Results for Zenith

Some Of The Best 36mm Watches For Every Budget

We pick some of the best 36mm watches (or thereabouts) out there today, with offerings from brands like Nomos, Tudor, and Zenith.

Hands-On With The Zenith Defy Extreme Ultraviolet

The Zenith Defy Extreme Ultraviolet is bold, unapologetically big, and has major wrist presence. And we love it! What We Love The look of the microblasted titanium case with the purple dial and strap The lightweight construction makes it easy to wear The 1/100th second chronograph is a fun complication to play with What We Don’t It is a larger watch that will not fit all wrists The style is not for everyone or everyday wear due to the size, design, and colour The power reserve could be stretched a little more to 60 hours if I’m being picky Overall Rating: 9 / 10 Value For Money: 8.5/10 Design: 9/10 Wearability: 9/10 Build Quality: 9.5/10 The Zenith DEFY Extreme is a cool watch, no matter how you look at it. This is the third DEFY Extreme I’ve been able to wear, and every time I put one on my wrist, it just feels right. Yes, it’s not exactly a technical analysis to start a watch review with, but there’s something about these watches that makes me smile. Last year, when I reviewed the DEFY Extreme Diver Shadow, I found it to be a surprisingly easy-wearing watch thanks to the titanium construction and the way Zenith has crafted the case design and bracelet. It wore exceptionally well on the wrist, although slightly smaller at 42.5mm. The Zenith DEFY Extreme models I went hands-on with last year However, I did then spend some time with the DEFY Extreme Lapis Lazuli with the high-polish two-tone case, which would be the Ultraviolet’s more flamboyant cousin. Agai...

New: Zenith Defy Extreme Ultraviolet

Zenith extends their Defy Extreme collection with the new Ultraviolet. This is a line extension to the existing Defy Extreme line.

Zenith Adds Two Colorful New Options to the Defy Extreme Collection

It’s a complaint heard often among the aesthetically-inclined: modern design just isn’t colorful enough. Cars come in white, black, or silver, houses are painted white with black sills, and our phones are just sleek black rectangles. But that tendency towards “millenial gray” (sorry millennials, it’s not really your fault) hasn’t dug its claws into horology yet. In fact, it seems to be quite the opposite, with bold new colorways and designs capturing headlines post-press events. Zenith isn’t new to the bright and vibrant trend in watches, but their latest DEFY Extreme Ultraviolet and Lapis Lazuli II certainly bring the hueful hammer home. At their core, the two new DEFY pieces are sisters, so to speak: both are housed in an angular 45mm case in microblasted titanium, and a carbon and titanium combination respectively. The aggressive design of said case sets the stage for Zenith’s “more is more” mentality with the DEFY models, which come in at a chunky (but lightweight) 15.4mm in thickness and 51mm lug-to-lug. These are not wallflower watches, and every point of the design proves that.  The Extreme Ultraviolet does a lot of work with its name, which is a more than adequate descriptor for the watch itself. The dial is a visual cornucopia, with a violet-tinted sapphire crystal that showcases the matching violet subdials and layered geometric construction. The Zenith name and star logo at 12 o’clock is the only visual breather on the dial, with the movem...

First Look - The New Zenith Defy Extreme Lapis Lazuli II and Ultraviolet

The Zenith Defy Extreme is not a watch designed for discretion. This most radical interpretation of the brand’s high-frequency chronograph features an oversized architectural case with an openworked display and offers a spectacle of a central chronograph hand completing one rotation every second. Since the series was introduced, Zenith has produced quite a few bold […]

eBay Finds: Great Vintage Watches from Zenith, Omega, Seiko, and More!

