At LVMH Watch Week 2023, Zenith zeroes in on integrated-bracelet sports watches and takes the covers off a quartet of Defy models in different sizes, colours, and complications, but all are distinctively chic and contemporary.

Defy Extreme Glacier

The highlight of the new launches is certainly the Defy Extreme Glacier, a 45mm giant that packs a lot. In fact, it’s made up of two movements, a typical one for regular timekeeping, and an ultra-high frequency movement for the chronograph. The Defy Extreme is one of a handful of chronographs that can measure up to 1/100th of a second, thanks to a second balance that beats at a of 50 Hz, or ten times the beat rate of the watch’s standard oscillator.

Now the Defy Extreme has been given the fashionable ice-blue treatment, but executed with extra creativity: instead of giving it just a simple blue dial, the brand has utilised stone that is naturally blue. A semi-transparent stone with an ice blue hue, chalcedony is sensitively cut to achieve the angular profile, before being polished and installed in the titanium case.

As with most watches with natural stones, the Defy Extreme Glacier is more complex to manufacture than standard models, which explains why it’s limited to 50 pieces – and each is slightly different due to the natural graining of the stone.

Defy Skyline Skeleton

Dropped a year ago at LVMH Watch Week 2022, the Defy Skyline was a surprising act from the Le Locle watchmaker as it is an unusual time-only that incorporates the latest-generation El Primero movement, giving it a dramatic seconds hand that revolves around the sub-dial once every 10 seconds.

The super-fast seconds can feel a little gimmicky against a traditional dial, and now Zenith has unveiled an improved version with a skeletonised dial that’s a perfect match for the contemporary movement as well as case. And the symmetry of the dial is also improved on the Skeleton with the removal of the date and the relocation of the seconds to six o’clock.

Compared to its little brother, the Defy Classic Skeleton, the Defy Skyline Skeleton has a cleaner look, with bigger openings and thinner bridges, resulting in a highly geometrical silhouette that echoes the multifaceted case. Notably, the generously open-worked dial allows for a better peek into the interesting parts of the movement such as the purple silicon escape wheel. It’s an attractive iteration of the Defy Skyline, though it comes at a premium price.

Defy Skyline 36mm

While the original Defy Skyline was only available in a masculine 41mm case, the brand has added a trio of smaller models to the collection. The new Defy Skyline 36 mm is just like its bigger counterpart, retaining the characteristic multifaceted case and bezel that’s nicely finished with alternating polished and brushed surfaces.

But unlike the 41mm model, the 36mm versions are immediately more cheerful with its pastel-colour dials in bright pink or mint green, though a more subtle version in dark blue is also available. The colourful dials are matched with repeating star-shaped motifs on the dial, which is a modern interpretation of the brand’s “double Z” logo of the 1960s.

The movement within is the brand’s Elite 670, a 4Hz movement with a power reserve of 50 hours. A simple three-hand movement with conventional centre seconds, the Elite is nevertheless tried and tested.

Defy Skyline Boutique Edition

To liven up the original Defy Skyline 41 mm, Zenith has revealed a version with a striking two-tone dial in grey and rose gold, giving it a mix of warm and cool tones. The new Defy Skyline is identical to the standard model save for the dial, but it’s certainly the most attractive of the solid-dial versions to date, thanks to twin colours that give the dial more depth.

On top of the star-shaped engraving on the dial, the hands, markers, as well as the logo are plated in rose gold, a luxe detail not found in previous models.

Tech Specs

Zenith Defy Extreme Glacier

Movement: El Primero 9004; automatic; power reserve 60 hours
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date, and chronograph with lighting seconds
Case: 45mm; titanium and chalcedony; water resistant to 200 meter
Strap: Titanium bracelet, white rubber strap, and black velcro strap
Price: CHF 25,900
Availability: Limited edition of 50 pieces

Zenith Defy Skyline Skeleton

Movement: El Primero 3260; automatic; power reserve 60 hours
Functions: Hours, minutes, and seconds
Case: 41mm; steel; water resistant to 100 meter
Strap: Steel bracelet and black rubber strap
Price: CHF 10,900

Zenith Defy Skyline 36 mm

Movement: Elite 760; automatic; power reserve 50 hours
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, and date
Case: 36mm; steel; water resistant to 100 meter
Strap: Steel bracelet and rubber strap in blue, green, or pink
Price: CHF 8,400 for the standard version; CHF 11,900 for the version with diamond bezel

Zenith Defy Skyline Boutique Edition

Movement: El Primero 3260; automatic; power reserve 60 hours
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, and date
Case: 41mm; steel; water resistant to 100 meter
Strap: Steel bracelet and black rubber strap
Price: CHF 8,900
Availability: Only at boutiques