Out with the old, time for the new at Zenith
Fresh from LVMH Watch Week, the new DEFY Skyline Skeleton makes a strong impression
CHINESE NEW YEAR IS ALL about making a fresh start and if you’re in the market for something new, Zenith steps up with the freshly-minted DEFY Skyline Skeleton.
The open-worked high-frequency chronograph comes straight from the LVMH Watch Week, which took place in Singapore for the very first time. The annual event, which wrapped up on Jan 12, is always a foretaste of the watches to come by LVMH-owned brands Zenith, TAG Heuer, Hublot and Bulgari.
The DEFY Skyline Skeleton is the latest in Zenith’s DEFY Skyline collection, which was rolled out last year. The new model has all the hallmarks of the collection – sturdy and futuristic with hints of “modern cityscapes where structures and light are bound in constantly moving interplay” – and more.
Identified by the DEFY Skyline’s faceted case with a 12-sided bezel, the new 1/10th of a second chronograph can measure and display tenths of a second – thanks to the El Primero 3600, an updated version of Zenith’s famed automatic high-frequency movement.
In the DEFY Skyline Skeleton, the movement is pared down to its skeletal form and integrated with the dial. The symmetrical dial comes in black or blue and is shaped like a four-pointed star, a nod to the Zenith ‘double Z’ logo of the 1960s. Its hands are coated with Super-LimiNova for easy legibility, rare for skeleton timepieces.
All these are housed in a new and more angular 41mm stainless steel case, paired with a steel bracelet that can be easily swapped with a supplied rubber strap. Price: CHF10,900 (S$15,914).
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The DEFY Skyline launched last year was a masculine sized 41mm model, clearly meant for the men.
For the ladies, there’s now the new mid-size DEFY Skyline. Still recognisable by the angular case, this comes in a smaller size of 36mm. The stainless steel watch can be paired with a steel bracelet or a rubber strap.
Apart from the same deep blue of the original DEFY Skyline, the mid-size version also comes in a green or pink dial – pink being an ideal shade for Chinese New Year. Powered by Zenith’s Elite 670 automatic movement, the watch is also available with brilliant-cut diamonds on the bezel. Price: CHF8,400 (S$12,264), CHF11,900 (S$17,374) (with diamonds).
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Another new Zenith watch unveiled at LVMH Watch Week was the DEFY Extreme Glacier. Tough and rugged, DEFY Extreme timepieces are made for harsh and extreme environments.
The DEFY Extreme Desert, launched in 2021, was created for a very hot and arid landscape. This year’s DEFY Extreme Glacier is for an extremely cold and barren environment. Which perhaps explains the 45mm case in titanium, a material that’s both very light and strong.
Evoking frozen glaciers, the protector for the watch’s pushers and the bezel is crafted from chalcedony – a crystalline semi-translucent stone in a pale blue hue. Every stone is different, making each of the 50 watches in the limited edition essentially a unique piece.
The DEFY Extreme Glacier has an open dial which reveals an El Primero 1/100th of a second automatic high-frequency movement – more advanced than the one powering the DEFY Skyline Skeleton. The chronograph counters are made in transparent sapphire crystals given a frosted finish, recalling a layer of ice that allows light to pass.
The watch is fitted with a full interchangeable strap system and may be paired with a black velcro or white rubber strap, or a titanium bracelet. Price: CHF25,900 (S$37,814).
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