Zenith Defy Skyline Chronographe El-Primero 160th Anniversary Blue Ceramic automatic blue dial steel bracelet 41 mm

An exceptional anniversary edition

The DEFY Skyline collection is enriched with a spectacular creation to mark the 160th anniversary of the Zenith Manufacture. Produced in a limited edition of just 160 pieces, this DEFY Skyline Chronograph in blue ceramic pushes audacity and precision to their peak. It houses the El Primero 3600 high-frequency automatic chronograph caliber, capable of displaying 1/10th of a second with unparalleled clarity, in a futuristic interpretation of the original DEFY.

Since the 1970s, the DEFY collection has been inseparable from El Primero movements. This new anniversary model continues this tradition while propelling it into a resolutely contemporary dimension. The all-blue ceramic, angular design and celestial signature of the dial make it a watch that is at once technical, exclusive and spectacular — the DEFY chronograph of the 21st century, in its most accomplished version.

The model

Architectural, geometric and expertly faceted, the DEFY Skyline's 42 mm blue ceramic case is a modern interpretation of the octagonal case with a multi-sided bezel of the first DEFY. It retains the robust and durable DNA of its predecessors, while adopting a bolder and more contemporary aesthetic and proportions. On the DEFY Skyline Chronograph, the push buttons 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).

Available in metallic blue, the dial of the DEFY Skyline Chronograph combines the collection's signature starry sky pattern, composed of engraved four-pointed stars, with the traditional El Primero configuration. Three slightly oversized counters overlap to display the elapsed chronograph seconds and minutes, as well as the small seconds. Another El Primero signature, the date window – with a disc matching the color of the dial – is positioned at 4:30. The inner bezel ring with 1/10th of a second scale has twelve facets, like the twelve-sided bezel, and complements the hour circle.

Technical view

In an ever faster-paced world, every fraction of a second counts. Like in the automatic DEFY Skyline and its skeletonized version, ZENITH offers tenth of a second display: in the DEFY Skyline Chronograph, it is done via a chronograph hand. This mechanical feat is down to the high-frequency El Primero 3600 caliber, beating at 5 Hz (36,000 vibrations per hour), visible through the case back. The bidirectionally winding oscillating weight is decorated specifically for the 160th anniversary of the Manufacture and effectively provides 60 hours of power reserve.

One of the highlights of the DEFY Skyline is the quick-change strap mechanism integrated into the case, which allows for easy replacement without the use of any tools.

At the touch of a button, the three-link ceramic bracelet can be replaced with the second one provided, a blue rubber model with a star pattern and a folding clasp.