Back in 2022 Zenith surprised us all with the launch of the Defy Skyline, a cool integrated bracelet sports watch with a four-point star motif that really made a splash. Its launch also coincided with a time when integrated bracelet sports watches were at the height of their popularity, which instantly boosted it to becoming one of the breakout stars of watchmaking that year. Building on that popularity Zenith have continued to release new editions and explore alternative iterations of the design. Which leads us to the release of the new Zenith Defy Skyline Chronograph Boutique Edition.
The Defy Skyline Chronograph was first released at Watches & Wonders earlier this year. However, we didn’t cover the story at the time because we prioritised the Defy Extreme Diver and the revival of the Defy Plongeur, which were released concurrently. That’s part of the reason I want to talk about the new boutique edition even though it’s technically just a new colourway, as it means we can finally talk about the Skyline Chronograph in general.
It measures 42mm in diameter with the signature facetted case shape of the Defy Skyline range. The case itself is octagonal while the broad bezel that sits atop it is a dodecagon, presenting an interesting contrast in shapes, emphasised by the alternating brushed and polished surfaces that really bring out the facets. Of course, as a chronograph model the crown at 3 o’clock is now flanked by pushers, which here follow a similarly angular design and wide, flat surfaces. It feels appropriately sporty.
The dial has the signature star-field design of the standard Skyline, as opposed to the warped version found on the Tourbillon model although I do really like that variation. For the boutique edition, the base of the dial is a lovely slate grey colour while the stars, hands and hour markers are all in a rose gold tone. It makes for a striking appearance and is one of my favourite designs Zenith do (they’ve used this combination on previous boutique editions). The standard collection consists of blue, white and black dial versions.
As for the chronograph display, they’ve opted for a tricompax layout that’s closely clustered around the central hands. Packing it tightly in the centre means there’s more open dial space for the signature motif around the edges. The three subdials consist of small seconds 9 o’clock, a 60-minute counter at 6 o’clock and a 60-second counter at 3 o’clock. What makes this special is that on the majority of chronographs, the 60-second counter takes the form of the large, central chronograph hand, but here that central chronograph hand is instead a 1/10th of a second chronograph counter, meaning it completes a rotation once every 10 seconds.
This is made possible by the El Primer 3600 automatic chronograph movement. It operates at a hi-beat frequency of 36,000 vibrations per hour, which is 5Hz. On top of that, it manages to maintain a power reserve of 60-hours, which is impressive given the power intensive nature of such a high frequency and the frenetic chronograph display.
Considering how impressive the movement is, it’s no wonder that the Defy Skyline Chronograph Boutique Edition is priced at £12,100. That’s the same price as its standard edition counterparts, which makes sense because it’s functionally identical. It will just be a touch more exclusive as it’s only available from Zenith boutiques.
Price and Specs:
More details at Zenith.