eBay Finds is back! This bi-weekly installment will feature a selection of watches currently listed on eBay that have caught the eye of editor Christoph McNeil (@vintagediver). If you come across any hidden gems on the ‘Bay drop us a note at info@wornandwound.com for potential inclusion. Zenith A3630 Vintage Diver  Here’s a rare gem to start us off this week, a vintage Zenith diver with original bracelet! This Zenith A3630 has a classically styled 38mm diver case in steel that looks to be unpolished. It does have some wear consistent with use and its age, but it does not look abused. The matte black dial looks excellent, with a contrasting white outer chapter ring and applied steel markers, and an unobtrusive date window at 4:30. The steel hands have large lume plots, and the hour hand has a nice big arrow tip for easy reading. The oversize crown is signed with the Zenith star symbol. The aluminum elapsed time bezel insert has some nice fading to it, but overall it’s in good shape. This piece comes with the original Gay Freres steel bracelet with a Zenith signed buckle. The Zenith automatic movement is clean and runs well per the seller. Great hard to find vintage diver! View auction here Heuer Autavia 1163 Vintage Chronograph  Next up is another heavy hitter, a vintage Heuer Autavia 1163 chronograph. Wow, this beast is a real beauty. The 42mm steel cushion case is superb, unpolished with crisp edges and the original brushed finish. The black dial looks original an...

What $10,000 Buys You in Watches in 2026

Teddy Baldassarre is an authorized luxury watch retailer of brands like TUDOR, OMEGA, IWC, Grand Seiko, Breitling, Blancpain, Glashütte Original, Zenith, Longines, ORIS, MIDO, Tissot, Hamilton, NOMOS Glashütte, Baume & Mercier, and more.

Introducing - The Zenith Chronomaster Original Paris Edition with Verdigris Dial

Paris is the inspiration behind this latest special edition again, but Zenith has done it differently this time. In 2024, the brand took cues from the city’s modern architecture and combined it with the sharp lines of the Defy Skyline Paris Edition. This time, however, Zenith has chosen its vintage-inspired El Primero watch, resulting in […]

The Watches of a Lawyer (Seiko, Vacheron, Glashütte, & More)

Teddy Baldassarre is an authorized luxury watch retailer of brands like TUDOR, OMEGA, IWC, Grand Seiko, Breitling, Blancpain, Glashütte Original, Zenith, Longines, ORIS, MIDO, Tissot, Hamilton, NOMOS Glashütte, Baume & Mercier, and more.

Building a Complete Collection with Omega

Teddy Baldassarre is an authorized luxury watch retailer of brands like TUDOR, OMEGA, IWC, Grand Seiko, Breitling, Blancpain, Glashütte Original, Zenith, Longines, ORIS, MIDO, Tissot, Hamilton, NOMOS Glashütte, Baume & Mercier, and more.

The Best Summer Watches: Jorg’s Picks From Traska, Aquastar, Nomos, Zenith, And Rolex (Again)

Every year, I get excited to pick my favorite summer watches. It allows me to choose ones that are a bit more colorful and wild than the watches I would normally consider for a list of favorites. The idea is simple: the Fratello editors pick their favorite summer watch in five price brackets, ranging from […] Visit The Best Summer Watches: Jorg’s Picks From Traska, Aquastar, Nomos, Zenith, And Rolex (Again) to read the full article.

Zenith Chronomaster Revival A384: History, Variants, and Why It's a Modern Classic

The Zenith Chronomaster A384 Revival is a faithful, 1:1 resurrection of the very first steel watch to house the legendary El Primero movement back in 1969.

The Best Summer Watches - Thomas’s Picks From RZE, Nomos, Doxa, Zenith, And Hublot

Summer is just around the corner, meaning we’re back with our series Fratello Favorites: The Best Summer Watches. It is my turn today, and I decided to pick myself a lighthearted, colorful, cheerful bunch. Why? Well, because I have a big summer ahead of me. While our fearless leader, RJ, expects to expand his family […] Visit The Best Summer Watches — Thomas’s Picks From RZE, Nomos, Doxa, Zenith, And Hublot to read the full article.

The New Seiko Polar GMT SSK059

Teddy Baldassarre is an authorized luxury watch retailer of brands like TUDOR, OMEGA, IWC, Grand Seiko, Breitling, Blancpain, Glashütte Original, Zenith, Longines, ORIS, MIDO, Tissot, Hamilton, NOMOS Glashütte, Baume & Mercier, and more.

