Zenith’s rugged Defy Extreme gets a contemporary new makeover in hard-wearing carbon fibre
Last year Zenith unveiled the Defy Extreme, a bulked up take on one of its most popular models, equipped with the watchmaker’s renowned high-frequency timekeeping. Now the robust nature of this model is being taken a step further with a new version crafted from carbon fibre. This sporty and futuristic take is a fitting celebration of its ties with Extreme E, the world’s first off-road electric rally racing championship, of which Zenith is the official timekeeper and a founding partner.
The choice of material means that the watch is not only incredibly lightweight, ensuring optimal comfort on the wrist, but incredibly hardwearing. It also lends a cutting-edge look to the sizable 45mm case, which is finished with contrasting elements in micro-blasted titanium, including the pusher protectors and angular 12-sided bezel.
This modern approach extends to the dial, a sleek, partially openworked design punctuated by bold flashes of colour that nods to its racing origins. These include the bright blue, green and white seen on the chronograph counters, along with the punchy yellow 1/100th of a second chronograph scale to the outer edge of the dial. Powering these features is Zenith’s famous El Primero movement, the fastest automatic high-frequency chronograph calibre on the market.
The look can easily be dialled up or down thanks to the quick strap-change mechanism, with black and red rubber options, as well as a black velcro strap with carbon fibre buckle. And this is just the start – as the Extreme E season kicks into full gear, expect more special editions of this watch developed for each of the upcoming races.
