Zenith continues to expand the Defy line which already consists of Classic, Extreme, 21, Zero G, Midnight, Double Tourbillon, Fusee Tourbillon, and Revival sub-collections.

The new three-hand 41 mm diameter stainless steel octagonal-cased Skyline collection was added to Zenith’s Defy lineup in 2022 for $8,400 (pictured above on the right). Zenith introduced a slightly more complex skeletonized version of the Skyline this month, with an openworked dial shaped like a four-pointed star, in blue or black, called the Skyline Skeleton.

Rivals such as Audemars Piguet and Girard-Perregaux offer similar angular-case timepieces, although those brands have far higher prices, making the Zenith a bargain in comparison. At $11,000 the price is not low, but considering how much less the Defy is than a Royal Oak or Laureato, you quickly see the value relative to those models.

Zenith’s a formidable movement maker, which makes a great lower-priced in-house powered alternative to the Royal Oak, Laureato, and perhaps even the Overseas. Zenith may not be finished to the same level as some of the higher priced options, nor does it have a high precision free sprung oscillation system, but the movement is attractively finished and the balance system oscillates at a higher frequency of 5Hz.

The Skyline Skeleton retails for $11,000 and each watch comes with both an integrated stainless steel bracelet and an integrated rubber bracelet in the same color as the dial. And as you can see in the photo, there’s a button that allows you to release the bracelet or strap without a tool.

 

Photos by Zenith.