A Majestic Journey Through Clocks & Watches Made for Royalty: King Philip II of Spain and the Rise of a Dynasty that Ruled by the Clock

From the imposing astronomical clocks of Tudor England to the exquisite pendant watches of Victorian Britain, timekeeping has long been a symbol of power, prestige, and technological marvel within Europe’s royal courts. This new series explores the fascinating evolution of clocks and watches crafted specifically for royalty, tracing how these intricate masterpieces reflected the tastes, ambitions, and innovations of monarchs. Through the lens of craftsmanship, artistry, and historical significance, we reveal how these royal timepieces marked the passage of dynasties and empires. King Philip II (1527–1598) inherited a globe-spanning empire from his father Charles V and, after 1580, also ruled Portugal. A devout champion of the Counter-Reformation, he centralised government, built the vast monastery-palace of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, and presided over Spain’s political zenith. His court prized scientific instruments and clocks as emblems of order and piety. Philip was part of the great Habsburg dynasty and the son of the Holy Roman emperor Charles V. From time to time, the emperor wrote Philip secret letters, impressing on him the high duties to which God had called him and warning him against trusting any of his advisers too much. Philip, a very dutiful son, took this advice to heart. During his reign the Spanish empire attained its greatest power, extent, and influence, though he failed to suppress the revolt of the Netherlands and lost the ‘Invincible Armada’...

Sunday Morning Showdown: Breitling Chronomat B01 Chronograph 42 Vs. Zenith Chronomaster Original

It’s Sunday morning, which means it’s time for another showdown! This week’s battle pits two modern versions of classic chronographs against each other. Mike picked the recently revamped Breitling Chronomat, while Jorg picked the Zenith Chronomaster Original, the modern version of the Zenith El Primero A386. The roots of the Zenith date back to 1969, […] Visit Sunday Morning Showdown: Breitling Chronomat B01 Chronograph 42 Vs. Zenith Chronomaster Original to read the full article.

Zenith and Naoya Hida & Co. team up for a double-signed G.F.J. Calibre 135

The Le Locle manufacture launches a new collaboration program, and its first partner is the most talked-about independent in Japan

Introducing the Zenith G.F.J. Calibre 135 Double Signed with Naoya Hida & Co.

The emergence of Naoya Hida as a major player in the independent space has been one of the more exciting developments in watches over the last few years. Whether Hida’s watches are to your taste or not (or your budget) there’s no denying that the brand presents a crystal clear point of view and takes no shortcuts to execute on it. In an environment with, frankly, a lot of half baked ideas, there’s something satisfying about a brand that knows exactly what it is. So it’s incredibly interesting that right on the heels of their recent 2026 launches, the brand has announced a new collaboration with Zenith on their G.F.J. platform.  This is honestly one of those world-colliding moments for me and I’m pretty excited about not only the watch but what this might signal for both Zenith and Naoya Hida moving forward. The G.F.J. feels like the right line for a brand like Naoya Hida to work within – it’s already cited as a watch that trades a little on the current trend toward artisanal dials (in exotic stones, specifically) that have become favorites among many high end indies. And there’s an undeniable synergy between the classic mid century design codes of the G.F.J. case and Naoya Hida’s aesthetic sensibility.  The G.F.J. Calibre 135 Double Signed with Naoya Hida & Co. is the first in what Zenith is referring to as their new “Double Signed” program, which will, according to the brand, invite selected partners to reinterpret iconic references. The naming con...

Introducing: The Zenith G.F.J. Calibre 135 Double Signed With Naoya Hida & Co.

Zenith’s caliber 135 continues its revival within the brand’s modern lineup with a new version. After the restored vintage-powered editions from 2022 and the following G.F.J. releases in 2025 and 2026, the brand now adds a special, limited collaboration with Naoya Hida to the collection. This time, the focus shifts toward Japanese independent watchmaking. The […] Visit Introducing: The Zenith G.F.J. Calibre 135 Double Signed With Naoya Hida & Co. to read the full article.

Zenith’s Calibre 135 Gets The Naoya Hida & Co. Treatment

First Look - The Double-Signed Zenith G.F.J. Calibre 135 with Naoya Hida & Co.

