Results for Zenith

Introducing: The Zenith Defy Skyline White Ceramic Skeleton

A new color brings a summer look to Zenith's Defy Skyline collection.

The Zenith Defy Skyline Gets the White Ceramic, Skeleton Dial Treatment

I’ll be upfront here: I love the Defy. All the Defys. I’ve said many times to many people that the Defy is probably my favorite sports watch line of all time. It’s certainly my favorite corner of the Zenith catalog, and vintage Defy references are some of the coolest you can own, and somehow still represent a great value compared to comparable sports watches from other brands. To me, these watches have historically been exactly the right combination of avant-garde design and sports watch functionality. A Defy, unlike a Submariner, for example, can be both an art piece and an everyday wearer. They are also consistently interesting from a materials perspective, particularly when they get into colored ceramic, as they have with the newest Defy introduced today, a successor of sorts to one of my favorite watches from last year.  The Defy Skyline White Ceramic Skeleton is in some ways a predictable, natural evolution of the current generation Defy. It takes the ceramic case and bracelet we saw in last year’s black model, turns them white, and gives us the skeleton dial treatment that debuted early last year. It’s a similar trajectory to the Defy Classic releases from several years back, which started in titanium, with colorful skeletonized ceramic versions to follow.  This new reference is a little different though for how it plays with contrast. Against the stark white of the case and bracelet, we get a skeletonized blue dial and a movement in a matching shade. Tha...

Zenith Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar Review

Good things tend to come in threes. Turning a triple play in baseball, hitting a trifecta in horse racing, three of a kind in poker - all of these are cause for celebration for those who achieve them. Nailing a clutch three-pointer in basketball can send a home crowd into euphoria, and “third time’s the charm” is the motivating mantra for every budding success story battling obstacles and doubts. In horological terms, one of the most desirable trilogies can be found in the so-called “Triple Calendar,” a style of timepiece that occupies the sweet spot between the simplest of calendar complications - your date and day-date functions - and the higher and accordingly pricier echelons represented by annual and perpetual calendars.  The Triple (also known as the “Complete”) is the simplest type of full-calendar function in that it displays all the information a wearer could need to determine the exact date - month of the year, day of the week, and date of the month- but also requires adjustment at the end of any month shorter than 31 days. (An annual calendar will make this adjustment for you in every month except February, while a perpetual calendar will adjust for every month all the way up until the year 2100 - always assuming, of course, that you, or whomever you pass the watch on to, keeps it wound all those years.) As I also point out in my guide to watch complications, these calendar indications are often, but not always, accompanied by a moon-p...

First Look - The Zenith Defy Skyline White Ceramic Skeleton

Released in 2022, the Defy Skyline collection was Zenith‘s answer to the large demand for sports watches with integrated design and bracelet. Since its initial introduction, we have seen multiple new editions of this watch, including compact versions, ceramic models, a chronograph and even a high-frequency tourbillon. But one of the most impactful models was […]

Hot Take: The Zenith Defy Skyline Édition Paris

The Summer Olympics will kick off in Paris in less than a month. Zenith has created the Defy Skyline Édition Paris to help celebrate the occasion. It uses a different style of dial, which may leave potential buyers wishing that this limited edition watch wasn’t only offered in France. Omega is the first brand that […] Visit Hot Take: The Zenith Defy Skyline Édition Paris to read the full article.

Our first Studio Discovery Sessions with Zenith and Ocean to Orbit were a hit with watch fans

Our inaugural two Studio Discovery Sessions - one with a microbrand, one with a big box brand - were an absolute blast.The post Our first Studio Discovery Sessions with Zenith and Ocean to Orbit were a hit with watch fans appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Introducing - The France-Only Zenith Defy Skyline Edition Paris

Released in 2022, the Defy Skyline was Zenith‘s answer to the growing demand for sports watches with integrated bracelets. Blending historical cues of the late 1960s Defy model with modern mechanics and design elements, it fuses the styles of the Defy Classic and Defy Extreme into a new interpretation of a luxury sports watch. As […]

