Zenith

Zenith is one of the premium Swiss watch brands. Zenith watches operates since 1865 and today is a subsidiary of the luxury group LVMH (Bulgari, TAG Heuer, Hublot). Zenith produces all watch movements in-house and is famous for the 1969 El Primero calibre, one of the first automatic chronograph calibers. In 2012 the Zenith El Primero Stratos Flyback Striking 10th watch has been released.

Zenith Drops Defy Skyline in Black Ceramic

Special surface structures, decorations, and finishes add a distinctive edge and a high degree of recognizability to any dial. This year, we saw an abundance of expressive patterns distinguishing the latest line-ups of high horology brands. Among them is Zenith’s Defy Skyline Black Ceramic which was unveiled with a magnificent black ceramic exterior at Watches...

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May 23, 2023 by Sabine Zwettler

Hands-On With the New Zenith Pilot Watch Collection

After a stretch of El Primero and Defy releases, Zenith gave us not just a refresh of their famous Pilot watch collection but one that is, save for the name, entirely new altogether. For Watches & Wonders 2023, the only brand with the rights to use the word “Pilot” for its pilot watches came in...

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May 17, 2023 by Bilal Khan

Watches and Wonders 2023: Zenith Lands With New Generation of Its Pilot Watch

Zenith presents its historically inspired Pilot model in a completely new design at this year’s Watches and Wonders. The redesigned case of the Pilot Automatic, now 40mm in diameter, is made of ceramic or stainless steel. The horizontal grooves on the dial are meant to recall the corrugated metal that some aircraft fuselages used to...

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Mar 29, 2023 by Sabine Zwettler

A Second Look: Zenith Embraces the Arctic with DEFY Extreme Glacier (With Hands-On Photos)

Photography by Bilal Khan. With its glaciers, ice floes, and snow-covered mountains, the awe-inspiring arctic has provided inspiration for many creative endeavors, with one of the latest examples being the DEFY Extreme Glacier from Zenith. To achieve the dynamic glacial-inspired model, the brand makes use of semi-precious chalcedony stone that mimics the appearance of ice. ...

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Mar 9, 2023 by Caleb Anderson

Delightfully Defy: Zenith Launches Unlimited Revival Edition

With the Defy Revival A3691, Zenith adds another chapter to its Defy story. The faithful reproduction of one of the first Defy wristwatches from 1971, it is the second revival edition of this collection that premiered in 1969. The three-hand plus date model comes in the signature octagonal stainless steel case with a 14-sided bezel....

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Feb 3, 2023 by Sabine Zwettler

PORTFOLIO

Stopwatches at the Top: 7 Chronographs with In-House Movements

Looking for a chronograph with a completely in-house-manufactured movement? In this feature from WatchTime's June 2017 issue, we showcase some of the industry’s top picks, from seven power brands, from Breitling to Rolex to Zenith.

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Jan 21, 2023 by Alexander Krupp

Zenith Launches Defy Skyline Boutique Edition

At this year’s LVMH Watch Week, which took place in Singapore from January 10 to 12, Zenith’s Defy line took center stage. Among the four new models the time-honored Swiss brand introduced to this family, the Defy Skyline Boutique Edition is a picture-perfect contemporary luxury sports watch. Debuting in a 41mm octagonal steel case with...

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Jan 17, 2023 by Sabine Zwettler

Zenith Introduces Colorful Defy Skyline with a Scaled-Down Case at LVMH Watch Week

For most enthusiasts, the fascination of mechanical wristwatches comes from perfection of the form. From the numerals and indices to the hands, indications, and virtually all parts – fans and aficionados are captivated by the perfect balance of both aesthetics and performance. Such a harmonious appeal stems from precisely calculated proportions that are matched to...

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Jan 10, 2023 by Sabine Zwettler

Zenith Introduces Defy Extreme Glacier at LVMH Watch Week

Following the Defy Extreme Desert launched in 2021, Zenith is traveling to the opposite kind of landscape for its second edition, the Defy Extreme Glacier. Parts of the 45-mm and 20 bar pressure resistant titanium case, such as the pusher guards and the dodecagonal bezel, are crafted from chalcedony. This crystalline semi-translucent stone has a...