When Zenith, celebrating its 160th Anniversary, revived the Calibre 135 in 2025 with the launch of the G.F.J. collection, the manufacture brought back one of the most important precision movements, a calibre that dominated observatory chronometry competitions throughout the 1950s and remains the most awarded movement of its kind. Taking the story in an unexpected […]

Introducing: The Zenith G.F.J. Calibre 135 Double Signed with Naoya Hida & Co

What We Know Today, Zenith introduces a new "Double Signed" program for its Calibre 135-powered G.F.J. collection, and its first entry in this series is a collaboration with a Japanese independent that might not require all that much introduction around these parts—Naoya Hida. The evolution of the G.F.J. line has not taken all that long, with its origins starting in 2022 with the Zenith Caliber 135 Observatoire Limited Edition, where ten Calibre 135 movements from the 50s were restored by Kari Voutilainen and introduced in watches done as a triple collaboration between Zenith, Voutilainen, and auction house Phillips. Just three years later, the Calibre 135 was revived as a modern caliber for a line called the G.F.J. (after Zenith's founder Georges Favre Jacot). In just a little over a year, we've seen three small runs of this watch introduced in different stone-dial and metal combinations—platinum with a lapis lazuli dial, tantalum with an onyx dial, and an upcoming yellow-gold GFJ with a bloodstone dial. In the meantime, this new Double Signed concept with Naoya Hida takes the G.F.J. in a very different visual direction. The hefty 39.15mm platinum case, with a thickness of 10.5mm and a compact lug-to-lug of 45.75mm, remains the same as other G.F.J. models. But that dial is unabashedly Naoya Hida, constructed out of solid silver with the distinctive hand engraving coming from the hand of master engraver Keisuke Kano, the man responsible for the hand engraving across al...

Zenith collaborates with Naoya Hida to create a co-signed interpretation of the G.F.J.

We are seeing a rare Switzerland and Japan team-up, with Zenith unveiling a collaboration with another enthusiast favourite: Naoya Hida & Co. 

Zenith Introduces The Chronomaster Revival Liberty II

Zenith marks the 250th anniversary of the United States with the release of the Chronomaster Revival Liberty II. This launch follows the original North American exclusive from several years ago. The new model strengthens the historical link between the Swiss manufacture and American industrial history. Zenith founder Georges Favre-Jacot famously visited the United States in […] Visit Zenith Introduces The Chronomaster Revival Liberty II to read the full article.

Zenith Introduces the Chronomaster Revival Liberty II in Stainless Steel and Forged Carbon

Back in 2020, Zenith released the Chronomaster Revival Liberty, a North American exclusive limited edition that is still one of the most popular of the A384 reissues we’ve seen. In fact, you could probably make a case that the early success of this particular A384 revival laid the groundwork for all that came after (and there have been many of these A384s released in the last six years). The original Liberty, with its red and white chronograph seconds hand and subtle blue fumé dial, was an attractive watch regardless of whether you saw it as part of a patriotic exercise. So it’s no surprise that Zenith has gone back to the well with the new Chronomaster Revival Liberty II. Coming as it does in the year of America’s 250th anniversary, the brand is leaning a bit harder into the connection Zenith has always had to the United States with this release.  Part of the conceit of the Chronomaster Revival Liberty II is that Zenith’s founder, George Favre-Jacot, was inspired by the watchmaking industry in America in the way he built the Zenith brand. In the middle part of the 19th century, the Swiss watch industry worked largely on an éstablissage system, which meant individual components were to be produced separately before final assembly. When Favre-Jacot visited the United States as a young man, he encountered a much more industrialized and efficient way of making a watch, which served as a model for the early days of Zenith.  To that end, the Chronomaster Revival Lib...