Zenith Defy Revival A3648 Review

There is no doubt that most enthusiasts think of the brand Zenith and picture, in their mind’s eye, a chronograph – a chronograph powered by the now storied El Primero automatic chronograph movement which debuted in 1969. Triple use of the word chronograph in one sentence notwithstanding, it punctuates the kind of watch associated with this powerhouse of a brand. And 1969 was a monumental year for automatic chronographs. But it was also the year Zenith introduced its punchy, ready for the 1970s, and decidedly orange dive watch: The Defy A3648. Yes, a Zenith diver was released the same year as the El Primero…and the latter clearly took off on a trajectory far different from that of its aquatic counterpart. Vintage Zenith A3648 from around the time of the watch's launch. Over the past decade or so, Zenith has proven itself to be unmatched in the watch game when it comes to revivals, homages, re-editions, whatever you like to call them (Zenith literally calls them “Revivals” so we will too). Some Zenith Revival models are modern riffs on vintage designs, with slight tweaks, while others are near 1:1 recreations. Think back to the Defy Revival models of the past two years, with both black and ruby dial options. Those were authentic recreations down to the vintage-style clasps (an under-looked component of homage, if you ask me!). At Watches & Wonders 2024, Zenith returned to the 1969 well and brought its spunky orange dive watch back to life in the form of the De...

REVIEW: Hands On With The New Zenith Defy Skyline Chronograph

IN PARTNERSHIP: Almost 2 months ago at Watches & Wonders, Zenith released a chronograph version of their highly popular Defy Skyline – The Defy Skyline Chronograph and we thought let’s see how they compare to the OG. What We Love The edgy look, true to its DNA Quick change strap & bracelet system Accuracy of the 1/10th chronograph What We Don’t Clasp can irritate the wrist on the rubber Still no micro-adjust for the steel bracelet On the larger side and may not be for all wrists Overall Rating: 8.75/10 Value for money: 8.5/10 Wearability: 8.5/10 Design: 9/10 Build quality: 9/10 The Zenith Defy Skyline is no stranger to me. In fact, I’m very familiar with both the brand as well as the Defy Skyline having the Blue dial version as part of my collection. So, when I heard that Zenith were adding a chronograph version to the Skyline collection, part of me was curious as to how they’d look and wear, the other part was really looking forward to seeing them in person upon their release. And if I’m honest, part of me was interested in how they would compare to my Defy Skyline, which if you’re interested in comparing this review to my Owners’ Perspective, feel free to read it here. The Zenith Defy Skyline in blue – a good-looking piece if I say so myself! Initial Impressions Our first experience with the new Defy Skyline Chronograph was a brief one – amidst the chaos that is Watches & Wonders and at the Touch and Feel Session with the full range of Zenith’s laun...

Experience Zenith’s latest 2024 releases with Time+Tide in our Melbourne Discovery Studio on June 22nd

On June 22nd, the Time+Tide Discovery Studio in Melbourne is set to host a Zenith Discovery Session showing off the brand's latest watches.The post Experience Zenith’s latest 2024 releases with Time+Tide in our Melbourne Discovery Studio on June 22nd appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Pre-Owned Picks: A Zenith-Era Rolex Daytona, A 1957 Trilogy Speedmaster, And A Distinctive Take On A Perpetual Calendar From Patek Philippe

Plus a pair of fun and functional chronographs from IWC and Tudor.

Zenith Pilot Doublematic Reviewed by Tim Mosso: It’s a Grail Watch for him (if only he had a Bigger Wrist)

What if the prohibitive dream watch were eminently affordable to attain but too large to wield? Is that a grail? If so, behold Tim Mosso's grail watch, the Zenith Pilot Doublematic.

