Zenith Unveils the New Defy Skyline Skeleton Chronograph Watch

During the 2025 LVMH Watch Week, Zenith unveiled a striking new version of the Defy Skyline Chronograph, taking inspiration from the bold designs of the late 1960s. This new iteration draws directly from the innovative spirit that characterized the early Defy models, which were ahead of their time in both design and technical capabilities. The idea behind the “Defy Skyline Chronograph Skeleton” is to reinterpret this pioneering heritage with a modern twist, creating a watch that is as much a statement of architectural design as it is a tribute to Zenith’s rich history of precision and craftsmanship.

The watch comes in a 42mm octagonal stainless steel case that exemplifies the signature Defy design with its sharp, angular lines. The case is crowned with a 12-facet bezel, adding a dynamic and architectural touch. Its brushed and polished surfaces create a captivating interplay of light and shadow, enhancing its modern aesthetic. The chronograph pushers at 2 and 4 o'clock further emphasize the watch's contemporary edge. A sapphire crystal on both the front and back provides a clear view of the skeletonized movement, while the display case back is secured by four hexagonal screws for added durability. Additionally, the screw-down crown, engraved with the iconic Zenith star, ensures the watch is water-resistant up to 100 meters, combining both elegance and practicality.

The dial of the watch features a striking openworked design that showcases the intricate movement within. Geometric cut-outs pay homage to the Zenith "double Z" logo from the 1960s, blending heritage with modern aesthetics. The three contrasting grey azuré subdials are also openworked, offering a view into the watch’s mechanical precision. The dial is available in two color variations, black and blue, with the openworked elements, main plate, bridges. At the edges of the dial, a 12-sided chapter ring echoes the angular shape of the case and features a white minute track, adding a subtle yet striking detail to the design. The  Rhodium-plated hour indices are faceted applied batons, and the  Rhodium-plated hands are coated with Super-LumiNova, ensuring excellent legibility in any lighting conditions.

The chronograph function is clearly visible with a 60-minute counter at 6 o'clock, and a 60-second counter at 3 o'clock, and small seconds subdial at 9 o'clock, a central chronograph hand that makes a full rotation every 10 seconds to display 1/10th of a second. This skeletonized dial design not only highlights the artistry of the movement but also retains clarity and functionality for the wearer.

The watch is powered by the El Primero 3600SK automatic movement, an in-house caliber developed by Zenith. This high-performance movement operates at a frequency of 36,000 vibrations per hour (5Hz), ensuring exceptional precision, including the ability to measure time to the 1/10th of a second. It boasts a 60-hour power reserve, allowing the watch to maintain accurate timekeeping even after extended periods without being worn. The El Primero 3600SK movement is further enhanced by a silicon escapement wheel, improving its reliability and performance, while reducing friction for greater durability and accuracy. Additionally, the movement is equipped with a skeletonized star-shaped rotor, finished in a color matching the dial, adding an artistic touch to its mechanical excellence.

It comes with a stainless steel bracelet, and a rubber strap in black for the black dial and blue for the blue dial, both featuring a stainless steel folding clasp. The price is USD 15,500 approximately AED 57,000.

For more information, you can visit Zenith’s official website.