The original-dial Zenith Defy Skyline Chronograph, unveiled in 2024, pairs the collection’s angular steel design with the high-beat El Primero 3600. Its defining feature is a central chronograph hand that circles the dial every 10 seconds, letting the wearer read tenths of a second. The 42 mm watch was offered with a steel bracelet and a quick-change patterned rubber strap.
What makes the Defy Skyline Chronograph different?
The watch translates the Defy Skyline’s integrated-bracelet look into a chronograph without relying on a conventional central seconds hand that makes one rotation per minute. Instead, the El Primero 3600 drives the central chronograph hand around the dial once every 10 seconds. Read against the 1/10-second scale on the dial flange, that rapid sweep provides the watch’s tenths-of-a-second display.
This is the original, non-skeletonized dial version introduced in 2024. Its dial has Zenith’s four-point star pattern, snailed subdials and a date window at 4:30. The central chronograph hand has a star-shaped counterweight; the chronograph hands are red-tipped, while the faceted hands and hour markers are luminescent.
How do the chronograph and subdials work?
- Central hand: chronograph seconds, with one full rotation every 10 seconds; use the flange scale to read tenths of a second.
- 3 o’clock: 60-second chronograph counter.
- 6 o’clock: 60-minute chronograph counter.
- 9 o’clock: continuously running seconds.
- 4:30: date display.
The layout distinguishes the running seconds from the chronograph counters. The listed configuration has a 60-minute counter, not a chronograph hour counter.
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Case, dial colors and movement
The faceted stainless-steel case measures 42 mm across, with brushed and polished surfaces, an octagonal profile and a 12-sided bezel. It has shaped chronograph pushers, a screw-in crown, an anti-reflective sapphire crystal and an exhibition sapphire caseback. Monochrome Watches lists water resistance of 100 m; that is a stated specification, not a separate water-resistance test.
The 2024 launch article lists three metallic dial colors and their references:
| Dial | Reference |
|---|---|
| Blue | 03.9500.3600/51.I001 |
| Silver | 03.9500.3600/01.I001 |
| Black | 03.9500.3600/21.I001 |
All three use the star-pattern dial and snailed subdials. The watch is powered by the automatic, in-house El Primero calibre 3600. Monochrome lists 35 jewels, 319 parts, a frequency of 36,000 vibrations per hour (5 Hz) and a 60-hour power reserve. The movement also has a silicon escape wheel and lever and a stop-seconds mechanism.
Bracelet, strap and fit
The 2024 configuration included an integrated steel bracelet and an additional rubber strap with a star pattern. A tool-free quick-change mechanism allows the wearer to switch between them. Watch Advice reviewer Matt Clymo said changing the strap took about 30 seconds and was easy in his experience. Confirm the exact strap configuration for a specific reference or listing, since strap colors may vary.
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Watch Advice reports review measurements of 47.7 mm lug-to-lug and 12.7 mm thick, alongside the 42 mm diameter. Clymo found the watch fairly true to form on his 17.5 cm wrist, while suggesting that people with slimmer wrists try it on first. These are review measurements and one wearer’s fit impression, not an official fit assessment for every wrist.
The same reviewer found the butterfly clasp irritating on his wrist and noted that the steel bracelet has no micro-adjustment. He described the clasp issue as dependent on wrist shape and fit. Watch Advice disclosed that its review was produced as a commercial partnership with Zenith.
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What did it cost at launch?
Monochrome Watches reported a launch price of CHF 11,900 and availability through Zenith boutiques and authorized retailers in April 2024. Watch Advice listed an Australian recommended retail price of AU$20,700 in its June 2024 review. Both figures are historical reports, not current quotations; present pricing and regional stock are not established here.
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Monochrome Watches’ April 9, 2024 first look includes an accompanying short video showing the original-dial Defy Skyline Chronograph and its details. Watch the Zenith Defy Skyline Chronograph video at Monochrome Watches.
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