Le Locle, October 15, 2024: During the 2024 edition of SIAR México, the largest watch event in Latin America, ZENITH unveils an exceptional rendition of the DEFY Skyline in black ceramic with green and gold accents, available exclusively in North and South America.
The Americas region now has its own special edition of the DEFY Skyline, and it’s unlike any of the others. First introduced in 2022 as the modern successor to the ZENITH DEFY line of rugged and boldly designed wristwatches from 1969, the DEFY Skyline seamlessly merges the past and present with bold architectural lines, unwavering robustness, and automatic high frequency El Primero manufacture movements that have come to define the line. For the DEFY Skyline Americas edition, ZENITH is combining the unique properties of ceramic with striking chromatics in shades of green and gold.
Much harder than traditional metals and alloys, ceramic boasts many properties that make it a compelling choice for an all-situations watch like the DEFY Skyline. Its extreme hardness, which requires diamond-tipped tools to cut the sharp lines of the DEFY Skyline and decorate it with a mix of satin-brushed and polished surfaces, makes ceramic highly resistant to scratches and visible wear. Unlike blackened metal elements that are simply plated, the ceramic itself is black and will never wear off. Even the integrated bracelet that follows the contours of the case is crafted in black ceramic.
The DEFY Skyline Ceramic Americas edition features an unprecedented two-tone dial, where a sunray-finished deep metallic green dial gives way to a constellation of engraved rose gold-toned stars with sharp inward facets. Each angle catches the light and animates the dial. An emblematic feature of the DEFY Skyline, the geometric pattern draws inspiration from the case backs of vintage DEFY references as a “double Z” symbol. Consisting of perfectly arranged four-pointed stars, the motif depicts the starry night sky adding contrast and visual depth. It is accentuated by the matching gold-tone hands and applied markers that are filled with Super-LumiNova for optimal readability in any condition.
The DEFY Skyline Americas edition is powered by the El Primero 3620 automatic high-frequency manufacture movement, beating at the rate of 5Hz (36’000VpH) that in turn provides a 1/10th of a second indicator on the dial that is directly driven by the escapement. Its efficient automatic bi-directional winding mechanism with a blackened star-shaped rotor delivers a power reserve of approximately 60 hours.
A dark green patterned rubber strap with a blackened steel folding clasp is also included, and swapping between it and the ceramic bracelet is effortless using the quick strap-change mechanism integrated directly in the case back.
The DEFY Skyline Americas edition is limited to 100 pieces in total and available exclusively from ZENITH online boutiques and authorized retailers in North and South America.