Tag Archives: ZENITH DEFY

VENTURE INTO THE WILD WITH THE DEFY EXTREME JUNGLE

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Limited to just 50 pieces, the DEFY Extreme Jungle marks the third and final installment in ZENITH’s series of 1/100th of a second chronographs, inspired by extreme environments. Following the Desert and Glacier editions, this version draws inspiration from the untamed energy and captivating
mystery of the jungle.

Continuing in the rugged spirit of the DEFY Extreme line, ZENITH once again looks to wild, uncharted terrains for inspiration. Designed to withstand the harshest conditions— whether deep in the wilderness or the “concrete jungle” — the DEFY Extreme Jungle concludes a series of three evocative special editions featuring natural stones incorporated into the most robust 1/100th of a second chronograph ever made. The incorporation of such exotic gemstones into the complex case’s structure showcases a unique blend of creativity and technical mastery, adding a distinct flair while adhering to high-performance standards.

Crafted from brushed titanium, the light yet sturdy 45mm case of the DEFY Extreme. Jungle features a dodecagonal bezel and pusher protectors made from Tiger’s Eye. With its striking golden to brown hues, shifting reflections and a silky sheen, Tiger’s Eye belongs to the quartz family and has long been used in jewelry and ornamentation. Each watch is unique due to the natural variations in this rare stone. Its colour striations naturally evoke the enigmatic beauty of the tiger, a symbol of strength and mystique. Engineered for high performance, the case offers water resistance up to 20 ATM, making it suitable for the most extreme conditions.

The open sapphire dial reveals the intricate workings of the watch. Further evoking the jungle theme, it is tinted in green while the tiger-colored applied counters subtly mimic tiger stripes. These are complemented by beige luminescent markers and hands, ensuring optimal legibility in all conditions.

At the heart of the DEFY Extreme Jungle beats the automatic El Primero 9004 caliber. Partially visible through the dial and fully exposed via the exhibition case back, this high-frequency chronograph is an innovative evolution of ZENITH’s legendary movement. It remains the world’s fastest automatic chronograph in production, allowing for 1/100th of a second precision. This is achieved through two independent mechanisms, each with its own power source and regulating organ: one beating at 5Hz (36,000 vph) for timekeeping, and the other at 50Hz (360,000 vph) for the chronograph.  Taking advantage of the incredible speed of the latter, the chronograph seconds hand makes a full rotation every second, offering outstanding legibility of the 1/100th of a second display. This innovative movement showcases jungle-inspired finishing touches, with a khaki green main plate and a satin-brushed oscillating weight in the same hue.

The DEFY Extreme also features a practical interchangeable strap system, easily operated via push buttons on the back of the case. To enhance versatility, the Jungle Edition comes with three straps: a titanium bracelet, a khaki green embossed rubber strap with a
titanium folding buckle, and a black Velcro strap.

Limited to 50 pieces, the DEFY Extreme Jungle is available at ZENITH boutiques, online, and through authorized retailers worldwide.

DEFY EXTREME JUNGLE
Reference: 95.9202.9004/26.I001

Key points: 1/100th of a second Chronograph movement
Exclusive dynamic signature of one rotation per second for the chrono hand.
Certified Chronometer.
Screwed-in crown.
Sapphire dial.
Titanium bracelet. 2 additional straps included: 1 khaki rubber with folding
buckle & 1 black Velcro.
Full Interchangeable strap system.
Movement: El Primero 9004
Frequency:
1 escapement for the watch (36,000 VpH – 5 Hz)
1 escapement for the chronograph (360,000 VpH – 50 Hz)
Power reserve: approx. 50 hours
Functions: Small seconds at 9 o’clock.
1/100th of a second chronograph: central chronograph hand that makes one turn each second,
30-minute counter at 3 o’clock, 60-second counter at 6 o’clock, chronograph power-reserve
indication at 12 o’clock.
Finishes: khaki green colored main plate on movement, special khaki green colored oscillating
weight with satined finishes.
Price: 25’900 CHF / 28’000 EUR
Material: brushed titanium & Tiger’s eye gemstone.
Water resistance: 20 ATM
Case: 45mm
Dial: tinted sapphire with three tigered-coloured counters.
Hands: rhodium-plated, faceted and coated with SuperLuminova SLN C1.
Hour markers: Rhodium-plated, faceted and coated with SuperLuminova SLN C1.
Crystal: flat sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment on both sides
Case-back: transparent sapphire crystal.
Bracelet & Buckle: 3 straps included: titanium bracelet, khaki green embossed rubber strap with a
titanium folding buckle, and black Velcro strap

THE DEFY SKYLINE IN A RETRO-INSPIRED LIMITED EDITION

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DEFY SKYLINE C.X EDITION: COLLECTIVE HOROLOGY COMPLETELY REIMAGINES THE DEFY SKYLINE IN A RETRO-INSPIRED LIMITED EDITION

