The DEFY Skyline constellation is finally complete. A natural continuation and expansion of ZENITH’s edgy, all-occasions line, the new DEFY Skyline Chronograph offers a new vessel for the Manufacture’s latest iteration of the El Primero automatic high-frequency chronograph calibre, endowed with a 1/10th of a second chronograph function.
Looking back at the legacy of the DEFY collection of wristwatches, there’s a long and enduring tradition of El Primero chronographs within the line from as far back as the early 1970s. A modernistic vessel for a groundbreaking calibre, the DEFY has always been perfectly suited for the El Primero automatic chronograph, whose high-frequency rate allows it to provide unwavering precision – even in highly animated and dynamic situations. With the same penchant for movement and performance in a wide range of settings, the new DEFY Skyline Chronograph is the culmination of over 50 years in elevating the chronograph to new heights.
In essence, it is the DEFY chronograph of the 21st century – and it shows.
Architectural, geometric and intricately faceted, the DEFY Skyline’s 42mm steel case is a modernized take on the earliest DEFY’s octagonal case with a multi-sided bezel. Retaining the same DNA of robustness and durability as its predecessors while bringing an edgier and more contemporary aesthetic and proportions. In the DEFY Skyline Chronograph, the pushers follow the sharply drawn lines of the case, while the screw-down crown emblazoned with the star emblem helps ensure a water-resistance of 100 metres (10ATM).
Available in metallic black, blue or silver, the DEFY Skyline Chronograph’s dial pairs the collection’s signature starry sky-patterned dial featuring engraved four-pointed stars with the traditional El Primero dial configuration. Three slightly oversized and overlapping counters show the elapsed seconds and minutes of the chronograph, as well as the constant running seconds. The date window – matching the colour of the dial – is positioned at 4:30, another El Primero signature. The flange ring with the 1/10th of a second scale has twelve facets, the form of the dodecagonal bezel and serving as extensions of the hour markers.
In an ever-faster moving world, every fraction of a second counts. Just like in the DEFY Skyline automatic model and its skeleton counterpart, ZENITH continues to offer the 1/10th of a second function found, now in the form of a 1/10th of a second chronograph in the DEFY Skyline Chronograph. This mechanical feat is the result of the El Primero 3600 calibre’s high-frequency rate of 5Hz (36’000 vibrations per hour), visible through the display back. Its open star-shaped oscillating weight with bidirectional winding efficiently provides a power reserve of 60 hours.
One of the highlights of the DEFY Skyline is its integrated quick strap-change mechanism integrated directly into the case, allowing for effortless versatility without requiring any tools. With the simple push of a button, the three-link steel bracelet can be swapped with the supplied star-patterned rubber strap with steel folding buckle.
The DEFY Skyline Chronograph is available from all ZENITH boutiques and authorized retailers.
DEFY SKYLINE CHRONOGRAPH
Reference: 03.9500.3600/51.I001
Key points: 1/10th of a second Chronograph movement. Silicon escape-wheel and lever.
Starry sky pattern on the dial. Screwed-in crown. Date indication at 4:30. Full Interchangeable strap system.
Movement: El Primero 3600 automatic
Frequency: 36’000 VpH – 5Hz
Power reserve: approx. 60 hours
Functions: Hours and minutes in the centre. 1/10th of a second Chronograph. Date indication at 4:30 o’clock. Stop-second mechanism.
Finishes: Special oscillating weight with satined finishings
Price: 12’900 CHF
Material: Stainless steel
Water resistance: 10 ATM
Case: 42mm
Dial: Blue-toned sunray-patterned
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 included: blue rubber with stainless steel folding clasp.
DEFY SKYLINE CHRONOGRAPH
Reference: 03.9500.3600/01.I001
Key points: 1/10th of a second Chronograph movement. Silicon escape-wheel and lever.
Starry sky pattern on the dial. Screwed-in crown. Date indication at 4:30. Full Interchangeable strap system.
Movement: El Primero 3600 automatic
Frequency: 36’000 VpH – 5Hz
Power reserve: approx. 60 hours
Functions: Hours and minutes in the centre. 1/10th of a second Chronograph.
Date indication at 4:30 o’clock. Stop-second mechanism.
Finishes: Special oscillating weight with satined finishings
Price: 12’900 CHF
Material: Stainless steel
Water resistance: 10 ATM
Case: 42mm
Dial: Silver-toned sunray-patterned
Hour markers: Ruthenium-plated, faceted and coated with SuperLuminova SLN C1
Hands: Ruthenium-plated, faceted and coated with SuperLuminova SLN C1
Bracelet & Buckle: Stainless steel bracelet. 2nd bracelet included: green rubber with stainless steel folding clasp.
DEFY SKYLINE CHRONOGRAPH
Reference: 03.9500.3600/21.I001
Key points: 1/10th of a second Chronograph movement. Silicon escape-wheel and lever.
Starry sky pattern on the dial. Screwed-in crown. Date indication at 4:30.
Full Interchangeable strap system.
Movement: El Primero 3600 automatic
Frequency: 36’000 VpH – 5Hz
Power reserve: approx. 60 hours
Functions: Hours and minutes in the centre. 1/10th of a second Chronograph.
Date indication at 4:30 o’clock. Stop-second mechanism.
Finishes: Special oscillating weight with satined finishings
Price: 12’900 CHF
Material: Stainless steel
Water resistance: 10 ATM
Case: 42mm
Dial: Black-toned sunray-patterned
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 included: black rubber with stainless steel folding clasp
ZENITH: TIME TO REACH YOUR STAR.
ZENITH exists to inspire individuals to pursue their dreams and make them come true – against all odds. Since its establishment in 1865, ZENITH became the first vertically integrated Swiss watch manufacture, and its watches have accompanied extraordinary figures that dreamt big and strived to achieve the impossible – from Louis Blériot’s history-making flight across the English Channel to Felix Baumgartner’s record-setting stratospheric free-fall jump. Zenith is also highlighting visionary and trailblazing women by celebrating their accomplishments and creating the DREAMHERS platform where women share their experiences and inspire others to fulfil their dreams.
With innovation as its guiding star, ZENITH exclusively features in-house developed and manufactured movements in all its watches. Since the creation of the El Primero in 1969, the world’s first automatic chronograph calibre, ZENITH has gone on to master high-frequency precision and offers time measurements in fractions of a second, including 1/10th of a second in the Chronomaster collection and 1/100th of a second in the DEFY collection. Because innovation is synonymous with responsibility, the ZENITH HORIZ-ON initiative affirms the brand’s commitments to inclusion & diversity, sustainability and employee wellbeing. ZENITH has been shaping the future of Swiss watchmaking since 1865, accompanying those who dare to challenge themselves and reach new heights. The time to reach your star is now.
