Zenith Adds Two New High-Frequency Tourbillon Timepieces to its DEFY Skyline Collection

In days of yore, pocket watches were usually kept vertically, well, in pockets. This position often generated uneven stress on a watch's escapement, impairing its accuracy. Then came the tourbillon mechanism, which essentially attempts to average out such positional mistakes by putting the escapement and the balance wheel in a spinning cage. In fact, the tourbillon was invented with the primary goal of increasing pocket watch accuracy by counteracting gravity. 

Underscoring the legacy of this crucial mechanism, Zenith has produced two new DEFY Skyline Tourbillon models: one in stainless steel (Ref. 03.9300.3630/51.I001) and the other in black ceramic (Ref. 49.9300.3630/21.I001). The chief objective of the collection is to ensure that the complication may be enjoyed on a daily basis and in almost any scenario.

The Zenith DEFY collection is a modern, inventive, and technologically sophisticated expression of the luxury timepiece brand’s watchmaking legacy. This collection frequently makes use of unique materials not commonly seen in watchmaking; these are chosen because of their durability, lightness, and distinctive appearance. The unisex 41 mm DEFY Skyline Tourbillon features an octagonal case and a dodecagonal bezel. The latest models, which are available in stainless steel and sleek black ceramic, include vertical brushed surfaces and brilliantly polished angles to highlight each case's aggressive curves. The screw-down crown is located at 3 o'clock.

 The DEFY Skyline Tourbillon's trademark sunray-patterned metallic dial, with an etched starry sky pattern, has been specially designed to highlight the high-frequency tourbillon. The mosaic of engraved four-pointed stars, either blue for the steel version or black for the ceramic version, appears to radiate from the tourbillon at 6 o'clock, growing until they reach the dial's outer perimeter. The luminous markers and the hands offer contrast to the design. The hour markers are coated in rhodium for the blue dial and in rose gold for the black dial.

The centre kinetic element of the DEFY Skyline may be seen through an aperture on the dial's lower part, like the core of a galaxy surrounded by numerous constellations. The tourbillon cage, mounted on a mirror-polished bridge with sharp bevels, resembles an open four-pointed star with futuristic lines similar to previous DEFY references featuring tourbillon mechanisms. The tourbillon rotates indefinitely around its own axis, completing one revolution every 60 seconds. The luminous indices and the hands of the blue dial are rhodium-plated, while the black dial features contrasting rose gold-plated parts. 

Powering the DEFY Skyline Tourbillon is the new El Primero 3630 automatic high-frequency manufacture calibre, delivering a power reserve of 60 hours. Mirroring the expansive decoration of the dial side that emanates from the tourbillon, the Côtes de Genève stripes on the bridges are arranged in a sunray pattern that appear to dart out of the tourbillon. The open star-shaped rotor allows for an open view of the contemporary movement architecture.

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Like all DEFY Skyline models, this collection also comes with stainless steel or black ceramic bracelets. A second strap in blue or black rubber with a folding clasp is also supplied; either can be easily switched using the caseback’s quick strap-change mechanism requiring no tools. The water resistance of the new Zenith DEFY Skyline Tourbillon watches is recorded at 100 metres.