Zenith Teams Up with DJ Carl Cox to Unveil a Special Chronograph

Zenith and friend of the brand English DJ Carl Cox have come together to unveil the DEFY Extreme Carl Cox, a limited edition of 100 pieces, inspired by the world of DJing. The 45 mm timepiece follows the DEFY 21 Carl Cox edition that was released in 2020. Post the watch’s unveiling in London, Carl played an exclusive set at the iconic Raffles in Chelsea.

On the newest chapter of the brand’s collaboration with the DJ, CEO Julien Tornare shared, “Always cheerful, positive and buzzing with energy, Carl Cox really inspires us and proves that if you’re passionate and driven by what you do, nothing is impossible. For our second watch created together, we really wanted to dive deeper into his rhythmic world and go back to his early days of DJing with analogue instruments. The result is Zenith’s most advanced chronograph reimagined by Carl Cox in a retro-futuristic and even minimalist way, and it’s truly special.”

For inspiration, Zenith took design cues from one of the most indispensable tools in the legendary DJ’s arsenal: his favourite set of turntables. For the first time ever, the DEFY Extreme’s case comes crafted in a bright, matte-finished stainless steel and yellow gold that effortlessly complements the chronograph’s minimalistic, retro-futuristic look that bears a touch of nostalgia. The matte yellow gold accents on the dodecagonal bezel and the pusher guards are inspired by the turntable stylus’ golden tonearm.

The openworked dial takes the spotlight. Atop the smoked sapphire crystal base, the three black chronograph counters are reminiscent of miniature vinyl records; the concentric grooves capture and reflect light as if they were spinning. The minute track—decorated with a pattern of perfectly aligned dots—draws inspiration from the stroboscope effect found on the sides of Carl Cox’s favourite turntables. The power reserve indicator, positioned at 12 o’clock, appears as an ON/OFF switch.

The DEFY Extreme Carl Cox is powered by the El Primero 9004 calibre. It’s the world’s fastest and only serially produced chronograph movement with a high-frequency 50Hz chronograph that offers true 1/100th of a second time measurements. The movement offers a power reserve of minimum 50 hours for the watch and approximately 50 minutes for the chronograph. All the counters on the dial are black: the small seconds display is located at 9 o’clock, the 30-minute counter is at 3 o’clock and the 60-second counter is at 6 o’clock. At 12 o’clock, the wearer can view the power reserve indication. The central chronograph hand, of course, makes one turn each second. The hour markers and the hands are gold-plated and coated with SuperLumiNova.

Especially for this model, the star-shaped oscillating weight—visible through the transparent caseback—has been decorated in black; the main plate is coloured black as well, in addition to sporting special satin finishings. Alongside the integrated matte-finished steel bracelet, the DEFY Extreme Carl Cox limited edition also comes with a black rubber strap and a black Velcro strap, which can be easily swapped without any tools by using the case’s built-in quick strap-change mechanism.

The DEFY Extreme Carl Cox will be available to order September 25 onwards, via the brand website and at boutiques around the world. Buyers will also have the chance to meet Carl Cox personally at selected events.

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