Zenith elevates the Defy Skyline Tourbillon to a luxurious new level with the introduction of a full rose gold model, featuring a deep brick-red dial.
For the first time, Zentih has introduced a stunning rose gold tourbillon to the Defy Skyline collection. This new addition gives those who want a little luxury on their wrist, a lot of luxury and complements the steel variant (along with the Felipe Pantone) and the all black ceramic model released back in February last year. We were lucky enough to get our hands on this piece to try on and shoot in Geneva in September, and I’ll say, it’s the best Defy Skyline Tourbillon release to date.
An Ode To Zenith
With this release, you still have the same classic Defy Skyline shape that is found on the time only, chronograph and other tourbillon models. The angular lines, integrated bracelet and dodecagonal brushed bezel are present, as is the combination of the vertical brushing and high polished bevelled edges around the bezel, case and bracelet links. The dial also keeps the radiating starry night pattern that emanates from the tourbillon at 6 o’clock, which, when first released, Zenith described it “Like the core of a galaxy around which countless constellations are strewn“.
It is kind of fitting, given the whole brand DNA of Zenith, and the story of Georges Favre-Jacot, Zenith’s founder, looking up at the night sky in Neuchâtel and Le Locle, getting the idea of the brand’s name and blue colour. However, Zenith has taken this one step further with the new watch and has given this dial a deep brick-red colour, which is a nod to the actual brickwork on the outside of the Zenith manufacture in Le Locle, Switzerland. This colour works beautifully with the overall aesthetic of the watch, the rich red hues on the dial complementing the rose gold hands, indices and tourbillon cage, not to mention the overall case.
With 2025 being the 160th Anniversary of Zenith, each watch this year released has in some way paid tribute back to the Founder, George Favre-Jacot, the Manufacture, which was the first fully integrated Manufacture in Switzerland, or the ethos and ideology of the Zenith Brand – striving to make the perfect watch and looking to the heavens for inspriation and striving for the “Zenith”. Yes, it’s romantic, but a great story and one that the people from Zenith tell well and take pride in telling.
High-Beat Heart
The El Primero movement is now such a famous movement. Not only did it help bring Zenith back post the quartz crisis, but it also pioneered high beat movements across the industry and has even been used by other brands thanks to its accuracy and reliability, and to some extent, still is today. If it wasn’t for a passionate watchmaker, Charles Vermot, who came to the rescue, hiding all the tools and schematics in the attic at the height of the quartz crisis in 1975, then Zenith may not exist today!
Inside the new Defy Skyline Tourbillon Rose Gold is the El Primero 3630 Calibre with a tourbillon beating at 36,000VpH (5Hz). This is Zenith showing off a little here, with the tourbillon carriage weighing only 0.25 grams, and radiating outwards from the centre of the tourbillon, laser-engraved Côtes de Genève. It is also the first time that Zenith has used a skeletonised 18k rose gold rotor, winding the barrel and giving the watch its 50 hours of power reserve.
The caseback also reveals the quick-change buttons that allow you to swap out the bracelet for the colour-matched red brick coloured rubber strap, which transforms the look of the watch for a more subtle, sporty look. I’ve said in the past that I do prefer the rubber strap on the Defy Skyline, at least that was until I was able to try on the full rose gold model. Personally, I feel the strap does a great job making this a pure sports piece and will save the softer gold bracelet from getting unwanted scratches on it. But if you want to feel the full effect of the watch, then it has to be on the gold bracelet.
On The Wrist
This is a watch that needs to be tried on to fully appreciate it. My blue dial Zenith Defy Skyline, one of the O.G.’s that were released in 2022, has the same (kind of) look and feel to the new Rose Gold Tourbillon, but the way steel wears compared to the full gold is very different. I’ve maintained that the feel of gold on the wrist has a heft to it, but in a good way, versus that of an overly cumbersome steel piece. It just feels like luxury, through and through. The same can be said for the new Defy Skyline.
Measuring 41mm in diameter by 43mm lug-to-lug at the taper (around 47mm to the very bottom point), it sits well, and the integrated bracelet is nice around the wrist. The weight of the rose gold takes this up another leve,l and while integrated watches do wear a little larger than the specs sheets suggest, at 41mm, and with a short lug-to-lug, this wears fairly true to size in my eyes.
The thickness isn’t unruly either. Zenith doesn’t disclose the thickness, and we didn’t have callipers on site, but the standard time-only is only about 12.4mm thick, and while this would be a tad bit thicker thanks to the Tourbillon, it’s not by much. This means that the Defy Skyline Tourbillon will wear ok with most outfits, and even with a dress shirt and jacket, won’t cause issues for the wearer.
Initial Thoughts
In the hustle and bustle of Geneva Watch Days, we didn’t get a huge amount of time with the watch, but enough to admire it, wear it a little and take some photos, which, even though good, I don’t feel does this piece the justice it deserves. As said, it is a watch that needs to be tried on in person to see how it looks in the light and feels on the wrist. That said, if you have access to, or have tried on a steel Defy Skyline in the past, just imagine this, but a bit heavier, and a silkier feel thanks to the Rose Gold.
If you’re liking the look of this and have some spare cash, then the new Defy Skyline Tourbillon Rose Gold will set you back A$144,200. All in all, not too bad considering the slab of gold you’re buying, not to mention the El Primero Calibre 3630 tourbillon movement inside. And I’ll say this, if you are in Australia, then this is a better buy here, with an international retail price of CHF 89,900 that converts to A$174,200, you’re saving A$30,000 here vs in Europe, country dependent that is. Overall, this is a good addition to the Defy Skyline collection, and with the deep brick-red dial, it offers something a little different to those buyers out there who are sick of the same old.
Reference: 18.9301.3630/67.I001
Specification:
- Dimensions: 41mm, 43mm lug-to-lug at the taper, approx 47mm at the end points
- Case Material: Brushed and polished 18k Rose Gold
- Dial: Brick-red sunray-patterned dial adorned with engraved four-pointed stars radiating from the tourbillon aperture. Gold faceted hands and indices filled with Super-LumiNova SLN C1
- Crystal: Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating
- Water resistance: 100 metres with screw-down crown
- Movement: Automatic El Primero 3630 Calibre with a 60-sec tourbillon beating at 36,000VpH (5Hz). Rose-gold openworked star-shaped oscillating weight with satin-brushed surfaces; 3D laser-engraved “côtes de Genève” pattern radiating from the tourbillon.
- Power reserve: 50 Hours
- Bracelet/Strap: Integrated rose-gold H-link bracelet with folding clasp. An additional brick-red rubber strap is included. Both are equipped with ZENITH’s interchangeable strap system, requiring no tools.