Zenith’s motto for 2024? A commitment to diving deeper – and the Maison’s newest novelties certainly go beyond the surface level. The star of the show this year was the watchmaker’s long-standing collection, the Zenith DEFY, which received three, completely new additions to the line. Original launched in 1969, the sports-focused collection has taken on many iterations, continuing to prioritise cutting-edge manufacture movements with futuristic forms and materials. At Watches & Wonders, the Maison welcomed the DEFY Skyline Chronograph, DEFY Extreme Diver and DEFY Revival A3648 to its ranks, and true to the watchmaker’s form, the devil is in the details.
A deeply considered launch, the three new models give us plenty to talk about and, as a surprise to absolutely no one, my heart and eyes instantly gravitated towards to archival charisma of the DEFY Revival A3648. With almost 160 years of watchmaking under its belt, there’s no shortage of fascinating creations waiting to be reimagined – but the choice to resurrect this 1969 model felt just right. The piece was Zenith’s first DEFY dive watch, and the new iteration feels incredibly similar in both spirit and aesthetic to the original. There’s the octagonal steel case and 14-sided bezel that characterises the collection, but the most interesting detail by far is the unconventional placement of the screw-down crown at 4 o’clock, which allows the new iteration to achieve the same water resistance as its ancestor: a full 600 meters.
The piece oozes a level of underwater robustness paired with the vibrancy of the bright orange bezel and dial against the black face – a perfect homage for those with classic taste and modern sensibilities.
Editor's notes:
We’ve seen the DEFY Skyline before, but this new piece has upgraded from time-only to a new chronograph version. I fell in love with the constellation-patterned dial that features engraved four-pointed stars with the traditional El Primero dial configuration.
More than just ‘any other dive watch’, the DEFY Extreme Diver is best viewed from the side. This is where you’ll find the rotating ceramic ring nestled between the bezel and case, alongside the prominent crown guards.