Collective Horology and ZENITH come together once again to produce an exclusive limited edition of the DEFY Skyline, reinterpreting it as a holistic piece of 20th century industrial design with a “less is more” approach. For collectors, by collectors. What began in 2018 as a community centered around the development of collaborative watches has burgeoned into an established and reputed watch retailer focused on independent manufactures. In addition to its retail business, Collective continues to release collaborative watches and publishes one of the leading watch podcasts in the United States: Openwork: A Look Inside the Watch Industry. With a focus on customer service and experience, Collective Horology has reached watch aficionados around the world with its passion for independent watchmaking and its coveted collaborations. The very first of these projects was the ZENITH Chronomaster El Primero C.01 x Collective, a limited edition commissioned by the group with a sharp and minimalistic aesthetic. Now, for Collective’s tenth collaborative series, ZENITH was once again called upon to reimagine one of its modern icons in the making. Introducing the DEFY C.X Edition, a limited run of 200 pieces that completely reinterprets the staple model.

 

With its sharp architectural lines and unmistakable silhouette, the DEFY Skyline serves as a modern successor to the very first ZENITH DEFY wristwatch model from 1969, bringing its reputed ruggedness and durability into a much more contemporary design and equipped with the latest generation of the El Primero automatic manufacture movement. Exceptionally for the DEFY Skyline C.X Edition, the faceted steel case as well as the interchangeable integrated steel bracelet are given an entirely sandblasted matte finish, with just the side of the dodecagonal bezel in a polished finish. This is echoed by the polished side of the case back, mirroring the finish of the bezel’s edge. The result is bold yet understated, giving it an air of industrial design.

Continuing the theme of functional simplicity, the design as well as the layout of the dial have been redefined for the DEFY Skyline C.X Edition. In a matte silvery-grey colour, the DEFY Skyline’s signature starry sky pattern dial has been rendered more three-dimensional, with a gradient effect achieved by the four-pointed stars being engraved deeper in the centre and gradually shallower towards the outer edges of the dial. Instead of having the 1/10th of a second indicator – the only such complication in the world of watchmaking – at 9 o’clock, opposite the date window at 3 o’clock as in the standard DEFY Skyline models, the C.X Edition omits the date window completely and moves the 1/10th of a second counter to 6 o’clock for a more balanced and symmetrical look. The tip of the orange 1/10th of a second hand as well as the “10” mark are done in a highly legible orange tone, adding to the 20th century industrial design inspiration.

The DEFY Skyline C.X Edition is powered by a modified version of the El Primero 3620 automatic high- frequency calibre, visible through the sapphire display back. It features a 1/10th of a second indicator at 6 o’clock that’s driven directly by the 5Hz escapement. When fully wound, it provides a power reserve of approximately 55 hours and is endowed with a stop-second mechanism for precise time-setting. Complementing the subtle orange accents on the dial, the DEFY Skyline Collective comes with an orange textured rubber strap with a steel folding clasp, in addition to the steel bracelet. They can be easily swapped without any tools using the case’s ingenious quick strap-change mechanism on the case back.

The DEFY Skyline C.X Edition is limited to a total of 200 pieces and is available exclusively through Collective Horology and the ZENITH online boutique. The watch will also be available in physical boutiques starting from December 19th.

 

DEFY SKYLINE C.X EDITION
Reference: 06.9300.3620/63.I001

Key points: El Primero 3-hand watch. High-frequency indication:
1/10th of a second subdial at 6 o’clock. Silicon escape wheel and
lever. Starry sky pattern on the dial. Screwed-in crown. Full
Interchangeable strap system
Movement: El Primero 3620 SK
Frequency: 36’000 VpH – 5Hz
Power reserve: approx. 55 hours
Functions: hours and minutes in the center
1/10th of a second indication at 6 o’clock
Finishes: special oscillating weight with satined finishings
Price: 11 900 CHF / 12 900 €
Material: stainless steel
Water resistance: 10 ATM
Case: 41mm
Crystal: flat sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment on both
sides
Case-back: transparent sapphire crystal
Dial: gradient starry sky pattern
Hour markers: rhodium-plated, faceted, and coated with
SuperLuminova SLN C1
Hands: rhodium-plated, faceted, and coated with SuperLuminova SLN C1
Bracelet & Buckle: stainless steel bracelet. 2nd bracelet orange rubber with starry sky pattern.
Stainless steel folding clasp.

ILLUMINATING THE UNEXPLORED DEPTHS: ZENITH UNVEILS A NEW EDITION OF THE DEFY EXTREME DIVER

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After introducing its new line of diver’s watches earlier this year at Watches & Wonders as a contemporary continuation of the DEFY’s long history of rugged watches built to take on demanding and extreme conditions, ZENITH is unveiling the new edition of the DEFY Extreme Diver with a silvery-white dial.

