Zenith unveils daring new designs in its DEFY collection at Watches and Wonders 2021
Watches & Jewelry
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© Zenith
At the digital Watches and Wonders 2021 show from 7 to 13 April, the future-thinking watchmaker reaches out to bold individuals who appreciate the alliance of design and performance with DEFY Extreme, its all-terrain chronograph precise to 1/100th of a second. Zenith also explores high frequency through color with luminous new additions to its DEFY collection.
Zenith attains new heights of precision with DEFY, a rugged collection designed to brave the elements. With its high-performance chronograph, the DEFY Extreme is a supercharged version of the DEFY model. Designed for those who want to explore new horizons and new sensations, the DEFY Extreme has a silhouette that exudes resilience with sharp lines and pronounced edges around the 45mm case. New components protect the pushers and crown, while the bezel with its 12-sided ring recalls the faceted bezel of the emblematic DEFY A3642 of the 1960s. The dial, designed for enhanced legibility, offers a clear view of the ground-breaking 1/100th of a second chronograph calibre. Readability is guaranteed even in total darkness thanks to the Super-LumiNova® photoluminescent coating on the hands and hour markers. Water-resistant to 200 meters, the DEFY Extreme adapts to its environment thanks to the three different straps which accompany each model: a micro-blasted, polished or satin-brushed titanium bracelet, a rubber strap and – a first for Zenith – a textile Velcro® strap. Three different wearing experiences covering an array of activities, from the most everyday to the most extreme.
Available in black, blue, and black and rose gold, the DEFY Extreme is spotlighted at the new Extreme E off-road racing championship, of which Zenith is both the founding partner and official timekeeper. According to Zenith CEO Julien Tornare, this partnership is in line with the Zenith Green initiative, launched two years ago to forge a more sustainable future: “It’s exciting to be at the start of what will undoubtedly become the future of off-road extreme racing, while also bringing environmental issues to the forefront. When we conceived the DEFY Extreme, this is exactly the kind of environment we envisioned for it: innovative, off the beaten path and pushing the limits of performance to the extreme, where every millisecond counts and every racer can leave his mark.”
Also at Watches and Wonders 2021, Zenith presents colorful interpretations of its DEFY collection, notably with the DEFY 21 Spectrum. This dazzling line of five precious models evokes the range of colors produced by the different wavelengths of visible light. Each Spectrum timepiece features a 44mm stainless steel case, which has been entirely embellished with 288 brilliant-cut white diamonds. The bezel is set with 44 baguette-cut precious stones matching the color of the rubber strap and the movement: green tsavorites for the green edition, orange sapphires for the orange edition, blue sapphires for the blue edition, amethyst garnets for the purple edition, and black spinels for the black edition. Each is limited to just 10 pieces.
The DEFY 21 Felipe Pantone bears the name of its creator, the contemporary artist famed for his love of brilliant colors. This artwork-timepiece, produced in a limited edition of 100, sold out within 24 hours. It came with a second, iridescent rainbow strap, as well as a certificate signed by the artist. For this model, Zenith applied for the first time a rainbow PVD finish on the bridges and hands. Another luminous design, the DEFY 21 Ultrablue, features a hypnotic gradation of hues from deep indigo to electric blue, which contrast with the white markers and harmonize with the gray case. The white-tipped chronograph hand displays 100ths of a second and travels around the dial in one second.
Precision, performance, color and daring define the new designs from Zenith, which can be viewed on theWonders and Watches 2021 digital platform, alongside other LVMH Group Maisons, including Bvlgari, Chaumet, Hublot, Louis Vuitton and TAG Heuer.