Manufacture Zenith = El Primero = Hi-Beat Chronograph. Right? Well, yes, but not necessarily always. “Say…what?” Ok, bear with me here. On the one hand, Zenith is rightly celebrated for being an innovative chronograph manufacture, with one of the most historically significant high frequency chrono caliber families to date, and one which provided a base for Rolex’s selfwinding Daytona Cosmograph before Big Green brought out their mighty manufacture 4130. It’s what Zenith is known for to watch aficionados, and rightly so. At the same time, Zenith does, and historically speaking long did, make simpler watches. As of this year, examples of those non-chronograph watches now bring to bear the same rapidly pulsating mechanical wizardry of their more complex brethren, which brings us to the new Defy Skyline here. Sure to raise eyebrows and provoke discussion, Zenith has seen fit to introduce styling and finishes that will provide possibly tempting–and importantly, actually obtainable–alternatives to 1970s legends like the impossible to get Patek Philippe Nautilus, the nearly-impossible to get Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, and the getting-close-to-impossible Vacheron Constantin Overseas. What’s more, the dials in these Zenith watches have a visceral mechanical life that the more expensive competition can’t quite match for drama, thanks to….yes, a rapidly thundering 1/10th second subsidiary second display!
Comparisons between those aforementioned Big Boys are inevitable, but is that really such a bad thing? Gerald Genta certainly created designs of gargantuan lasting power in the 1970s, and after outgrowing a very short period of acceptance, the iconic “portholes with integrated bracelets” he wrought for the Holy Trinity of Watchmaking have gone on to become not just the pinnacle of 1970s luxury sports watch design, but the very archetype for luxury…period. While not a Genta design, the well known (and now quite collectible) Rolex Oysterquartz family borrowed heavily from the same design language, and few criticized Rolex for flattering Genta with such sincere imitation. Besides, Zenith’s original Defy models, first seen on the market in the late 1960s–and offered again as a tribute model of its own–indeed preceded the Royal Oak and Nautilus to market, their angular bezels perhaps even inspiring Genta in some way to create his famous designs in the short years to come. As the pictures show, the Defy Skyline has that familiar 70s magic, from the angular bezel, the complex yet sturdy bracelet with alluring facets and sumptuous brushing, and dials that captivate as much with rich texture as vibrant and bold color. It’s a winning formula, and Zenith has reached into their storied past with respect, yet modernized their original Defy concept for contemporary expectations of luxurious appointment.
The stainless steel case is 41mm across, a span well in keeping with modern tastes, yet it deftly avoids the excess measurements that might doom it to the fate of becoming an eventual garish fashion statement. A reasonable twelve millimeters tall from sapphire back to sapphire crystal, this is also a watch that will fulfill a wide spectrum of sartorial demands, while being a stylish player with any of them. The contrasting brushed and polished finishes are absolutely eye-catching, as are the distinctive dials complete with a subtle yet alluring star-patterning which echoes the famous Zenith brand symbol gleaming below the baton twelve o’clock hour marker. That index, like its companions around the dial edge, is finely polished and strikes a pleasing dialogue with the faceted baton hands, all showing plenty of Superluminova for a satisfying glow when light gets scarce. An absolutely fantastic user capability of the Zenith Defy is a quick-change strap system at the lugs that allows nearly effortless swaps between the tapered integral bracelet with a butterfly-type deployant clasp, and alternative straps. Let it be said that you don’t need to order extras either, unless you wish to: Zenith supplies an attractively matched rubber strap with each Defy timepiece, blue for the blue dial, black for the black version, and a nice khaki toned one for the dressiest silver variant. This is definitely going to be an instance of some watch-buying indecision, as each of the dials have plenty of charm and panache. I’m personally torn between the blue and black for this multi-faceted Defy timepiece, but I certainly wouldn’t kick the silver out of bed. Between the bracelet and straps, any of the Defy Skyline models are supremely versatile companions, and with a healthy 100m water resistance rating, they can accompany you pretty much anywhere, no matter the season.
Aesthetics aside, the Defy Skyline has quite the eyebrow-raising automatic movement, especially for a simple three handed watch with date. Naturally manufactured by Zenith (as if there were any other way!), the caliber 3620 serves up a robust 60 hours of power reserve, an impressive feat considering the energy hunger that surely drives the rapidly pulsing balance wheel rocking two and fro 36,000 times each hour. Strange to see this oscillator outside of a chronograph application, it directly powers the small but mighty subsidiary seconds hand that moves in ten blistering steps on the dial each second, and gives a uniquely animated feel to what otherwise would be a fairly sedate, no-fuss sports watch. Decorative nuances are fairly spare–this is a high quality but industrially finished caliber–but it makes a pleasant impression, and if you like star themes (the rotor is a big one, to cue the brand’s marquee) and some heat-treated blue screws, you’ll enjoy what you see through the exhibition back. But ultimately, the main thing is Zenith’s unwavering commitment to a high performance fast beat movement, and the materials and lubricants needed to support the reliable operation of it for years to come. Even better, you get to see the fruits of that high frequency innovation every day as you look at the time, somehow calm and subtly frenetic all at the same time. The fact that said 1/10th second bravura comes without a chronograph complication makes it an enticingly odd standout amongst its peers, and the WIS in me rejoices at that. At $8,400, the Zenith Defy Skyline is not exactly cheap, but with heritage, striking finishing, and a movement that offers something fresh, this series is worth a serious look for a daily wear with flair for the exotic–as well as ties to a brand with deep history in the annals of Swiss mechanical watchmaking.
