Mechanical watches came roaring back in the 2000s, however, and Zenith, now part of the LVMH luxury group that had scooped it up in 1999, began writing the Defy’s second chapter in 2006. Like many traditional, mechanical watches introduced in that transitional era for the watch industry, the Zenith Defy had a relatively short initial run: by 1977, it was one of many casualties of the Quartz Crisis, essentially priced out of the market by cheaper, battery-powered competitors from Japan. The Defy was positioned as Zenith’s toughest watch, featured in an advertisement in which six of the watches were strapped to the spokes of a motorcycle in a speed test at London’s Wembley Stadium. Its “ladder-style” bracelet from legendary chainmaker Gay Frères also made the original reference notable. That watch was nicknamed the “coffre-fort,” a French term translating to “bank vault” or “safe,” a reference to its robustly angular, octagonal case, 14-sided bezel, and high-for-the-time water resistance of 300 meters, secured by its crown, caseback, and mineral crystal, all of which screwed securely into the case. ) In that same pivotal year, Zenith also released an avant-garde wristwatch series called Defy, whose bold, edgy design proved to be ahead of its time, and found its expression in the now-legendary Ref. The company has earned a record number of chronometry prizes over the years, and its most influential contribution to watchmaking history is its El Primero chronograph caliber, released in 1969. As one of the first watchmaking maisons to integrate all aspects of the watchmaking process under one roof, from case manufacturing to movement production to final casing and assembly, Zenith has long prided itself on its quest for timekeeping precision.

Swiss watch manufacture Zenith traces its roots to 1865, when it was founded in the village of Le Locle by precocious 22-year-old watchmaker Georges Favre-Jacot. 0% interest for up to 24 months available on select brands.

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