The Zenith Defy Collection Shows a Breaking Aim

Since the 1960s, the Defy collection has been a constant presence in Zenith watchmaking. With the launch of the Defy El Primero 21 at Baselworld in 2017, this collection has become one of Zenith's flagship models. Let's take a look at the current state of this collection.

Zenith Defy Collection

Performance-oriented

　Over 50 years ago, Zenith introduced a new sports watch called the Defy. Under the direction of Julien Tornare, CEO of Zenith and a member of the LVMH Watch Division, Zenith successfully developed the Defy into one of its most innovative and creative products, both in terms of movement manufacturing techniques and materials.

　This year, in addition to launching a new women's collection, DEFY Midnight, DEFY also announced a surprise collaboration with British car manufacturer Land Rover and fellow British DJ and music producer Carl Cox.

　In the late 1960s, Zenith introduced the legendary El Primero movement, and the Defy launched its career as Zenith's "toughest watch." In recent years, this type of watch has been positioned among collectors as a "heavy-duty sports watch" and ideal "everyday wear." At the time, Zenith marketed the Defy as simply "tough guy." Featuring a patented movement suspension system and shock-absorbing rings, the watch offered such impressive performance that customers no longer needed to purchase another watch.

　The first Defy (A3645) equipped with the Caliber 2552 PC featured an edgy octagonal case with screw-down mineral crystal and case back, and a screw-down crown. The use of a 16-facet screw-down ring made it easy to replace the crystal if necessary, which is also noteworthy. Around the same time, Zenith also introduced the Defy Plongeur (A3648/A3649) with a similar case. This model featured a rotating bezel and a crown positioned between 4 and 5 o'clock, ensuring both accidental operation prevention and a comfortable fit. And it didn't disappoint.

　In 1971, Zenith attached six of its watches to the spokes of a motorcycle's rear wheel during a speed contest at Wembley Stadium. All six survived the test, earning a "very good" rating. That same year, Zenith also used the Defy in a monoskiing competition, confirming that it performed with the same accuracy as before the test. Soon after, Zenith expanded the collection to include a reliable women's model.

　By 1977, the Defy collection was "delivering tomorrow's promises today," with advertising touting the collection's four defining features: precision, robustness, water resistance, and versatility. While the Defy was certainly indestructible, the watch industry was not. As the Swiss watch industry shook up in the 1970s and 1980s, Zenith's then-parent company decided to produce quartz watches to stay ahead of the competition.

　Fortunately, this decision was later reversed, and Zenith was acquired by LVMH in 2000. In 2006, the collection was relaunched with the Defy Classic and Defy Extreme, which within a year accounted for 25% of the brand's sales. Made with a bold combination of materials—pink gold, titanium, steel, and rubber—the Defy retained its original characteristic of external and internal shock absorption. Then, in 2008, Zenith introduced the Defy Extreme Zero G, a watch with a completely new concept, incorporating a gimbal system for the escapement.

Watchmaking into the 21st century

　Julien Tornare took over as CEO of Zenith in mid-2017 and has been the driving force behind revitalizing the traditional Swiss brand. I spoke to him in January, and he told me that "we need to wake up Sleeping Beauty." This meant that Zenith needed to diversify beyond El Primero and take a more modern approach to watchmaking in general. "That's why we've introduced the Defy El Primero 21 and the Defy Inventor, and why the Defy has become a new growth engine."

The DEFY watch has also become a creative platform for the brand's technological innovations. In collaboration with LVMH's scientific research institute, the brand unveiled the DEFY Lab, a watch equipped with an oscillator, in September 2017. Crafted by etching a silicon wafer, the oscillator combines the balance, balance spring, and lever into a single component, achieving approximately ten times greater precision. The DEFY Lab was a particularly limited edition model, with only 10 pieces sold, but mass production began with the DEFY Inventor, unveiled at Baselworld in 2019.

　The openwork dial offers a spectacular view of the oscillator beating at 129,600 vibrations per hour (18Hz). The satin-finished titanium case houses a bezel crafted from Aeronight, a high-tech aluminum composite that Zenith claims is the lightest material in the world. Crafted from pure aluminum and reinforced with polymer, this material is three times lighter than titanium and contributes to the watch's industrial yet modern look.