Interview: A Conversation with Benoit de Clerck, Zenith’s New CEO

A few years ago, I bought my first luxury watch on eBay, an Omega Seamaster Professional Diver 300m ref. 2220.80.00. It was a watch I had first noticed on the wrist of Daniel Craig in Casino Royale over a decade earlier, and one which I had coveted. I spent way too much money on it, and accidentally (eBay defaulted to the wrong payment method) used my parents’ credit card to buy the watch. It was a boneheaded move, compounded by eBay’s then-nascent authentication program taking over two months to actually get the watch to me. But don’t worry, I did pay my parents back in relatively short order and eventually got the watch. And I got a fun story out of it that I am unlikely to soon forget. I would posit that many of us have similar stories about how we wound up making our first big watch purchase. Benoit de Clerck, who introduced himself to me as Ben, certainly does. “My first salary was a camera, a Nikon - you know, these old cameras and all that - but my second salary was an IWC Pilot’s Watch, 3706, and the story is, I did not have enough money to pay for it.” “So I paid it part on my credit card; part on cash; borrowed money from friends, brothers, sister, and friends; and post-dated checks,” he told me, “And the guy had never seen someone who wanted to do that for a watch, and of course, I wanted that watch now, obviously.” You might be amazed to know that Ben walked out of the boutique that day with his watch. “The owner of that store took a r...

The Almighty Amida Digitrend Is Back

The ’70s were an extraordinary era in the watch industry. That decade gave us some of the most fantastic designs and timepieces that are still sought after among vintage collectors. Just think of watches like the Omega Flightmaster, the Zenith El Primero TV (ref. 01-200-415), or the topic of this article, the Amida Digitrend. While […] Visit The Almighty Amida Digitrend Is Back to read the full article.

Hands-On With The New Zenith Defy Extreme Diver - The Return Of A Zenith Dive Watch

Zenith introduced two new models worth discussing this year for different reasons. The brand’s Defy Skyline Chronograph was a logical next step for the series. It even felt like the watch had been part of the collection for some time. It just seems like a natural progression for the Defy Skyline. The second big new […] Visit Hands-On With The New Zenith Defy Extreme Diver - The Return Of A Zenith Dive Watch to read the full article.

The Defy Extreme Diver brings back a diver to the Zenith catalogue

Zenith have resurrected the Defy Extreme Diver with full vigour and in-your-face attitude.The post The Defy Extreme Diver brings back a diver to the Zenith catalogue appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

New Zenith CEO Benoit de Clerck shows off the brand’s trio of Defy releases

Though new to the role, de Clerck's enthusiasm for the brand is undeniable in this interview at Watches & Wonders 2024, going through the brand's new releases.The post New Zenith CEO Benoit de Clerck shows off the brand’s trio of Defy releases appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Dive Watches are Back in the Zenith Defy Collection

Here’s a thing you may or may not know about Watches & Wonders: there are very few genuine surprises once we hit the Palexpo floor. Almost every brand (Rolex, Tudor, and Patek are the big holdouts) send press releases to media weeks before the show so coverage can be prepped. By the time we walk into a meeting with virtually any brand exhibiting, we already have the key information on their new novelties and are just looking for additional context, hands-on impressions, and an opportunity to get those all important photos. But sometimes brands hold back a release or two, and this will sometimes result in the kind of extremely welcome surprise I experienced when I visited Zenith early this week. One of my favorite brands has dive watches again.  We already told you about the Defy Skyline Chronograph, but in addition to that watch Zenith had an even bigger (literally and figuratively) Defy up their sleeve. The new Defy Extreme Diver represents the brand’s long awaited return to the dive watch category, and they’ve done it where you’d expect: within the highly technical and sometimes brazen Defy range. The new Extreme Diver has an imposing 42.5mm titanium case with the characteristic 12 sided bezel common to other Defys, and outside this fixed bezel we get a ceramic dive bezel. The case is rated to an extremely unnecessary 600 meters, which is the same depth as the original Defy diver, the A3648, from 1969.  The dial utilizes the star pattern that has become standar...

