New York, January 21, 2025 – On the occasion of the 2025 LVMH Watch Week, ZENITH unveils a skeletonized version of the Defy Skyline Chronograph. Its edgy openwork design lets you admire every technical detail of its El Primero movement and each moment of precision.
Conceived for an ever-fast-moving world where every fraction of a second counts, the DEFY Skyline is an integrated-bracelet luxury sports watch that shines in both its sleek design and unique technical capabilities. Fully in touch with its time, its dynamic geometric design draws inspiration from the already futuristic codes of the late 1960s DEFY models. The newest version of the DEFY Skyline chronograph retains the DNA of its predecessors; edgier, more architectural, it extends its creative concept through an openwork design, resulting in a resolutely modern evolution of the legendary El Primero.
The art of “skeletonization” consists in hollowing out the plate, bridges, and other components of the movement to reveal its inner workings. Which means that the innovative DEFY Skyline chronograph caliber can be admired through the sapphire crystal, both on the front and back of the case. As a vertically integrated manufacture, ZENITH benefits from full creative freedom with a continuous dialogue between designers, engineers, and watchmakers. The modern, artful approach on “skeletonization” underlines the bold technical character of the model while retaining its functionality and offering perfect legibility. Just as for the time-only Defy Skyline Skeleton, its dial is hollowed out with geometric cut outs in a nod to the ZENITH “double Z” logo of the 1960s. The three-contrasting grey azuré subdials are openworked. Last, the faceted applied baton hour markers and the hands feature Super-LumiNova for enhanced legibility in all conditions.
Crafted from steel, the 42mm octagonal Defy Skyline case is topped with a 12-facet bezel and flanked by dynamic pushers. The alternating brushed and polished surfaces create a captivating interplay of light and shadows that enhance its angular design. With a focus on performance, the display case back secured by four hexagonal screws and the screw-down crown engraved with the ZENITH star ensure a 10 ATM water resistance.
This new version of the DEFY Skyline is powered by an exceptional movement, a skeletonized version of the calibre El Primero 3600. Originally presented in 2019, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the legendary ZENITH chronograph movement, the Calibre 3600 has the unique ability of displaying the 1/10th of a second with unprecedented functionality. Measuring such a short fraction of time is already a feat enabled by the movement’s 5Hz frequency (or 10 vibrations per second). Making it perfectly legible is even better: to accurately render each of its pulsations visible, its central seconds hand completes a full rotation every 10 seconds instead of the standard 60 seconds. Its steps precisely mark 1/10th of a second against the graduations on the chapter ring. The bi-directional automatic winding mechanism of the El Primero Caliber 3600SK delivers a power reserve of approximately 60 hours.
A perfect blend of performance and style, the DEFY Skyline Chronograph Skeleton comes in black or blue as the open-worked dial, main plate, bridges, and star-shaped oscillating weight are rendered in matching colour. This exercise in horological architecture is further graced by alternating finishes to accentuate each line and curve.
A testament to its versatile spirit and as for the other models of the DEFY Skyline collection, the Chronograph Skeleton is equipped with a practical interchangeable-strap system. With the simple push of a button at the back of the case, the integrated three-link steel bracelet can be swapped with the additional star-patterned rubber strap that matches the movement’s colour.
The DEFY Skyline Chronograph skeleton is available exclusively from ZENITH’s physical, online boutiques and through authorized retailers worldwide.