Introducing - The Zenith Chronomaster Revival Liberty II Celebrates 250 Years of American Independence

In 2019, Zenith celebrated the 50th anniversary of the El Primero, the world’s first automatic chronograph movement. Zenith’s high-frequency, integrated automatic chronograph movement was fitted inside three inaugural watches, including the A384, a bold tonneau-shaped case with a two-tone dial that reflected the design language of the period. As the United States gets ready to celebrate […]

Introducing: The Zenith Chronomaster Revival Liberty II Limited Editions (Live Pics)

What We Know Today, Zenith introduces two new takes on its distinctive tonneau-shaped A384 chronograph, a modern revival of the model from the late sixties. The new Chronomaster Revival Liberty II is a sequel to the Chronomaster Revival Liberty from 2020, which paired a distinctive red and white striped chronograph seconds hand with a blue dial and white subdials. For the Revival Liberty II, two models are introduced: a stainless steel variant in a run of 250 pieces, and a forged carbon edition in 25 pieces. The theming, as you might guess from the name, focuses on the 250th anniversary of the United States in these US-exclusive editions. Both editions feature that red and white striped chronograph seconds hand (13 stripes for the original 13 colonies). These follow-ups to the original take the blue and white scheme and invert it, with this new dial featuring a white lacquered base with contrasting blue subdials and tachymeter. "250" on the tachymeter scale is highlighted in red in light of the anniversary. The forged carbon edition offers a much more contemporary look, with swirls of silver and black in the ultralight case, pushers, and crown, and paired with a blue textile-embossed rubber strap. The steel version comes with two strap options—a ladder bracelet in stainless steel, as well as a rubber strap for a bit of extra versatility. The case dimensions remain identical to all other A384 revival editions, with a 37mm diameter and 12.6mm thickness. The movement inside...

Interview: Zenith’s Product Chief Officer on Reviving the Chronometer Cal. 135

For much of the past quarter-century, Zenith has built its brand on the back of the El Primero — a fast-beating chronograph calibre that debuted in 1969. But last year — for its 160th anniversary — the brand revived the time-only calibre 135 – a legendary competition calibre originally developed in the late 1940s. The reborn movement debuted within a new collection — the GFJ — named after founder Georges Favre-Jacot. To better understand what lies behind the relaunch of the cal. 135, we talked to Romain Marietta, Chief Product Officer at Zenith. David Serra, Technical Director of Movement Development, provided additional production insights. As Mr Marietta explains, the relaunch of the cal. 135 opens a new chapter for Zenith — more exclusive and more artisanal, featuring precious materials, elevated finishing and a classical aesthetic inspired by the designs of the 1950s. In short, closer to the independent watchmakers’ approach and to their audience. And this is only the beginning — the Le Locle-based brand has plans to further develop both the calibre and the collection. The interview was edited for length and clarity. Yannick Nardin (YN): Let’s start at the beginning: what makes cal. 135 so special? Romain Marietta (RM): For context, it was produced from 1949 until 1962. At the time, the pursuit of precision had a real genuine meaning. Watchmakers measured their strength, stature and reputation through the prizes they won. This movement was created f...

Bring a Loupe: An Omega Marine Chronometer, A Zenith 2000, A Marvin Ocean Chief, And A Jaeger-LeCoultre Étrier

Happy Friday, Ballers. The air's getting warmer, the NBA Conference Finals are already providing extraordinarily compelling viewing (even if your team's already been bounced), and you've only got another month and change to set up your 4th of July plans. Don't sweat it, however. To paraphrase Dieter from Sprockets, now is the time on Hodinkee when we look at what's selling where. Scorekeeping last week's picks: the Movado Cronoplan is still available from The Time Curator, the Patek Beta 21 sold for $26,750, the Hamilton auction closes tomorrow, so you've still got time on it if you're interested, and the Zenith Time Command for 460 GBP. Onto the show. Strays I'm certainly not alone in finding vintage Boucheron watches charming and worth more attention, and if you need further convincing, this Reflet makes an awfully compelling case. If you look closely at this Enicar Mantagraph, you'll notice there's no Swiss marking on the dial, and that, though the watch comes in its original Enicar box, the guarantee card is for a Seiko. This would all seem strange and potentially nefarious were it not for the fact that the Enicar Mantagraph is essentially a rebranded Seiko 7016, a movement well worth your time. Speaking of vintage flyback chronographs, here's a Longines 13ZN monopusher with a dial that seems designed by time and circumstance to test where you fall on the 'one man's tropical is another man's damaged' spectrum, and if that one's not enough, here's a Double-Red Rolex Sea...