Paris, June 26, 2024: Things are heating up in the French capital. As the City of Light prepares to welcome visitors from all over the world this summer, ZENITH CEO Benoit de Clerck welcomed guests, clients and the press to discover the DEFY Skyline Édition Paris, a limited edition of 50 pieces featuring verdant tones with a gradient effect – a first for a contemporary ZENITH model.
An architectural watch for one of the world’s most spectacular metropoles. The DEFY Skyline serves as a modern successor to the very first ZENITH DEFY wristwatch model from 1969. With its sculpted lines and geometric facets, the DEFY Skyline seamlessly merges the past and present with its singular design and unwavering robustness that have become hallmarks of the DEFY Skyline collection. What sets the DEFY Skyline Édition Paris apart is its striking verdigris gradient dial.
Fitting the DEFY Skyline’s sculpted and angular silhouette, ZENITH drew inspiration from the Parisian horizon, where classical as well as contemporary architecture seamlessly blend into a panorama like no other. From the lavish rooftops of historical buildings to the art-nouveau metro entrances, and bridges from a bygone era, copper is everywhere in the City of Light. Like an ode to longevity and endurance, aged copper develops an intense verdigris tone while standing steadfast against the elements – and time itself.
Beyond the intense verdigris colour of the dial that evokes weathered copper, its gradient effect makes the DEFY Skyline Édition Paris truly outstanding. It is something that ZENITH pioneered back in 1969 with the earliest DEFY wristwatches. In particular, the A3642, A3690 and A3691 stand out as pieces that truly marked the 1970s for their original use of colour, enhanced by a gradient or “vignette” effect that darkens towards the edges. The DEFY Skyline Édition Paris marks the first time that ZENITH incorporates this effect in a modern incarnation of the DEFY, adding a layer of depth to the geometric dial engraved with ZENITH’s signature Starry Sky pattern.
The DEFY Skyline Édition Paris is powered by the El Primero 3620 automatic high-frequency calibre, featuring a 1/10th of a second indicator that’s driven directly from the 5Hz escapement. It features a power reserve of approximately 60 hours and is endowed with a stop-second mechanism for precise time-setting. For this special edition, the case back is engraved with “ÉDITION PARIS” and the watch’s limited edition number out of 50.
The DEFY Skyline Édition Paris comes on an integrated steel bracelet, as well as a black patterned rubber strap to make the most of the case’s ingenious quick strap-change mechanism that requires no tools to operate.
Each of the 50 pieces will be delivered in a locally designed & created bespoke package and will be numbered in accordance with the watches’ limited-edition numbers for the ultimate collectible set.
The DEFY Skyline Édition Paris is a limited edition of 50 pieces, available exclusively from ZENITH physical and online boutiques in France.
