuses the case and the base movement structure into a single piece. The result of these differences mean we get watches that range from ~$1,000 to deep into the six figures. Making sense of the differences can be a tricky proposition for a brand.
This brings us to the new Zenith Cover Girl Carbon, which utilizes a forged carbon case and dial. The appearance is marbled and each will be unique. It’s a strange pairing to see the decidedly old-school Revival design rendered in this material, but it somehow works. The case design, which dates to the late ‘60s, holds up pretty well in a brand range of configurations and this material is no different. They have even created a full ladder bracelet in carbon for this release, though this configuration will be limited to just 10 examples, while the velcro strap equipped Cover Girl Carbon will be limited to 150 examples produced.
The watch is using the El Primero caliber 400, a classic spec that might not look like much on paper these days, but feels like a natural partner with the A3818 platform. This movement uses a horizontal clutch and keeps time at 5Hz, with a 50 hour power reserve. It’s the same movement that appeared in the A384 which launched this revival series back in 2019, and has been used in a range of variations in the years since. It’s obviously a well proven caliber at this point, even if it won’t be winning any beauty contests.
The Cover Girl Carbon is priced from $12,320 on a velcro strap, and $27,210 on the Gay Frères-inspired ladder-style carbon fiber bracelet. Zenith
Leave a Reply