Worn & Wound
Zenith Gets Colorful with the High Frequency Defy 21 Chroma II
It’s been said over and over again, on podcasts, in our posts, reviews, DMs, and private conversations: Zenith is effectively unmatched in their ability to straddle the line between their history and a forward looking, contemporary design language. Heritage focused models like the various Defy Revival releases that we’ve seen in recent years recreate the original watches they’re based on to a fastidious, almost obsessive degree, while releases on the other end of the spectrum are unapologetically modern in their materials, design cues, and ethos. Today, Zenith releases a pair of watches that find themselves in the latter camp, part of a platform that continues to evolve and exist as a showcase for the brand’s most adventurous ideas. The Defy 21 chronographs have one of my personal favorite watch industry tricks up their sleeve. It’s an ultra high-frequency chronograph capable of measuring down to the hundredth of a second, a level of accuracy that frankly outpaces the fine motor skills of just about anyone who will operate it. But that’s (somewhat) beside the point. When you push the “start” button on one of these things, and see the second hand whip around the dial at a speed that’s frankly somewhat frightening if you’re used to chronos that operate at a traditional pace, it’s kind of intoxicating. Even if you’re been around watches a long time, it’s hard to synthesize that what you’re seeing is the result of springs, gears, and wheels operat...
