Zenith Defy Skyline Chronographe Skeleton automatic blue dial steel bracelet 41 mm

DEFY: The luxury sports watch from ZENITH

Designed for a world in perpetual motion, where every fraction of a second counts, the DEFY Skyline is a luxury sports watch with an integrated strap, combining elegance and exceptional technical performance. With its dynamic geometric design, inspired by the avant-garde codes of the DEFY models of the 1960s, it perpetuates its heritage while bringing a strong modernity to it. In this new version, even more daring and architectural, the DEFY Skyline chronograph transcends convention with a skeletonized dial, offering a resolutely contemporary vision of the legendary El Primero movement.

The art of skeletonization

Skeletonization is an art that consists of opening up the baseplate, the bridges and various components of the movement to reveal the internal mechanisms. This technique makes it possible to observe the caliber of the DEFY Skyline Chronograph through a sapphire crystal, on both the front and back of the case. As an integrated Manufacture, ZENITH enjoys total creative freedom, supported by close collaboration between its design, engineering and watchmaking teams. This skeletonization work, both technical and artistic, enhances the assertive character of the model while maintaining its functionality and optimal readability. Like the three-hand version of the DEFY Skyline Skeleton, the openwork dial features geometric patterns inspired by the ZENITH “double Z” logo from the 1960s. The three contrasting gray subdials are also hollowed, while the faceted indexes and hands, coated with Super-LumiNova, guarantee perfect readability in all circumstances.

Architectural, geometric and expertly faceted, the 42 mm steel case of the DEFY Skyline is a modern interpretation of the octagonal case with a multi-sided bezel of the first DEFY. It retains the DNA of robustness and durability of its predecessors, while adopting a bolder and more contemporary aesthetic and proportions. On the DEFY Skyline Chronograph, the pushers follow the clearly defined lines of the case, while the screw-down crown, adorned with the iconic star, is water-resistant to 100 meters (10 ATM).

The new version of the DEFY Skyline incorporates a skeletonized version of the El Primero 3600 caliber, an iconic ZENITH movement since its launch in 2019 to mark the 50th anniversary of the famous chronograph. Renowned for its unique ability to display 1/10ᵉ of a second, this movement exploits its frequency of 5 Hz (10 vibrations per second) to offer exceptional precision. To ensure optimal readability, the central seconds hand makes a full turn in 10 seconds, marking each 1/10ᵉ of a second on the inner bezel ring. This skeletonized movement is also equipped with a bidirectional automatic winding mechanism, providing a power reserve of approximately 60 hours, thus ensuring optimal performance on a daily basis.

Models

Combining performance and aesthetics, the DEFY Skyline Chronograph Skeleton is available in two versions, black or blue, with an openwork dial, a main plate, bridges and a star-shaped oscillating weight matching the chosen color. This masterpiece of watchmaking architecture is enhanced by alternating finishes that highlight every detail. True to the spirit of versatility of the DEFY Skyline collection, this model is equipped with an interchangeable strap system. With a simple push of a button on the back of the case, the integrated three-link steel bracelet can be replaced with a rubber strap with a star pattern matching the color of the movement.