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Zenith's story began in 1865 in Le Locle, Switzerland, founded by Georges Favre-Jacot. Early on, Zenith made a mark by centralising all aspects of watchmaking—cases, movements, and assembly—under one roof. In 1969, Zenith introduced the Defy collection. The original Defy was known for its distinctive case and high water resistance, embodying a "bank vault" style. Although the Defy evolved into a more rugged variant of the El Primero over time, it gained renewed attention with the launch of the Defy Revival.
Design Evolution
The Defy series started with the Defy reference A3642 in 1969, known for its chunky octagonal case and unique 14-sided bezel, reflecting a rugged style. Fast forward to 2017, the Defy El Primero 21 Chronograph and the 2021 Defy Extreme highlight Zenith's focus on high-frequency chronograph technology and durable design. The 2021 Defy Extreme showcased Zenith's design prowess with a titanium case and an aggressive, avant-garde look, featuring integrated bracelets with a quick-change mechanism. In 2022, the Defy Skyline was introduced with a refined stainless steel case, reinterpreting the original Defy's geometric design to resemble modern design.
Advanced Timekeeping
The El Primero Calibre 9004 powers the Defy El Primero 21, which measures time to the 1/100th of a second, a remarkable feat among mechanical watches. The Defy Inventor, introduced in 2019, employs a silicon oscillator that does not require lubrication, increasing accuracy to 0.3 seconds every day. The Defy Skyline Skeleton, an astounding iteration, features a skeletonised El Primero 3620 movement visible via a star-patterned dial as well as a unique sub-dial that completes one revolution every 10 seconds. The Defy Extreme Tourbillon has two tourbillons—one for timekeeping and one for the chronograph—highlighting Zenith's commitment to advanced timekeeping technology.