At the LVMH Watch Week 2022, the renowned luxury group showcased its watchmaking Maisons; Zenith, Hublot, Bulgari, Hublot and TAG Heuer. Ong Chin Huat looks at the latest offerings from Zenith in this feature, including the incredibly innovative Defy Extreme Carbon.
Starting the new year with a bang, Zenith debuted its latest creations at LVMH Digital Watch Week 2022 by focussing on its innovative Defy collection. Building on its heritage of strength and achievement, the Defy Skyline is set to become Zenith’s principle model.
Zenith CEO Julien Tornare said, “After a lot of time spent perfecting the design, proportions and precision, my team and I are extremely proud of the way the DEFY Skyline turned out. It’s the purest expression of the modernistic DEFY line that stands out without ever feeling out of place and really solidifies the DEFY’s position at the forefront of the future of watchmaking.”
Defy Skyline
Fast and precise, Zenith’s Defy Skyline leads the way with its inspirational design and efficient functionality. Drawing elements of the early octagonal geometric patterns of the earlier models, Defy exhibits the DNA of its predecessors yet infuses modernity into the current model.
With a balanced symmetry and a star-studded dial, the sunburst finish with an engraved four-pointed star; beneath the surface, the El Primero 3620 calibre delivers exceptional performance, beating at 5Hz (36,000 VpH). It is endowed with a stop-second mechanism for precise time-setting, giving this incredible timepiece a power reserve of approximately 40 hours.
Also included is a steel bracelet with polished edges and a colour-coordinated rubber strap with a starry sky pattern to match the dial.
Defy Revival A3642
With only 250 limited edition pieces available worldwide, this novelty from Zenith is a homage to the classic El Primero models from the 1960s and 1970s. This new reboot incorporates all the details and design elements from the previous model, including the octagonal case paired with a 14-sided bezel, the warm grey dial with a gradient effect, and the square hour markers featuring horizontal grooves.
With the sword-shaped hands filed with SuperLumi Nova and the paddle-shaped second’s hand featuring prominently like the original, the only visible difference between the latest rendition and the OG are the sapphire crystal, display case back and luminescent pigments. On the inside, the new Revival A3642 features a sapphire display back showing the automatic Elite 670 manufacture movement operating at a frequency of 4 Hz (28,800 VpH) and delivering a power reserve of 50hours when fully wound.
Defy Extreme Carbon
Featuring the world’s fastest and most precise automatic chronograph movement, the Defy Extreme Carbon is the epitome of Zenith’s enduring spirit of innovation and forward-thinking ethos. Able to withstand the elements, this new model was created for rugged conditions and was first introduced in 2021 as a bold addition to Zenith’s 1/100th of a second automatic high-frequency chronograph to date.
Proving its prowess during the Extreme E championships, this year’s iteration showcases a sporty carbon fibre execution which is inspired by Extreme E, the first off-road electric rally racing championship of which Zenith is the Official Timekeeper and Founding Partner.
With racy colours on the outside, the Extreme Carbon has a 1/100th of a second chronograph scale in yellow markers while two escapements beating at 5 Hz (36,000 VpH) for the timekeeping part and 50Hz (360,000 VpH) for the chronograph.
Defy 21 Chroma
With a matte-finished ceramic case and a rainbow spread across the open dial, the red hour marker at 12 o’clock shifts through the various hues of the rainbow – from orange, yellow, green, blue, violet and pink in a clockwise fashion. Carefully applied colours on the markers extend out of the dial into the crown’s rubber grip ring as the rubber strap’s stitching.
Beneath the dial, the decorated movements are equally impressive, with each bridge finished in a different metallic colour following the gradient of the dial’s markers.
Seen through the dial and the sapphire case back, the singular El Primero 21 automatic high-frequency 1/10th of a second chronograph can be admired as it features two independent regulating organs and gear trains for the timekeeping and chronograph functions. These operate at frequencies of 5Hz (36,000 VpH) and 50 Hz (360,000 VpH), respectively.
Limited to only 200 pieces worldwide, the Defy 21 Chroma is the perfect embodiment of Zenith’s mastery of high-frequency automatic 1/100th of a second chronograph while adding an unprecedented and playfully vibrant palette of colours to charm any watch aficionado.
For further information on the novelties by Zenith, please visit www.zenith-watches.com.
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