Swiss luxury watchmakers Zenith, renowned for pioneering precision in watchmaking that marries form with function, has unveiled the next contemporary novelties on some classic timepieces at Watches and Wonders 2024.
During its initial first release in the early 1970s, the Manufacture’s now-coveted El Primero movement changed the chronograph industry forever, delivering a high-beat frequency of 36,000 vibrations per hour (VPH), which allowed for precise timing up to 1/10th of a second and a significant improvement on other movements at the time.
In just a short period, it became a key benchmark in contemporary haute horologie… and now, some 50 years later, the Swiss Maison just announced the next novelties in the celebrated Defy collection, the chronograph of the 21st century at Watches and Wonders 2024.
Zenith Defy Skyline Chronograph
Presented in a 42mm brushed stainless steel case, the Zenith Defy Skyline Chronograph is a contemporary take on one of the Swiss Luxury watch brand’s enduring classics, the El Primero automatic chronograph.
It comes in three distinct colourways with either a metallic black, blue or silver dial, and as the name suggests, takes its inspiration from the starry night sky. Three overlapping subdials sit at the 3, 6 and 9, whilst the date indicated slots neatly at 4:30 – a signature feature of the El Primero collection.
The octagonal case comes with a multi-sided dodecagonal bezel and a screw-down crown embellished with the brand’s iconic star iconography, a consistent icon throughout the piece, which also adorns the case back of the Defy Skyline Chronograph across a sapphire window into this novelty’s celebrated movement.
Zenith Defy Extreme Diver
Throughout its history, Zenith has partnered with the world’s greatest explorers who test themselves in the furthest corners of the globe and beyond. From the highest peaks, to the very precipice of our atmosphere, Zenith has produced purpose-built powerhouses of timepieces to take on the wildest terrain.. and its latest offering takes form and function to extreme depths.
Presented in a larger 42.5mm angular case, the Zenith Defy Extreme Diver is built to last. This modern release continues the Swiss Luxury watch brand’s enduring tradition of celebrated divers watches, built to withstand the harshest conditions with peak performance and legibility.
The case is made with brushed titanium, specifically chosen for its anti-corrosive properties when exposed to salty seawater for larger periods of time; the unidirectional rotating bezel is made from black ceramic for increased durability and has been treated with Super-LumiNova for a highly legible instrument, even at the most unforgiving depths.
Speaking of, one of the many quirks of the new Zenith Defy Extreme Diver watch is its sensational 60 ATM water resistance (600 metres or about 1,969 feet); it retains the same enviable limit achieved by the brand’s original Defy wristwatch collection when it first launched in 1969, and a remarkable feat for a dive watch featuring a sapphire back.