The story in a second: Contemporary design and classic size make this a winning combination. It’s no secret that the Defy is Zenith’s darling this year. Baselworld 2018 saw them release a swag of different versions, including the crazy Zero G, the impressive chronograph, and this watch, the comparatively simple Classic. And while it may lack some of the fancy functionality of its bigger brothers, for me the Zenith Defy Classic – particularly this open-worked dial option – is the real winner. The dial You have to start with the dial, don’t you: a modern open-worked number with a bold star motif, inspired indirectly by the brand’s star logo, and more obviously by the epic Defy Lab limited edition from last year. And while these sort of dials tend to lean towards illegibility, it’s not really an issue here, as the quite large, lumed hour markers are anchored by the contrasting colour of the outer chapter ring, and the hands are bold enough to stand out against the busy background. The date at six (and indeed the whole date wheel) does get a little lost, though, and frankly I think that’s more of a pro than a con, blending seamlessly… Read More
VIDEO: The Zenith Defy El Primero 21 – a cutting-edge chronograph
Earlier this week we had a look at Zenith’s entry point into the Defy family, the solid-dialled Defy Classic. Well, today we’re going to kick it up a notch with something the brand is particularly famous for — a chronograph. And not just any chrono, but the Defy El Primero 21, a watch that marries the modern silhouette and skeletonised look of the Defy with an awesome movement. The El Primero 21 is an evolution of the revolutionary El Primero, which debuted way back in 1969, when Woodstock was the place to be and Vietnam was not the recreational travel destination it is today. And while coupling an automatic movement with a chronograph was a big deal back then, we’ve moved on a little. The EP 21 still marks time but it does so using two regulators, one for timekeeping and the other for the chronograph. The latter beats at a whopping 50Hz, allowing you to time events up to an accuracy of a hundredth of a second. In turn this means that the central chronograph hand makes a revolution every second. And yes, we know we didn’t capture that in the video – we’re kicking ourselves. All told, the Defy… Read More
VIDEO: Solid sports style from Zenith – the Defy Classic
In recent times, Zenith have made a marked change of tack — away from the oversized heritage pieces that have been their main focus. The Pilot watches are still there, of course, but now the Defy shares top billing as a contemporary alternative. And while the Defy is dominated by the aggressively skeletonised look that we know and love, this solid-dialled Defy Classic is perhaps my number one pick. The dial does a great job of toning down the statement aspect of the Defy, and letting the excellent case and bracelet shine. To my mind this is a really interesting option for a daily watch; it’s a fairly novel design from an interesting brand, it’s comfortable, practical and lightweight. It also looks great on the wrist. The case shape and titanium construction make it a slightly less conventional offering, but that’s not a bad thing. If you still want to run with the pack, but at the outskirts, this sporty, sleek Defy Classic could be just what you’re after. Zenith Defy Classic Australian pricing Zenith Defy Classic, titanium on bracelet, $9600
HANDS-ON: The Zenith Defy Classic Skeleton — a Defy Lab-inspired entry level to the collection
It sort of feels like all we’ve been hearing about from Zenith through the last year leading up to Baselworld 2018 has been all things Defy. And fair enough, the Defy Lab is technically the biggest thing since the horological equivalent of sliced bread (the winding rotor perhaps?). As we got closer to the fair, it was clear that there’s no way a production version of the Defy Lab could be ready in time. Instead, Zenith have treated us to a couple of new models in the collection, including an entry-level offering that takes a healthy dose of design cues from its groundbreaking sibling. Vital statistics A star-like pattern resting above an open dial really couldn’t be a more blatant attempt to draw parallels between the Defy Classic and the Defy Lab, though the two watches couldn’t be more different from one another, other than their shared case design. The Defy Classic is powered by the Elite 670 SK self-winding movement, rather than an El Primero — no doubt to be able to push a lower entry price. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the Zenith Elite calibers, so this isn’t really a con. The big selling feature on the Defy… Read More
HANDS-ON: The Zenith Defy El Primero Zero G
