Founded in 1865 by Georges Favre-Jacot, Zenith has long held its own unique place in the world of Swiss watchmaking. Increasingly favoured by collectors and regarded as a brand that has long blended innovation with technical skill, it is above all rooted in the legacy of the iconic El Primero movement and the brand-defining watches that followed. The Defy Skyline collection’s chronograph models are the latest in Zenith’s extensive portfolio to utilise the celebrated movement, simultaneously bringing a blend of cutting-edge mechanics and urban design to the brand’s portfolio. Time to take a closer look at the long-awaited Defy Skyline Chronograph models, exploring what sets them apart as well as how they might well shape the future of this popular sports watch function.
A Legacy of Precision: From El Primero to Defy
The introduction of the El Primero in 1969 was a watershed moment in the world of horology. As the world’s first integrated automatic chronograph capable of measuring time to 1/10th of a second, the El Primero set a new benchmark for precision. Operating at 36,000 vibrations per hour (vph), it established a legacy that continues to inform Zenith’s offerings today. To understand just how vital a role this movement has played in the brand’s history, read our in-depth article on it here.
During the quartz crisis of the 1970s, while many brands shifted to battery-operated watches, Zenith preserved the El Primero by placing its blueprints in storage, ensuring its survival and revival when mechanical watches regained popularity in the 1980s. As the story goes, workshop manager Charles Vermot played a pivotal role in its survival – having recognised the movement’s potential and importance, he secretly preserved the original prototypes and production tools in the attic of the manufacture. His foresight ensured that when demand for mechanical watches resurged in the 1980s, Zenith could revive the El Primero, solidifying its place in horological history.
Vermot’s dedication not only safeguarded a significant part of watchmaking heritage but also allowed Zenith to reclaim its legacy as a leader in automatic chronographs. This commitment to innovation has shaped the brand’s ethos, resulting in a collection that honors tradition while embracing the future.
The Defy Line: Innovation Meets Modern Design
This brings us to the next piece in the puzzle. In 1969, Zenith introduced the Defy series as its response to the rising demand for avant-garde timepieces, showcasing bold designs and innovative materials that served as a canvas for creative and technical experimentation. The Defy Skyline collection can be seen as the latest evolution, merging high-frequency El Primero movements with contemporary urban aesthetics. In other words, these are watches that work just as well at the office as a weekend at a car show, but we’ll look closer at the aesthetics later.
Ready for action
In 1902, Zenith’s first use of the word ‘Defy’ surfaced upon occasion of the launch of the ‘Defi’ pocket watches, known even back then for their resilience and precision. This adventurous spirit was revived in 1969 with the Defy reference A3642, famously nicknamed coffre-fort (or ‘bank vault’), which commanded respect with its bold 37 mm octagonal steel case and striking fourteen-sided bezel.
Into the 21st century
Following surging interest in vintage Defy models, Zenith was prompted to introduce a limited reissue of 250 pieces in 2022, which quickly garnered attention and sold out almost immediately.
Accordingly, Zenith promptly reintroduced the watch world to the markedly more contemporary Skyline collection, citing ‘the night sky atop a bustling cityscape’ for its inspiration. The elegantly engraved star motif on the sunburst dials alongside the angular, meticulously finished cases reflects this theme. Both the aesthetics and architecture are something well worth taking a closer look at.
The Zenith Defy Skyline Collection
Today’s Defy Skyline collection showcases a real range of models, including time-and-date watches, skeletonised variants and chronographs – our focal point –, as well as tourbillon models, collaborative pieces such as the Felipe Pantone edition, and even a white ceramic model.
Excluding the 36 mm editions which use an Elite movement, the Defy Skyline timepieces all share one important thing in common: each is powered by Zenith’s legendary movements. The three-hand editions use Zenith’s in-house El Primero 3620 automatic movement, aka the workhorse calibre capable of measuring time to 1/10th of a second. It runs at 36,000 vph and provides a robust 60-hour power reserve, transforming timekeeping into an interactive experience.
Defy Skyline Chronograph: The El Primero 3600
Things inevitably get more interesting when we look towards the chronograph variants in the Defy Skyline Collection, powered by the El Primero 3600. The calibre, which uses the El Primero 400 as its base, operates at an impressive 36,000 vph and can measure time to 1/10th of a second. More specifically, the chronograph uses a revised horizontal clutch for power transmission. According to Zenith, each individual wheel has a tooth profile perfectly matched to its function. The energy for the central chronograph hand no longer comes from the seconds wheel, but from the escapement itself. This allows for an entire rotation of the central hand in 10 seconds. This technical achievement not only highlights Zenith’s mastery of high-frequency chronograph technology but also positions the Defy Skyline as more than a serious contender in the luxury chronograph arena.
On that note – aficianados may recognise the calibre from Zenith’s lauded Chronomaster Sport, which broke ground in recent years as a viable alternative to Rolex’s Daytona. The movement features a central chronograph hand that makes one turn per ten seconds, while also offering a stop second mechanism and strong 60-hour power reserve.
