Tap the image to enlarge
Zenith Chronomaster Solo Sport 40mm Mens Watch Black
Ref. 03.5000.3620/21.M5000
See more premium optionsHide
Stepping up in the same colour and case shape
The Solo Sport arrived in late 2026 as an answer to a question Zenith's own history raised: the El Primero architecture, running at 5 Hz since 1969, had always been a chronograph engine first. The 3620 strips out the timing mechanism entirely and rebuilds what remains as a pure three-hander, retaining the high-frequency beat and the silicon escapement while letting the dial breathe in a way the chronograph layout never could. The dial is polished black ceramic engraved with a repeating 45-degree Z motif — a surface that shifts between flat and dimensional depending on the angle of the light — and the ceramic carries through to the unidirectional bezel, with its shark-tooth minute track at the dial's edge pulling from older Zenith references. The seconds hand counterweight carries the same engraved pattern, so the movement of the hand reinforces rather than interrupts the dial. At 200m the watch is genuinely water-resistant, and the integrated three-link bracelet sits flush enough with the case to wear as a cohesive object rather than a case with a strap attached. The ZENCLASP allows up to 10mm of extension in 2.5mm steps without tools, which matters more than it sounds on a steel bracelet worn through changing temperatures — the difference between a bracelet that fits properly and one that is merely closed.
- Reference
- 03.5000.3620/21.M5000
- Brand
- Zenith
- Collection
- Chronomaster
- Case size
- 40mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Black
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Bezel
- Unidirectional rotating
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- El Primero 3620
- Functions
- Chronograph, Date, Skeleton dial
- Water resistance
- 200m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Silver
- Clasp
- Folding clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- Mappin & Webb
Additional specifications
- Power reserve
- 60 hours
Learn more about Zenith
Georges Favre-Jacot founded Zenith in Le Locle in 1865, aged twenty-two, with an idea that was radical for the Swiss industry: bring every trade needed to make a watch — movement, case, dial, hands — under one roof and one management. The integrated manufacture was largely his invention, and the Le Locle site he built is still in use.
The approach produced results at observatory trials, where Zenith accumulated more precision awards than any other manufacture. The name itself came from a calibre Favre-Jacot considered the summit of his work.
Its defining achievement is the El Primero of 1969, developed over seven years and announced in the same year as the Heuer-Breitling consortium's Calibre 11 and Seiko's 6139. It was an integrated automatic chronograph beating at 36,000 vibrations per hour, allowing measurement to a tenth of a second — a frequency almost nothing else matched for decades.
It nearly did not survive. When American owners ordered the mechanical tooling scrapped during the quartz crisis, a watchmaker named Charles Vermot hid the plans, presses, and cams in a walled-off attic. When demand for mechanical chronographs returned, Zenith could restart production because of him. Rolex used the El Primero in the Daytona from 1988 to 2000.
LVMH acquired Zenith in 1999.
- 1865
- Georges Favre-Jacot founds the integrated manufacture at Le Locle.
- 1969
- The El Primero automatic chronograph debuts at 36,000 vph.
- 1975
- Charles Vermot hides the El Primero tooling from destruction.
- 1988
- Rolex adopts the El Primero for the Daytona.
- 1999
- Acquired by LVMH.
Also in 7 collections
This watch appears in the Zenith Chronomaster range (23), Stainless Steel Watches (3,133), Automatic Watches (1,750), Chronograph Watches (1,199), Sports Watches (800), Dive Watches (572) and Skeleton Watches (316).
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch built to be worn hard and got wet.
Strengths
- 200m water resistance, rated for actual diving
- 40mm suits most wrists
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- Sits in the lower half of Zenith's range as we list it
Also seen with this model (1)
Other versions of this model, not necessarily this exact watch.
- Aaron Rodgers · Zenith Chronomaster · Ambassador · Chronomaster Sport · Source
Zenith Chronomaster Solo Sport alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 03.5000.3620/21.M5000 | 1-39-11-06-80-06 | H9762 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £8,700 | £8,200 | £8,450 |
| Case size | 40mm | 39.5mm | 38mm |
| Water resistance | 200m | 200m | 200m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Rubber strap | Ceramic bracelet |
| Power reserve | 60 hours | — | 70 hours |
| This watch | Closely matched |
|
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Yes. At 200m it is rated for swimming, snorkelling and recreational diving.
Water resistance explainedWill the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Sapphire, mineral and acrylic comparedDoes it need a battery?
No. It is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedHow long does it run for when it's not worn?
About 60 hours fully wound — enough to survive a night off the wrist, but not a full weekend.
Is it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's, though at 40mm it sits in the range that suits anyone.
Cheapest place to buy
Mappin & Webb is the only UK retailer we track stocking this reference, so there is nothing to compare it against today.
More Zenith watches like the Chronomaster Solo Sport
In stock, and close on style and price
