Zenith Defy Skyline brings a bold, angular appeal to a new generation of watch fans
Watches also have a much colder complication that you don’t always see.
Welcome to Dialed In, Esquires’ weekly column that contains events about your watch and the most important news from the world of watches since March 2020. This week marks the official start of the new year of watchmaking at Geneva Watch Week at LVMH. It’s happening online, which means we can instantly bring you news that started a few hours ago, from some of the most famous Swiss brands in the luxury group.
While the Defy Zenith family has produced several exciting experimental – and expensive – watches over the past two years, including the Double Tourbillon, whose transparent case is made entirely of sapphire crystal, the brand also intends to make it noticeably angular. Aesthetic is available at more affordable prices and in simpler forms. Defy Skyline, officially released this morning in Geneva, is a battered but luxurious everyday beater. Once modern and timeless, it acquires the good looks of the rough Defy line, which was first launched in 1969.
For avid vintage fans, a replica of the original – Defy Revival A3642 – was launched last week in a limited edition of 250 pieces. He has a sports style of the late 60’s. It comes in its original size of 37 mm and takes over almost all design instructions from Defy’s original factory drawings from 1969 to the dirty gray transition dial and the original multi-sided octagonal steel housing with a 14-sided fixed edge. The new Skyline is an enlarged modern upgrade (to 41 mm) that removes most of the original atmosphere and has three metal dials in black, blue and silver and a simplified case shape with a 12-sided edge. The dials are engraved with a pattern of four pointed stars as an echo of an old star that adorned the solid back of the case. The new version has a sapphire crystal case on the back to show movement.
Final Verdict
But the most memorable thing on the Defy Skyline, if you can get close, is the second counter at 9pm. In fact, it is not the second counter. Powered by the El Primero 3620 – an adaptation of the 3600 motion used by the super-technical Zenith Chronomaster – the hand counts to tens of seconds, which means it can make a complete revolution in just 10 seconds instead of the usual 60 Despite the power, automatic operation has an impressive 60-hour power reserve. This is a feature that should be playable in this app, instead of using it – you can waste shocking minutes just by looking at a small sub-dial or showing it to others – but it’s designed for serious functionality for more of them. A cousin founded on purpose, Chronomaster.
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Zenith Defy Skyline brings