Since the launch of the Defy 21 last year, and the shockingly innovative Defy Lab later in 2017, it wasn’t a matter of speculation that more releases for the new collection were coming to Baselworld in 2018. The new Zero G is this year’s Halo watch from the brand as we wait for the groundbreaking new escapement to trickle down to series production. Though this is a new execution, the Zero G’s clever gyroscopic escapement — said to have been based on the concept of the gimbals used in old marine chronometers — is nothing new. Oddly enough, the first execution of the Zero-G was also a Defy, known as the Defy Xtreme Zero-G Tourbillon. Since that massive half-million dollar beast’s launch, Zenith have further refined the mechanism, scaling it down to a more modest size that no longer requires a large dome in the crystal to accommodate its freewheeling functionality. Vital statistics Regardless of how new the innovation is, there’s much to love about the new Zero G. At its heart, a high-beat El Primero caliber delivers a 50-hour power reserve to its indication of time and running seconds, with a subtle power reserve display to the right of… Read More
HANDS-ON: Zenith Takes patina to the skies with new CP-2 Bronze Flyback Chronograph
There’s no denying how many of us are often frustrated by the frequent “mild updates” launched by brands — new dial colours, new case and bezel materials, and the like; however, this year in Geneva, Zenith were one of the few to do so with such thoughtful execution that we couldn’t not make it a point of discussion. Yes, we’re talking about the beloved Cairelli chronograph reissue, the Pilot Cronometro Tipo CP-2 Flyback, unveiled in bronze (as well as aged steel) for 2018. Bronze continues to gain huge traction in the “accessible luxury” segment, and having first capitalised on the trend in 2015 with the bronze Pilot Type 20, creating a bronze CP-2 was a logical choice. Surprisingly, one of the key selling points of the new CP-2 Bronze Flyback Chronograph has nothing to do with its sexy new casing. For 2018, Zenith decided to up the ante by fitting the piece with its El Primero 405B caliber: an automatic column-wheel chronograph movement with flyback function, and a 50-hour power reserve. In celebration of this upgraded caliber, Zenith have fitted the new model with a sapphire display caseback, allowing its new owners the opportunity to admire the brand’s longstanding technical… Read More
HANDS-ON: The Zenith Pilot Type 20 Southern Cross
During a time when planes were more fabric than steel, and I’m sure the phrase “on a wing and a prayer” had a much more literal meaning, Zenith were pioneering the use of pilot watches, with French aviator Louis Blériot wearing a Zenith on his wrist as he made the first ever flight across the English Channel in 1909. In fact, Zenith were so early to reach the skies that they are the only brand that can use the word “Pilot” on a watch dial, thanks to them being marketing-savvy and trademarking the term. All this is a roundabout way of saying that Zenith’s Pilot collection has some serious cred. This year, the well-received bronzed-case Pilot Type 20 Extra Special – which debuted in 2015 – has been given a dose of down under, with the release of an Australian-market-only limited-edition, made for the Australian Watch Forum, a Facebook group, which was created in 2015 by two Aussie watch guys, Nick and Nathan, and now boasts (at the time of writing) more than 3000 members. The AWF, in an effort spearheaded by forum moderator Don, worked with Zenith in Australia to design the brand new Pilot Type 20 Southern Cross…. Read More
HANDS-ON: The Zenith Cronometro Tipo CP-2
There are a few select words and phrases regarding vintage watches that, when said, are sure to light the fires of enthusiasm inside a collector. One such phrase is “military provenance”; another, which can stoke either the flames of desire or disgust, depending on who you’re speaking to, is “vintage reissue”. We’re going to invoke both phrases here. In the 1960s, Zenith produced a watch with some serious military cred, which they recently celebrated with a faithful modern re-creation, limited to 1000 pieces. The original, code-named the Tipo CP-2 chronograph, was made for pilots of the Italian armed forces. It was also known as the “A. Cairelli”, after its Rome-based distributor, whose name is printed on the dial. Prices of these cockpit-appointed chronographs have gone sky-high in the last couple of years – one selling for CHF62,500 last year at Phillip’s Start-Stop-Reset auction in Geneva. It’s not inaccurate, then, to say that the demand for a handsome military-inspired chronograph is peaking, and the release of the new Zenith Cronometro Tipo CP-2 was perfectly pitched to delight both vintage and modern-day collectors. The appeal of the Tipo CP-2 is largely down to the fact that it’s an absolute dead ringer for the original. At 43mm, the stainless-steel… Read More
