While I’ve recently been finding myself suffering from collaboration fatigue, I’m actually a big fan of the concept on a fundamental level, and when done properly, a well-considered collaboration can make the familiar feel unfamiliar, while simultaneously existing in two separate worlds. For its latest release of 2024, Zenith has teamed up with the boutique retailer Collective Horology to create a limited-edition version of the Defy Skyline, and rather than just being a thematic colorway of an existing model, the Zenith Defy Skyline C.X Edition for Collective is a proper re-working of the Swiss brand’s contemporary integrated bracelet watch.
The new Zenith Defy Skyline C.X Edition for Collective (ref. 06.9300.3620/63.I001) is based upon the core foundation of the standard full-size Defy Skyline, which means that it features a 41mm case crafted from stainless steel, and it is furnished with flat sapphire crystal, a screw-on display caseback, and a screw-down crown that provides it with 100 meters of water resistance. However, rather than having brushed and polished surfaces like the standard-production models, the Defy Skyline C.X Edition receives an entirely matte sandblasted finish, and the only polished elements on the watch are the side of its dodecagonal (twelve-sided) bezel and the rim of its display caseback. While the angular case profile of the Defy Skyline models offers an intrinsically modern overall appearance, the sandblasted surfaces on the new C.X Edition further lean into its contemporary styling while simultaneously providing the watch with a slightly more utilitarian overall spirit.
Similar to its case finishing, the dial fitted to the Zenith Defy Skyline C.X Edition also takes the fundamental concept of the standard-production models and reimagines it with an ultra-clean and pared-back aesthetic. The matte silver/gray dial features small orange highlights with the Defy Skyline’s signature four-pointed star pattern across its surface. However, the star motif has been rendered in a three-dimensional manner with a radial gradient effect that is achieved by having the stars in the center of the dial engraved deeper than those located towards the periphery. Additionally, while the standard Defy Skyline models feature a date window at 3 o’clock with a rapidly moving 1/10th of a second sub-dial located opposite it at the 9 o’clock position, the Zenith Defy Skyline C.X Edition opts for a simplified time-only display, and it relocates the 1/10th of a second indicator to the 6 o’clock location to achieve a perfectly symmetrical layout.
Just like the standard full-size Defy Skyline models, the Zenith Defy Skyline C.X Edition for Collective is powered by one of the Swiss manufacturer’s high-frequency automatic movements, which is based upon the underlying architecture of its famous El Primero chronograph. However, due to its time-only display and the 6 o’clock location of its 1/10th of a second sub-dial, the Defy Skyline C.X Edition receives a different caliber than its time-and-date counterparts, and it is instead powered by the El Primero 3620 SK, which is the same movement that Zenith uses to power its Defy Skyline Skeleton models. Running at a rate of 36,000vph (5 Hz) with a power reserve of approximately 55 hours, the high frequency of the El Primero 3620 SK is what enables it to have its signature 1/10th of a second indicator, which makes one full rotation around the sub-dial in just ten seconds, rather than taking a full minute like a traditional seconds hand.
The Zenith Defy Skyline C.X Edition comes with the collection’s usual H-link integrated bracelet, although its stainless steel components showcase entirely matte sandblasted surfaces to match the finishing on the watch’s case. Additionally, included with the Defy Skyline C.X Edition is an orange textured rubber strap that further leans into the small orange accents on its dial, and the strap is completed by a stainless steel folding clasp, which is always a welcome touch compared to the less premium approach of a standard tang-style buckle. Additionally, while Zenith’s Defy Skyline models feature an integrated lug design, they include an integrated quick-release system, and owners of the Defy Skyline C.X Edition can easily swap between the included strap and bracelet options by simply pressing the two buttons that are located on the underside surface of its lugs.
The Zenith Defy Skyline C.X Edition For Collective (ref: 06.9300.3620/63.I001) will be produced as a limited edition of 200 examples, and it will have an official retail price of $12,300 USD, which makes it quite a bit more expensive than the standard stainless steel Defy Skyline models. With that in mind, the Defy Skyline C.X Edition also represents a significant departure from the standard-production models, as it shares a movement with the Defy Skyline Skeleton and features numerous details ranging from its dial layout to its finishing, which make it entirely unique among Zenith’s greater Defy Skyline lineup. While the new C.X Edition fundamentally feels like a member of the Defy Skyline collection, everything about it has been reimagined in one way or another, and the cumulative results create a unique yet highly cohesive expression of this inherently modern Zenith design. For more information on the Zenith Defy Skyline C.X Edition for Collective, please visit either the Zenith website or the Collective Horology website.
