Unveiled at Watches And Wonders Geneva 2024, an addition to the futuristic Defy Skyline collection reinforces how Zenith is the "Master of Chronographs".
Just like the automatic model and its skeleton counterpart, the new Defy Skyline Chronograph offers the 1/10th of a second function that Zenith pioneered in the late 1960s.
Its exhibition caseback reveals the El Primero 3600 calibre and its open star-shaped oscillating weight. With a high-frequency rate of 5Hz (36,000 vibrations per hour), the automatic movement ensures precision as well as a power reserve of 60 hours.
The El Primero -- the world's first automatic high-frequency chronograph calibre -- as well as the Defy wristwatch were both born in 1969 at the Zenith manufacture in Le Locle, Switzerland.
Inspired by Defi pocket watches from 1902, the latter was nicknamed coffre-fort (French for vault or safe) because of its hardy construction.
The robust and durable DNA was combined with a more contemporary aesthetic for the Defy Skyline released in 2022.
Notably, the design of the case is a modern take on the original's octagonal body with a multisided bezel. On the Defy Skyline Chronograph, pushers follow the sharply drawn lines of the 42mm stainless steel case while a screw-down crown with the star emblem contributes to a water-resistance of 100m.
The geometrically-structured dial with a sunburst finish is embellished with a perfectly aligned pattern consisting of engraved four-pointed stars, which are in fact a modern reinterpretation of the brand's "double Z" logo of the 1960s.
The Defy Skyline Chronograph comes in three variations with the dial in metallic black, blue or silver featuring the starry sky pattern and a date window between 4 and 5 o'clock.
Echoing the dodecagonal bezel, the flange ring with 12 facets is marked by the 1/10th of a second scale for the central chronograph hand. Making one turn in 10 seconds, this hand with a star-shaped counterweight reminds us of the fleeting nature of time.
Three slightly oversized and overlapping counters show the constant running seconds as well as the elapsed seconds and minutes of the chronograph.
Zenith defines the Defy Skyline as an edgy all-occasion line. By simply pushing a button, the quick strap-change mechanism integrated directly into the case allows swapping the steel bracelet with the star-patterned rubber strap to change from an elegant to a sporty look.
El Primero 3600 movement.
Defy Skyline Chronographs.
