In only two years since its introduction in 2022, the integrated-bracelet Zenith Defy Skyline series has swiftly become a modern cornerstone for the brand, spawning a plethora of sizes, colorways, case materials, complications. Interestingly, despite all the variety Zenith has built into this collection, the Defy Skyline series has yet to offer a chronograph – until now. For its Watches and Wonders 2024 novelties, Zenith delivers what should become a fan-favorite execution of the line, with muscular proportions and the excellent movement performance the brand is known for. The new Zenith Defy Skyline Chronograph collection blends two of the brand’s greatest strengths, delivering a true integrated sports watch contender that shines through both its movement and case design.
Given current sizing trends, it’s a bit surprising that Zenith chooses to launch the Defy Skyline Chronograph with a 42mm-wide stainless steel case. These are decidedly athletic dimensions in the modern age of 37mm sports watches, but the watch looks to wear its heft well in initial images. Overall, the case design cleaves close to the basic Defy Skyline formula, with the layered circle-and-dodecagon bezel design and the crisp, planar integrated lug design on full display. Like its stablemates, this should be a bright and dynamic case on the wrist, thanks to broad mirror-polished surfaces like the flaring case side chamfers and the lower layer of the strongly geometric bezel. Of course since this is a chronograph, there are pushers to consider, and Zenith has found a pusher design that integrates handsomely and intuitively with the base platform. Asymmetrical, wedge-like, and dramatically faceted, these pushers at 2 o’clock and 4 o’clock keep the Defy Skyline’s bold finishing ethos intact with broad surfaces for both polishing and linear brushing. Naturally, each model in the series is fitted with a sapphire display caseback and is rated for a sporting 100 meters of water resistance.
Although the dials of the Zenith Defy Skyline Chronograph series might seem relatively simple at first glance, the brand packs these designs with a wealth of unique visual flourishes. The basic layout here should be familiar to fans of the brand – the modern, angular paddle handset, faceted applied indices, and engraved four-pointed-star pattern dial are all Defy Skyline hallmarks – but the Defy Skyline Chronograph elevates these with a mix of new cues and motifs from classic El Primero models. The most obvious of these is the trio of overlapping subdials at 3 o’clock, 6 o’clock, and 9 o’clock echoing the classic A386 El Primero, but the printed minutes scale’s peaked design also reimagines the distinctive scale on the A3818 El Primero “Cover Girl.” It’s the dodecagonal outer chapter ring that catches the eye most in images, however, with a striking geometric form and a unique 10-second scale that hints at the unusual El Primero 3600 movement within. The subdials also allude to this unique chronograph movement, with layouts for running seconds, chronograph seconds, and chronograph minutes all calibrated to a scale of 60. Zenith’s always-controversial 4:30 date window makes its appearance here, as well, but a subtle, color-matched presentation helps to minimize its disruptive effects in images. Each of the three available colorways drastically affects the character of this dial in images. Naturally, the sunburst black dial is the most classically sporty of the trio, with an aggressive feel in images that should make it a fan favorite. On the other hand, the silver dial option brings a more refined, subdued character to the design that should prove charismatic on the wrist. Out of the three, however, it’s the deep oceanic blue sunburst that best channels the sporty opulence of classic integrated watch designs. This is also the colorway that best shows off the brand’s characteristic twist on sunburst finishing, which is centered from the applied 12 o’clock star emblem rather than beneath the handset.
Zenith powers the Defy Skyline Chronograph with its in-house El Primero 3600 automatic chronograph movement. Rather than a standard chronograph layout, the El Primero 3600 makes full use of its high-frequency 36,000 bph beat rate to propel its central chronograph hand around the dial once every 10 seconds. This makes precise 1/10-second readings far easier than a standard chronograph, while a more standard chronograph seconds scale along with a 60-minute register keep it from becoming a one-trick pony. Movement finishing is modern and dynamic in images, with a mixture of arabesque brushing, matte blasting, and blued elements including screws and the column wheel. Coupled with the aggressively skeletonized layout, it’s an undeniably striking layout in photos, but it’s the star-shaped stylized rotor that rises above the rest. Finished in a mix of deep, detailed radial brushing and recessed matte elements, this ornately skeletonized piece ratchets up the El Primero 3600’s visual drama even further. A 60-hour power reserve ensures that this powerplant’s performance matches its styling.
No iteration of the Zenith Defy Skyline is complete without its integrated bracelet, and the Defy Skyline Chronograph is no different. The line’s stainless steel H-link bracelet design is fully present here, dominated by broad, vertically brushed planes and interspersed with relatively narrow polished chamfers. The slight taper towards the clasp should help to lessen some of the apparent heft of this watch on the wrist, but even with this in place, this is likely to wear on the bolder side. Integrated rubber straps are also included, with dial-matching straps for the blue and black variants while the silver dial is paired with a racing green.
With such a rapid series expansion over the past two years, a chronograph-equipped variant of the Defy Skyline series seemed like a matter of time. With that said, the new Zenith Defy Skyline Chronograph rises above expectations thanks to its dynamic finishing, subtle complexity, and the sort of chronograph movement performance that Zenith has built its reputation upon. The new Zenith Defy Skyline Chronograph is available now through authorized dealers. MSRP for this model stands at $13,400 USD as of press time. For more information, please visit the brand’s website.
