Zenith is back.  It’s been a great year or two for the brand’s design department which has taken them back to their traditional values and classical styling.  If you like the WatchPress.com then you’ll know that we like them.  After a superb collection of Pilot watches, here comes something for girly wrists – a new collection of Zenith Star Open models.

If you’ve admired the Star Open collection in the past, perhaps you’ve appreciated it’s compendium of curves – rounded case, feminine pushers and curly, swirly graduating numerals.  I featured one as a Valentine’s Day special, the Queen of Love Star Open – surely the most romantic chronograph available.  The new pieces see a departure from the circular case to an equally voluptuous cushion-shaped caase, and with a nod to classical-ism some elongated Roman numerals – an instant make-over which creates a more formal and elegant variation.

Two dial editions are available, white mother-of-pearl or silvered guilloché, two case editions are available, stainless steel or rose gold – but these are trivialities, what is most important and what draws the eye is the heart-shaped cut-away where a seductive little heart counts the seconds and through which the escapement of the El Primero Caliber 4062 can be viewed.

The case measures 37x37mm with sapphire crystal front and back, neat tucked-in pushers and tapering lugs.  The hour and minutes hands are faceted and a central chronograph hand reaches right to the dial edge which features a fine rail track chapter ring, an elegant detail echoed in the 30-min counter at three o’clock.  Further dressing-up, if it were needed comes thanks to a perfect little cabochon sapphire-set crown.  Those in the know will shun the sparkle and go for the stainless steel lesser-diamond version, serious kit and not in the slightest bit syrupy.

The Zenith Star Open 2012 collection come presented on a choice of brown or black alligator leather straps.