Zenith Defy Skyline Chronograph: Their Biggest Release Of The Year

One of Zenith’s latest releases, the Zenith Defy Skyline Chronograph, takes a sensible step in the direction of familiarity, but also keeps things fresh and new. A stainless steel, integrated bracelet sports chronograph has been done by many brands, and now Zenith is able to punch a weight class above and compete with the likes of Vacheron and Audemars Piguet.

Introducing: The Zenith Defy Extreme Diver Takes The Defy Back To Extreme Depths

With 600 meters of water resistance, the new Defy Extreme Diver fills a big gap in the Zenith lineup.

Zenith at Watches & Wonders 2024: Defy Divers and Chronographs

Introducing The Zenith Defy Extreme Diver

The first two days of Watches & Wonders have been fun to cover from the perspective of TBWS. Obviously, many of these watches are to be admired from afar and are not typically something we'd be able to add to our personal collections. But damn, it's still exciting - especially over at the Zenith camp. This year alongside their vintage Revival A3648, the brand has introduced the Zenith Defy Extreme Diver, a very modern dive watch entry that showcases Zenith's technical abilities. Much like last year, Zenith may be running as my favorite exhibitor at Watches & Wonders.

Live from WWG24: new highlights from Zenith

Next up, live from Zenith booth in PalExpo. We handled the novelties, and here are our highlights from the new Defy Skyline collection.

First Look - The New, Ocean-Ready Zenith Defy Extreme Diver

In 1969, Zenith launched the Defy series, aiming to enhance its collection with robust and reliable timepieces tailored for specific purposes. Seeking to expand its Defy line with a watch capable of conquering ocean depths, the brand swiftly introduced the Defy Diver. Among its most iconic iterations was the A3648 reference, boasting an impressive water […]

Zenith Releases The Colorful Defy Revival A3648 - A Modern Reinterpretation Of A Classic Zenith Dive Watch

It has become somewhat of a tradition for Zenith to release a modern version of one of its classics from the archives during Watches and Wonders. This year is no different as the brand brings back the legendary A3648. This colorful dive watch was first released in 1969. It combined great looks with a serious […] Visit Zenith Releases The Colorful Defy Revival A3648 - A Modern Reinterpretation Of A Classic Zenith Dive Watch to read the full article.

Meet The New Zenith Defy Skyline Chronograph And Defy Extreme Diver

Well, well, well… What do we have here? A proper dedicated dive watch in the Zenith lineup, that’s what! The Le Locle-based brand hasn’t made one of these for decades, but it seems the team has pulled out all the stops with the Defy Extreme Diver. Alongside it comes the new (although somewhat predictable) Defy […] Visit Meet The New Zenith Defy Skyline Chronograph And Defy Extreme Diver to read the full article.

Introducing - The Zenith Defy Revival A3648 Brings Back The 1969 Original

1969 was a milestone year for Zenith watches with the brand’s launch of the world’s first high-frequency automatic chronograph movement. Although the El Primero stole the headlines, it was not the only model Zenith had up its sleeve. With slightly less fanfare, Zenith also launched its heavy-duty Defy family with its angular octagonal case, crazy […]

Zenith Announces A Dive Watch Reissue: The Defy Revival A3648

As you can probably tell, I'm slowly morphing into bit of a Zenith fanboy. Something about their recent releases just hits all the marks for me. From a titanium Chronomaster to a cool triple calendar-I'm here for all of it. But one thing that we brought up on the podcast once was the possibility of Zenith reissuing a dive watch. It seems crazy, considering we all probably think of high-tech chronos when we think of Zenith. But, it's here! And it's expensive. Let's take a quick look at the new Zenith Defy Revival A3648.

Introducing: The Zenith Defy Skyline Chronograph

A star-studded chronograph joins the Defy Skyline family.

Introducing: Zenith Revives The Funky 1969 Defy Diver A3648 - In A Faithful 37mm Size!

It marks the first revival of a diver in the Defy line for the brand, and boy is this one a welcome surprise.