Introduced in 2022 as the modern successor to the ZENITH DEFY line of rugged and boldly designed wristwatches from 1969, the DEFY Skyline collection builds on its legacy with the same singular edginess and a new level of performance from the Manufacture’s latest generation of the seminal El Primero high-frequency calibre. The collection’s two main pillars – the DEFY Skyline and DEFY Skyline Skeleton – now take on alluring blacked-out look with two new references crafted entirely in black ceramic – including the bracelet.

Much harder than traditional metals and alloys like stainless steel, ceramic boasts many properties that make it a compelling choice for all-situations watches like the DEFY Skyline and DEFY Skyline Skeleton. 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 which 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. A black 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 Ceramic features a black galvanic dial with a sunray finish, shimmering as the light hits its surface. The entire dial features a geometric pattern, consisting of the ZENITH four-pointed stars that historically featured prominently on the case backs of vintage DEFY references as a “double Z”. Evoking the starry night sky, the blackened star-shaped sunken into the dial feature sharp inward facets, with different angles catching light.

For the DEFY Skyline Skeleton Ceramic, the open dial features a blackened large central four-pointed star element, revealing the skeleton movement with black bridges and main plate. An exceptional feat, the Manufacture’s engineers successfully incorporated the shape of the open dial into the skeletonisation of the movement’s bridges and main plate, forming an integral whole. With its subtle contrast of dark tones, the visual depth further enhanced in this unique skeleton watch with a 1/10^th of a second indicator. Both the DEFY Skyline Ceramic and DEFY Skyline Skeleton Ceramic feature faceted polished hands and applied indices filled with white Super-LumiNova for effortless readability – day and night.

Both references are powered by the El Primero 3620 automatic high-frequency manufacture movement, beating at the rate of 5Hz (36’000VpH), providing a 1/10^th of a second indicator 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.

The DEFY Skyline and DEFY Skyline Skeleton are available from ZENITH physical and online boutiques, as well as authorized ZENITH retailers around the world.