Hands-On With The Zenith Defy Skyline Chronograph Skeleton

What would happen if you started working out in 1969? How would you look today? Well, if you were a watch, you would probably look like the 42mm Zenith Defy Skyline Chronograph Skeleton. When the athletic Defy A3642 came to life 56 years ago, the watch, with its muscular octagonal case and chiseled tetradecagonal (14-sided) bezel, already looked like it could go the distance. But the first Defy model also had room to grow. Many years of training/evolution have led to a more complicated and bigger yet leaner and meaner version — an open-worked chronograph.

You must keep things in perspective, especially when discussing watches like the Zenith Defy. We live in the age of the integrated-bracelet luxury sports watch, a trend that, for many, started with the Royal Oak in 1972. Although the Defy A3642 doesn’t have an integrated bracelet, the watch’s design language is not so very different from what Gerald Genta designed for Audemars Piguet three years later. Zenith’s creation did cause quite a stir when it came out because things only get a nickname when they’re remarkable and relevant. The Defy’s strong appearance earned it the nickname “coffre-fort,” French for “bank vault” or “safe-deposit box.” In other words, the Defy made a strong first impression but faded over time. In 2022, the Defy Skyline collection debuted, a modern interpretation of an old theme that sits between the Defy Classic and Defy Extreme models.

The Zenith Defy Skyline Chronograph Skeleton in black and blue

Look closely at the bezel of the original Defy and now at the new Defy Skyline Chronograph Skeleton. Do you see a fundamental design difference? Let me give you a hint: the difference is two. The original 14-sided bezel is now a 12-sided one. Losing two sides makes the bezel look a little bit smoother. The strongly faceted octagonal case is still present, and the strong edges and angles, which somewhat resemble a bank vault, are still impossible to crack, even with the strong teeth of time. If a Defy Revival is too retro and a Defy Extreme is just too much/muscular, a Defy Skyline could be the one for you. It offers a modern look but in a moderate size and with less exuberant styling.

With their open-worked dials, the black and blue Zenith Defy Skyline Chronograph Skeleton watches are closer to the Extreme than the Revival iterations. These chronographs have a 42mm steel case with a 12.7mm thickness and a 47mm lug-to-lug length, which means they will fit most (adults’) wrists. Another difference with the original Defy is that the Skyline has an integrated bracelet. It comes off with a push of a button, allowing easy switching with the blue or black rubber strap that comes as an extra. You also might want to know that the watches feature a screw-down crown, sapphire up top and on the back, and a 100m water resistance rating.

Open-worked, skeletonized, or something else?

Inside the blue and black variants of the Defy Skyline Chronograph Skeleton beats the El Primero 3600SK. It does so at a speedy rate of 36,000 vibrations per hour, allowing the chronograph to display 1/10th of a second. A nice touch is the central chronograph hand, which makes 10-second rounds rather than the much more common 60-second rounds. The automatic movement also has a power reserve of 60 hours, and the “SK” addition to the name stands for “skeletonized.”

Now, skeletonized movements come in many different shapes. In the case of these two Zenith creations, they are not traditional in the sense of being extremely delicate. Yes, some material has been taken away, but the result is a movement that still looks sturdy. Combining the movement with an open-worked dial creates a captivating three-dimensional effect.

The dial is cut into four sections reminiscent of the old square Zenith logo, and the lower level of the dial has received a layer of black or blue lacquer. On top, we see open-worked sub-dials in a contrasting light silver. The dial and movement “play very nicely together,” so to speak, as the movement plates have the same color as the dial. It creates a transparent and integrated look. It’s not as hard to read as a traditional skeletonized watch, but it’s also more dramatic and intriguing than a watch with a closed dial.

Wearing the Zenith Defy Skyline Chronograph Skeleton

The Defy Skyline Chronograph Skeleton’s 42mm diameter, 12.7mm thickness, and 47mm length felt just fine on my wrist — not too big, quite slim for an automatic chronograph, and short enough to avoid that somewhat awkward look of a bracelet making a 90° angle.

I had a hard time choosing between the blue and the black. Because of the layers and the open-worked structure, the blue version was less present on the wrist than I anticipated. So, as expected, the black version was almost stealthy but not quite because the construction of the dial and movement is too dynamic for me to call it that. It didn’t bother me, someone who’s not overly attracted to skeletonized watches, because the edgy shapes and angles match the design of the case, bezel, and bracelet very well.

Operating the chronograph is a real pleasure. The pushers feel crisp and solid, and the way the central hand speeds around the dial is most fascinating.

Impressions of the Zenith Skyline Chronograph Skeleton in black and blue

As I wrote, the Defy Skyline collection debuted in 2022 as an evolutionary version of the 1969 original, and it sits between the Revival and Extreme models. The collection keeps expanding, proving that the Zenith Defy is a relevant historical and contemporary watch. However, I feel the Defy, like Girard-Perregaux’s Laureato models, gets snowed under by the Genta-designed watches from Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe, and, to a lesser extent, IWC.

On top of that, many other brands released watches with a similar design language, be it completely new or based on designs from their archives, which created quite a distraction. I mean, even within LVMH, Zenith’s parent group, Hublot creates watches with similar appearances. I know, a Big Bang is an entirely different “beast” than a Defy Skyline Chronograph Skeleton, but when you don’t study the watches side by but glance at them individually — a first impression happens in a split second — can you distinguish them?

Eye-catching qualities

I’m sure the trained watch enthusiast’s eye will see the difference. But remember, there are also untrained people out there wearing and wanting luxury watches. I feel that’s an audience that doesn’t care so much about the Defy’s fascinating origins or, in the case of the different Defy chronograph models, their ground-breaking El Primero movements. But both versions of the Defy Skyline Chronograph Skeleton could have a shot at “hooking” that audience. These chronographs make a strong statement of heritage, style, and technicality, and their first impression is strong. The open-worked dial/movement combo certainly catches the eye and keeps the attention.

Did you choose between the black and blue Zenith Defy Skyline Chronograph Skeleton? If so, you might want to know the price, which is €15,900 / US$15,500.

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