On each of the Zenith Defy Skyline chronograph models, all of which feature an open caseback, the movement’s finishing is both modern and dynamic, featuring a blend of arabesque brushing, matte blasting, and striking blued accents on screws and the column wheel. The open-worked design creates a visually arresting display, but it’s the star-shaped rotor that really steals the show. Adorned with deep radial brushing and recessed matte surfaces, this intricately skeletonised element dominates the fast-moving El Primero 3600.
Stellar Chronograph Models in the Defy Skyline Collection
The Boutique Edition
Thus far, there are only four chronograph models in the Defy Skyline collection, including one boutique edition, all of which are housed in 42 mm stainless steel cases with water-resistance to 10 ATM.
Let’s start with the latter (Ref. 03.9500.3600/02.I001). This model picks up on the aesthetics of the first Defy Skyline Boutique Edition introduced back in 2023, which featured hours, minutes, and a tenth of a second subdial counter at 9 o’clock. This latest iteration maintains the grey dial with rose gold accents evoking Zenith’s five-point star, but is more pragmatic thanks to its chronograph function (calibre 3600).
The rose-gold accents do an excellent job at lightening the overall look of the sunburst-patterned dial, which plays beautifully in the light. While these angular models are all first and foremost suited to men, this light colour palette perhaps makes the boutique edition the most viable option for female wrists, too.
The Power of Blue
It’s the eternally popular combination: steel sports watch, blue dial. This Zenith Defy Skyline (Ref. 03.9500.3600/51.I001) features a rich blue dial that allows the shape of the octagonal case with a faceted bezel to shine through. This suave combination remains subtle with the use of white luminescent on the faceted applied hour markers and hands (present on all the models) and glows green at night, ensure legibility in all conditions.
Notably, the chronograph functions are left untreated aside from red accents on the hands, thus keeping the dial as clean as possible while centring the sports function around daily use. Continuing on the theme of daily use: each chronograph edition also features a date window between 4 and 5 o’clock. To avoid the dial becoming too busy in combination with the chronograph subdial counters, Zenith colour the date windows to match the dial colour.
The Zenith Defy chronograph watches are equipped with an interchangable strap system, which works at the simple push of a button on either side of the case’s geometric lugs. This allows the wearer to opt for either a sporty rubber strap, which is perhaps the more comfortable option, or an integrated steel bracelet. In the case of this blue edition, the watch is accompanied by a patterned blue rubber strap, making the watch more of a conspicuous piece.
However, it is the bracelet that really makes the watch. With its distinctive H-link design, the mix of brushed and polished surfaces creates a dynamic play of light, adding depth to its robust yet refined aesthetic. The slight taper enhances both the visual appeal and comfort, making the bracelet feel substantial without being cumbersome. The bracelet also complements the watch’s sharp, architectural lines, creating a fusion of sportiness and sophistication.
Bold in Black
The penultimate piece in this quartet of chronograph models is the Zenith Defy Skyline (03.9500.3600/21.I001), which offers up a sleek black dial and steel case. Arguably the most overtly masculine in the lineup, the Zenith Defy Skyline’s black and steel colour scheme is also a study in contrast.
The deep black dial, with its matching overlapping subdial counters, evoking the classic A386 El Primero, is the most effective edition when it comes to pulling the Defy Skyline chronograph model’s angular architecture into focus, underlining the interplay between the highly finished steel case with its sloping faceted pushers. The pushers not only look good, but also ensure the best wearability on the wrist. The timepiece comes with an integrated steel bracelet as well as patterned black rubber strap.
Silver Statement
Last but by no means least, the Ref. 03.9500.3600/01.I001 features a silver-toned dial. As is the case with all the models, the chrono’s subdial counters support the high-frequency movement with their display of running seconds, chronograph seconds, and chronograph minutes – all calibrated to a scale of 60.
It’s well worth also stopping to take a look at the minute scale on these models, with its dodecagonal outer chapter ring echoing the shape of the bezel. Interestingly, the scale with its 10-second scale nods to the design of the so-called ‘Cover Girl’ El Primero A3818 from 1971, one of the most sought-after El Primero chronographs and thus a collector favourite.
With the combination of the steel bracelet, this is really the most lowkey of the four editions – yet the additional green rubber strap transforms this piece into the most visually arresting, and underlines once and for all why this watch model, with its universally appealing design and transformative interchangeable strap function, is the perfect daily rocker.
A Collection for the Technically Inclined
When all is said and done, what ultimately sets the Defy Skyline collection apart is its mastery of high-frequency chronograph technology. Both the El Primero 3620 and El Primero 3600 calibres offer remarkable accuracy, operating at 36,000 vibrations per hour. This high-frequency design allows the watches to measure time with exceptional precision, making the collection not just a selection of visually appealing watches, but rather timpieces that play host to an engineering marvel. Whether in their 1/10th or 1/100th-second iterations, El Primero movements remain amongst the best chronograph calibres available today.
Whether enticing new followers with its innovative technology, striking urban design, or the movement’s rich history, the Zenith Defy Skyline chronographs are a testament to a brand that continues to push the boundaries of what is possible in modern horology.
