Zenith's limited Defy Extreme Jungle Lives up to Its Name
Limited to just 50 pieces, the Defy Extreme Jungle marks the third and final installment in Zenith’s trilogy of extreme environment-inspired series of its 1/100th of a second chronographs. Following the Desert and Glacier editions, this edition channels the mystery of the jungle, offering a bold design featuring natural gemstones and stunning colors.
Water-resistant to 200 meters, the light yet sturdy 45mm titanium case of the Defy Extreme Jungle features a dodecagonal bezel and pusher protectors made from Tiger's Eye. With its striking golden to brown hues, shifting reflections and a silky sheen, Tiger’s Eye belongs to the quartz family and has long been used in jewelry. Each watch is unique due to the natural variations in this rare stone. Its color striations naturally evoke the enigmatic beauty of the tiger, a symbol of strength and mystique.
The open-designed sapphire dial showcases parts of the intricate workings of the El Primero 9004 caliber. Further evoking the jungle theme, it is tinted in green while the tiger-colored applied counters subtly mimic tiger stripes. These are complemented by beige luminescent markers and hands, ensuring optimal legibility in all conditions.
Turning the watch, you can enjoy an unobstructed view of the El Primero 9004, which is fully exposed via the exhibition case back. Offering a power reserve of 50 hours, it remains the world’s fastest automatic chronograph in production, allowing for 1/100th of a second precision. This is achieved through two independent mechanisms, each with its own power source and regulating organ: one beating at 5Hz (36,000 vph) for timekeeping, and the other at 50Hz (360,000 vph) for the chronograph. Taking advantage of the incredible speed of the latter, the chronograph seconds hand makes a full rotation every second, offering outstanding legibility of the 1/100th of a second display. Here, too, you can discover jungle-inspired finishings, with a khaki green main plate and a satin-brushed oscillating weight in the same hue.
The Defy Extreme Jungle Edition comes with three straps: a titanium bracelet, a khaki green embossed rubber strap with a titanium folding buckle, and a black Velcro strap, that can be easily swapped thanks to an interchangeable strap system.
Pricing is marked at $26,900.
To learn more, visit Zenith, here.
