High polished steel, 18k yellow gold and bright Lapis Lazuli make this one of the most extreme Zenith Defy’s yet!
Zenith’s Defy Extreme range kind of describes the collection for you. Extreme. It’s the Defy on steroids, with all the design DNA of Zenith’s Defy range beefed up and amplified. The result is a larger and bolder watch with a lot more wrist presence. Who can recall the Defy Extreme Mirror, the brand released in late 2023? This new Zenith, the Defy Extreme Chronograph, with a Lapis Lazuli dial, is no different.
With a case sized at 45mm in diameter, 15.4mm thick, and a lug-to-lug distance of 51mm, the watch isn’t for those who are faint of wrist. But those who like a larger watch, or have the wrist size to pull it off, the Zenith Defy Extreme is a cool watch to own and wear. I reviewed the Defy Extreme Diver Shadow back in July, and it was similar in proportion, being a depth diver, but lighter as it was all titanium.
The new Zenith Defy Extreme Lapis Lazuli takes it up a notch. Combining the polished steel that is reminiscent of the “Mirror” and adding to this, microblasted yellow gold to the outer bezel, chronograph pusher guards and markers and hands on the dial. Topping it off, it now gets the Lapis Lazuli dial treatment that we first saw in the G.F.J. at Watches & Wonders, then the Chronomaster Triple Calendar Sam recently reviewed.
As this is the 160th Anniversary for Zenith, the Le Locle brand has chosen to make this year all about blue, blue being Zenith’s colour that stems from the deep colour of the sky when its founder, Georges Favre-Jacot, looked up to the evening sky for inspiration and decided on the name Zenith. And what better blue than the stone Lapis Lazuli, one of the rarer blue stones in the world, as it’s only found in a few places, one of which is Afghanistan, meaning that ethical Lapis Lazuli is hard to come by.
Being an El Primero movement, the new Defy Extreme has the now famous 1/100th second chronograph that takes 1 second to go around the dial fully. The Defy Extreme Chronograph is powered by the El Primero 21 Calibre 9004, running two barrels to power the watch and timing mechanism. One barrel powers the time, with the balance wheel oscillating at 5Hz / 36,000 VpH; the other barrel powers the chronograph escapement, beating at 50Hz, or a massive 360,000 VpH!
On The Wrist
While this isn’t a review, it would be remiss of me not to talk about this piece and how it wears on the wrist, given that we have had it on the wrist. If you have read my review on the Defy Extreme Diver, you’ll recall that it wore better than I expected, given the size and the specs. Like that watch, the Defy Extreme Chronograph feels better than its specs would suggest, too, more so on the rubber strap than the bracelet that also comes as standard.
Thanks to the comparatively short lugs and integrated strap/bracelet, the Zenith Defy Extreme sits well. It is a bulky watch, however, at 15.4mm thick, which is accentuated a little with the chronograph pushers and protectors, which themselves are made from 18k yellow gold. The design means that the pushers are in line with the end of the crown, giving the watch a wider presence when on.
The use of the yellow gold and polished steel in combination with the Lapis dial does make this piece a statement piece; it will turn heads when you are wearing it. It gives me Royal Oak Offshore vibes a little. The reflective nature of the case and colour combination assist with this, but if you want to dull it down a little, I suggest wearing it on the rubber strap; if not, go for the fully polished steel bracelet.
Initial Thoughts
I won’t lie, when I first opened the box with the Zenith Defy Extreme inside, I did think to myself, “Whoa! That is a shiny watch”. It is designed this way, so there is no escaping this fact. The use of the yellow gold for the bezel and pushers is an interesting one, coupled with the Lapis dial. But, the blue and gold do complement each other, especially the gold-plated hands and hour markers.
The 1/100th second chronograph is a technical achievement, and this is where Zenith sets itself apart from others. The ability to have a chronograph accurate to the 100th of a second, and not only this, using two power sources to power the everyday running of the time, and the chronograph function separately. At A$52,800, it is not a cheap watch, but it does offer something different to the run-of-the-mill watches, and it is also limited to 50 pieces. So you’re buying Zenith’s DNA, technical expertise and more exclusivity with this.
Reference: 06.9200.9004/51.I001
Specifications:
- Dimensions: 45mm x 15.4mm thick x 51mm lug-to-lug
- Case Material: Mirror-polished steel, 18k yellow gold
- Dial: Lapis Lazuli with yellow gold hands and indices
- Crystal: Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides
- Water resistance: 200m (20ATM)
- Movement: El Primero 21 – Calibre 9004 Automatic winding with 2 barrels and escapements (Main power and chronograph power). Main movement beating at 36,000 VpH/5 Hz and 1 escapement for the Chronograph (360,000 VpH – 50 Hz).
- Power reserve: 50 hours (watch) and 50 minutes for the chronograph
- Bracelet/Strap: Stainless steel bracelet. 2 additional straps included: 1 black rubber with folding buckle & 1 black Velcro.