Extreme in both form and function. The DEFY Extreme Diver is the latest in a long line of purpose-built DEFY watches, going as far back as 1969. As a collection designed to brave the elements andoffer exemplary robustness and ruggedness, a diver’s watch was always a natural extension ofZENITH’s most daring line. Maintaining the DEFY’s distinctive design with its signature angular case and faceted bezel, ZENITH incorporated all the necessary elements to create a diver’s watch, including a rotating bezel and bright colour accents for instant readability underwater and the most extreme conditions where visibility is limited. Inspired by both historical DEFY diver’s references as well as the modern incarnation of the DEFY line, notably the DEFY Extreme, the DEFY Extreme Diver is a feature-packed diver’s watch that is inherently a ZENITH DEFY, built to withstand the extreme conditions encountered in the harshest environments where ice, mist and deep dark waters call for enhanced performance and legibility.

With a singular yet familiar and modernistic silhouette, this DEFY Extreme Diver’s highly intricate case design serves to enhance its depth-defying performance. Measuring 42.5mm in diameter, the angular case is crafted in titanium, a metal that not only boasts a significant weight-to-strength ratio but is also highly resistant to corrosion from salty seawater. The case is equipped with a helium escape valve for saturation diving. Above the fixed dodecagonal bezel, the black ceramic unidirectional rotating bezel features grooved edges for a better grip when operating – even with gloves on. The bezel is engraved and filled with Super-LumiNova for effortless reading underwater where light is scarce.

Designed to be tightly secured in place but with enough grip to easily operate, the oversized screw- down crown is protected by titanium crown-guards on either side. Just like the historical DEFY A3648 from 1969, the DEFY Extreme Diver is rated to 600 metres (60 ATM) of water- resistance, which happens to be 1’969 feet – a symbolic number for the DEFY diver. It not only meets the ISO 6245 standards for diver watches, which includes ISO 764 for paramagnetism and ISO 1413 for shock-resistance, making it a comprehensive diver’s watch suited to the most demanding conditions.

Something of a signature in the contemporary DEFY line, the dial features a geometric pattern of engraved four-pointed stars, a symbol that first appeared on the DEFY models on the case back and crown in 1969. Specially for this new DEFY Extreme Diver, the dial is done in a silvery-white tone, with sunburst finish featuring rays emanating from the applied ZENITH star at 12 o’clock. The date at 3 o’clock is colour-matched to the dial.

Keeping readability in mind, the DEFY Extreme Diver’s dial is set with oversized hands and applied hour markers that feature three different pigments of “X1” grade Super-LumiNova, with light emissions in blue, green and yellow. This light display helps to instantly distinguish between the hours, minutes, and seconds. The bright orange accents are a nod to historical DEFY diver models, from a time when it was believed that bright orange was the most highly legible colour underwater.

The DEFY Extreme Diver is powered by the El Primero 3620-SC automatic high-frequency manufacture calibre with 60 hours power reserve, visible through a sapphire display back – an uncommon feature among diver’s watches. This version of El Primero features a paramagnetic escapement with key components in non-metallic silicon.

Completing the DEFY Extreme Diver is its titanium three-link bracelet as well as two supplied straps. The first additional strap is a black FKM rubber with a Cordura-effect texture that features vents on the side, allowing water to pass through. For more professional uses, the DEFY Extreme Diver also comes with an extra-long strap, made of recycled fishing nets, that’s meant to be worn over a wetsuit, with specific end-pieces to pass the single-piece strap through and under the case for a secure fit.

The new DEFY Extreme Diver is available exclusively from ZENITH’s physical, online boutiques and through authorized retailers worldwide.

DEFY EXTREME DIVER
Reference: 95.9600.3620/01.I300

Key points: El Primero 3-hand watch, stop-second mechanism, black ceramic unidirectional
rotating bezel filled with SuperLuminova, starry sky pattern on the dial, screwed-in
crown, helium valve, 600M Water resistance, full Interchangeable strap system.
Movement: El Primero 3620 SC
Frequency: 36’000 VpH – 5Hz
Power reserve: approx. 60 hours
Functions: hours and minutes in the center, central second hand, date at 3
o’clock
Finishes: new star-shaped oscillating weight with satined finishings
Price: 10’900 CHF / 11’800 EUR
Material: brushed titanium
Water resistance: 60 ATM
Case: 42.5mm
Thickness: 15.5 mm
Dial: silver-toned sunray-patterned
Hands: rhodium-plated, faceted and coated with SuperLuminova X1
Hour markers: rhodium-plated, faceted and coated with SuperLuminova X1
Crystal: flat sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment on both sides Case-back:
transparent sapphire crystal
Bracelet & Buckle: full interchangeable strap system. 3 straps included: 1 black rubber with
folding buckle, 1 white fabric strap with pin buckle & 1 metal bracelet with folding clasp