Watches And Wonders 2024: Zenith Defy Skyline Gets A Much-Awaited Pairing Of El Primero Chronograph

Zenith’s Defy Skyline line-up introduced in 2021 resides as a dialed-down sub-collection of the Defy series. Since its inception, the line-up has been on a path of perpetual expansion with new complications, materials and colors introduced in subsequent iterations. Until now, the Defy Skyline series has had an inclusion of references ranging from tourbillons and skeletonised models to simple date and time iterations. What has been missing is the most natural pairing for a thoroughbred sports timepiece - yes, you guessed it right: a chronograph. At Watches and Wonders 2024, Zenith marks a natural continuation and much-awaited evolution of the Defy Skyline series with introduction of the El-Primero equipped Defy Skyline Chronograph.

An Awaited and Urging Progression of the Zenith Defy Skyline

The 2024 Watches and Wonders novelty, Zenith’s Defy Skyline Chronograph marries the brand’s two signature strengths - the automatic high-frequency chronograph and an integrated sports case design. The Defy Skyline has been an ideal habitat for housing an El Primero automatic chronograph and now the high-frequency 1/10th of a second chronograph function of the legendary caliber elevates the collection to new heights of technical prowess. The novelty is realized in a trio of timepieces bearing a 42mm steel case and available in metallic black, blue or silver dial colors.

A Robust and Durable Steel Case

The intricately dodecagonal faceted and sharp-edged case aesthetic is Defy Skyline’s aesthetic hallmark. Its highly geometric construction endowed with an amalgam of high-polish and satin brush finishing hauls up its sportier essence. The case with its screw-down crown offers 100 meters of water resistance. Its quick-change feature for the straps allows for an easy swap between the three-link steel bracelet or the alternate choice of a star-pattern embossed rubber strap.
The Zenith Defy Skyline Chronograph dial follows the traditional El Primero architecture with a trio of oversized and overlapping totalizers measuring the elapsed seconds and minutes of the chrono operation as well as the constant running petite seconds display. The dial occurring in a trio of hues features the collection’s signature starry sky-patterned engravings. The date window at 4:30 showcases the dial color matching date disc for maintaining aesthetic continuity.

A Highly Revered Propellor of Superlative Caliber

Zenith’s El Primero caliber is no ordinary movement. It is a remarkable exercise in movement development and a proud victor in the race to the world’s first automatic chronograph movement. Its 1/10th of a second function is a result of the caliber 3600’s high-frequency rate of 5Hz or 36,000 vibrations per hour. The automatic caliber derives self-winding competence from its star-shaped oscillating weight coupled with a bi-directional winding capacity.

The Zenith Defy Skyline Becomes a Do-It-All Series

The Watches and Wonders 2024 introduced chronograph-equipped iteration of the Zenith Defy Skyline offers sportier complexity and a long-due marriage of form and function. The latest releases upscale the sportier essence of the collection and make it a do-it-all offering of star repute.