Zenith’s introduction of the El Primero, its first automatic chronograph movement, in 1969 makes it the most important year of the last century for the watchmaker and its aficionados.
But few people remember that 1969 was also the year Zenith unveiled its first Defy watch.
53 years later – El Primero reissue 50y Anniversary – The first Defy watch has been redesigned in the shape of the Revival A3642.
The 1969 Defy was all about strong edges and corners, which earned it the nickname coffre-fort in French, which translates to bank vault or safety deposit box.
This muscular strength is captured in the Revival 2022 watch, which comes in a 37mm stainless steel case fitted with the Elite 670 automatic movement.
The three-stripe case dated 4.30 on a gray to brown gradient dial, made in a limited range of 250 pieces, is priced at CHF6900.
“With the Defy Revival A3642, Zenith not only brings back one of its most daring and iconic references from the 1960s, but also highlights the unique composition of its most daring and innovative manufacturing group by going back to the source,” says Zenith.
If this retro revival has a bit of its time for certain tastes, Zenith says it has a more modern look up its sleeve, saying it will soon unveil a modern successor to the original watch with sleeker, more modern architecture, and a whole new level of performance.