The Low-Down

Zenith’s DEFY 21 chronograph is proving to be a great canvas for the brand to explore a more colorful side of itself, by dressing the forward thinking technical feat of watchmaking that is their El Primero 9004 Automatic movement in ever more bold hues.

What makes the El Primero 9004 a movement that deserves a seat at the El Primero family table? Well, for a start the movement enables a chronograph that is able to measure up to an accuracy of 1/100th of a second. Next it has two dedicated escapement setups: a 5 Hz escapement for its time keeping functions and a 50Hz escapement for its chronograph functions, which accounts of its ability to measure time up to 1/100th of a second.

IMHO

Now dressing the DEFY 21 in colors is something that Zenith has managed to great effect several times over since the watch was first launched in 2017. Think of great executions such as the Carl Cox Edition, Land Rover Edition, the Ultraviolet, the Urban Jungle and, just announced earlier this month, the Felipe Pantone.

But Zenith has kept things fresh by switching up how colors are applied to the DEFY 21, every so often. For instance, the Ultraviolet was for the better part just the color of its microblasted titanium case. The violet of the watch was added in nuance to its movement bridges, visible from underneath the watch’s skeletonized dial and bridges visible through the caseback. Of course, the best flash of color on the Ultraviolet was possibly the all violet rotor on the watch.

It is in this manner that blue has now been applied to the bridges of the DEFY 21 Ultrablue’s El Primero 9004. Of course, with that all important splash on the rotor of the watch. Subdials and case of the watch are otherwise in a sober grey of microblasted titanium.

The watch comes fitted on a black rubber with Ultrablue “cordura effect” strap and will be priced at CHF 13,400.

More information: zenith-watches.com

Tech Specs

Movement: Self-winding El Primero 9004 automatic movement; 1/100th of a second Chronograph movement; exclusive dynamic signature of one rotation per second; 1 escapement for the watch (36,000 VpH – 5 Hz); 1 escapement for the Chronograph (360,000 VpH – 50 Hz); chronometer certified; chronograph power-reserve indication at 12 o’clock; hours and minutes in the centre; small seconds at 9 o’clock; central chronograph hand, 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock, 60-second counter at 6 o’clock; 50-hour power reserve

Case & Dial: 44mm microblasted titanium; special open dial with grey closed chronograph registers; water-resistant to 100m

Strap/Bracelet: Black rubber with Ultrablue “cordura effect”; microblasted titanium double folding clasp

Price: CHF 13,400