Blake: This was a surprising release for me. The last thing I would have said was that this already small, quaint watch needed was a fully titanium case and bracelet. But that’s exactly what it got and it’s pretty awesome. Yes, it weighs next to nothing, and yes, it looks way better than it has any business doing. Who’d have thought a pure throwback design would work so well in dark, chic blasted titanium? Not I.
Defy Skyline Ceramic
Zach: My favorite Zenith release of them all was the latest Defy Skyline, a version in a black ceramic case with a skeletonized dial and full ceramic bracelet. Picking this up, I immediately missed my old Defy Classic, and realized that the new ceramic Skyline is picking up where that one left off. The bracelet has a silky and satisfying drape that balances the still somewhat oversized case incredibly well. The size, a point of criticism for many on the Skyline, is much better managed in lightweight ceramic, and the black color actually makes it wear smaller still. At $17,000, this is the top of the Defy range at the moment (not including the Defy Extreme), and it definitely feels like you’re wearing the ultimate version of the Skyline when you put it on, as if they’ve been building toward this all along.
Blake: The Skyline is still a watch I’m warming up to, but the new variants we saw at Watches & Wonders this year really helped move that process along. A pair of black ceramic examples join the collection, including a closed textured dial, and an open skeleton dial which works particularly well with this design. I’m still upset this is replacing the totally excellent Defy Classic range, which has not yet been properly replaced, but for what it is, I see a lot to like here.
The manic running seconds hand, which is situated at 6 o’clock on the Skeleton, somehow feels more at home in the context of an open view of the movement’s guts. The purple escape wheel visible around 9 o’clock through the dial really pops in this configuration. Additionally, the finish and color of this black ceramic is quite brilliant, and doesn’t fall into “total blackout” territory by any stretch. This may be my favorite release from Zenith at the show. Zenith