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Jan 10, 2023 by Sabine Zwettler

Hands-On Debut: Zenith Defy Skyline Skeleton

The popularity of last year’s Zenith Defy Skyline was somewhat unexpected, yet wholly unsurprising. An integrated bracelet sports watch with sleek octagonal bezel and unique 1/10th second counter is compelling enough but the level of finishing and accessible price point took the Defy Skyline to the next level. Now, for LVMH Watch Week 2023 we...

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Jan 10, 2023 by Bilal Khan

The Dial as Canvas, Revisited: Five Timepieces from Artistic Collaborations

When watch companies collaborate with artists and designers, expect to see exciting results: we showcased six of them a few years back. As this year’s Art Basel Miami event wraps up, we explore other international celebrities and young cutting-edge artists that are enriching the watch world. In 2021, Hublot began a collaboration with a true...

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Jan 8, 2023 by Maria-Bettina Eich

Two is Better Than One: Zenith Introduces Defy Extreme Double Tourbillon

With the Defy Extreme Tourbillon, Zenith launches its most advanced and complicated chronograph movement to date. This high-frequency haute horlogerie chronograph beats at the rate of 360’000 VpH and can thus measure the 1/100th of a second. It is also equipped with two independent tourbillon mechanisms. While the one in charge for the time keeping...

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Jan 4, 2023 by Sabine Zwettler

2022 Year in Review: 8 Chronographs Ready for Action

Kicking off our annual tradition of recapping some of the most notable stories and watches from the year, today we’re talking about the watch world’s most common complication (after a simple date aperture, that is), in the chronograph. Equipping sports watches to formal pieces to everything in between, the chronograph is a complication as useful in...

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Dec 21, 2022 by Caleb Anderson

Hands-On Debut: Zenith Defy Classic Collaboration With Fusalp

Zenith and French ski-apparel brand Fusalp have just launched a limited collaboration with a pair of Defy Classic watches that I was fortunate enough to get a hands-on look at earlier this year. Limited edition collaborations are hit-or-miss (though, I suppose this is really true for just about any release) but they tend to be...

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Nov 16, 2022 by Bilal Khan

Zenith, Kari Voutilainen, and Phillips Unveil Unique Caliber 135-O With Salmon Dial & Niobium Case

Just about every watch enthusiast out there was abuzz with excitement when the Zenith Caliber 135 Observatoire Limited Edition in collaboration with none other than Kari Voutilainen was announced earlier this year. At the time of announcement, we saw the reveal of the set of ten pieces in platinum with black-finished sterling silver dial along...

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Sep 29, 2022 by Bilal Khan

A Brief History of the Mechanical Watch’s Fight Against Magnetism

In our latest visit to the global WatchTime archives, a look at how watchmaking has countered the threat of magnetism over the years, from using metals like palladium in 1915 to silicon in 2015. Magnetism has been the mechanical timekeeping’s nemesis through the years. It is to the mechanical watch what Prof. Moriarty is to Sherlock...

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Sep 18, 2022 by WatchTime

The Historic Vintage Watches From Zenith’s “Master of Chronographs” Exhibition

After a stint at Phillips in New York, the Zenith Master of Chronographs exhibition made its way to Los Angeles a few weeks back. Housed in Westime’s stunning new space overlooking Rodeo Drive, the exhibition serves as an interactive timeline of the brand’s rich history of chronographs stretching from the early 1900s to current day....

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Sep 9, 2022 by Bilal Khan

PORTFOLIO

Time Machines: 7 Automotive-Inspired Retro Watches

A classic car is a time machine into the past. But what about the smaller machines that measure time’s passage? Which watches would harmonize best with a vintage car’s styling? Fortunately, the retro trend in watches is bigger than ever. Here are seven suggestions, photographed by our own Nik Schölzel.

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Sep 3, 2022 by Jens Koch

FEATURE

Chronomania: The 50+-Year History of the Automatic Chronograph

Fifty years ago, the consortium of Heuer-Leonidas, Breitling, Buren-Hamilton and Dubois Dépraz vied with lone wolves Zenith and Seiko in the race to launch the world’s first automatic chronograph movement. How did these brands keep their developments secret? And how did the watch world change? We searched the past for clues.

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Aug 20, 2022 by WatchTime

FEATURE

On the Cusp: A Brief History of the Zenith El Primero

Zenith’s El Primero automatic chronograph caliber — unveiled to the world 50 years ago this year, in 1969 — is regarded as one of the world’s best and most accurate movements. In this historical feature from the WatchTime archives, contributor Thomas Gronenthal takes a look at its development.

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Jul 17, 2022 by WatchTime

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