The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →On December 6, 2022, Zenith announced that the DEFY Extreme Double Tourbillon would join the DEFY Extreme core collection in two serially produced references. Both are built around the El Primero 9020, a 1/100th-second high-frequency chronograph movement with two independent tourbillons. The titanium reference Zenith documents in its specification sheet is 95.9100.9020/78.I001. On the US collection page, checked October 8, 2026, the family appears at two displayed prices, $77,500 and $88,700, but that page does not say which price belongs to which reference.
What Zenith announced
Zenith’s pressroom release, dated December 6, 2022, presents the movement as entering the DEFY Extreme core collection for the first time, in two serially produced references. The launch centres on a chronograph that runs at high frequency and carries two tourbillons, one for timekeeping and one for the chronograph function. Zenith calls the result among the fastest tourbillons ever made and describes it as the only 1/100th-second chronograph. Those superlatives are the manufacturer’s own claims. No independent timing test or market survey was identified in the sources reviewed for this article.
How the two tourbillons and escapements divide the work
The design separates the watch’s two timing functions. Each has its own escapement, its own tourbillon and its own power reserve. The figures below come from Zenith’s English press-material specification sheet (December 2022) and the December 6, 2022 release.
| Function | Escapement frequency | Tourbillon rotation | Minimum power reserve (Zenith sheet) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Timekeeping | 36,000 vph (5 Hz) | One rotation per 60 seconds | 50 hours |
| Chronograph | 360,000 vph (50 Hz) | One rotation per 5 seconds | 50 minutes |
The central chronograph hand makes one turn per second. Zenith’s sheet also describes a 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock, a 60-second counter at 6 o’clock and a chronograph power-reserve indicator at 12 o’clock. The power-reserve figures are stated as minimums, so they set a floor rather than a typical running time.
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#1 Best Overall
The titanium reference: 95.9100.9020/78.I001
The titanium model is the only reference whose full details are documented in the sources reviewed. Zenith’s specification sheet lists:
- Reference: 95.9100.9020/78.I001
- Movement: El Primero 9020
- Case: brushed titanium, 45 mm
- Dial: openworked
- Water resistance: 20 ATM
- Included straps: a titanium bracelet with folding clasp, plus a rubber strap with folding buckle and a Velcro strap
Because this is the reference the sheet documents, it is the safest anchor when you compare configurations or check a listing. Confirm the reference number itself before you rely on any other detail.
Price: three figures, three different meanings
Three price-related figures appear in the sources, and they should not be read as one another’s equivalent.
| Figure | Source and date | What it establishes |
|---|---|---|
| 69,000 | Zenith English press-material specification sheet, December 2022 | A launch-era price. The extracted sheet does not state the currency, so do not assume dollars, euros or Swiss francs. |
| $77,500 | Zenith US DEFY Extreme collection page, checked October 8, 2026 | A displayed US-site price for one of two entries in the family. The page does not map it to a specific reference. |
| $88,700 | Zenith US DEFY Extreme collection page, checked October 8, 2026 | The second displayed US-site price, with the same mapping limitation. |
The US prices are displayed prices on a specific date, not confirmed transaction prices, and they can change without notice. Treat them as a snapshot of the US site rather than a universal or regional price list.
Rank #3
- Zenith Defy Classic Automatic Skeletal Dial Titanium Men's Watch 95.9000.670/78.M9000
What is and is not established about the second reference
The December 2022 announcement confirms that there are two serially produced references. The detailed specification in the sources reviewed is for the titanium model only. Those sources do not publish a full specification for the second reference, so this article does not infer its case material, strap package or dial from the titanium sheet. Any comparison between the two should be limited to the reference number, the case material as stated by the seller or Zenith, the displayed price on a named date and the included straps or bracelet.
How to confirm the reference and price before you buy
- Open the Zenith US DEFY Extreme collection page and note the date you checked it. Record both displayed prices.
- Ask the seller or boutique to confirm the full reference number, including the suffix after the slash, against Zenith’s documentation.
- Ask for the price in writing and confirm the currency, and whether it includes taxes, duties or shipping for your region.
- Check that the included straps or bracelet match the reference you are buying, since the titanium model’s configuration is documented but the second reference’s is not.
Claims to attribute to Zenith
Several statements about this movement are performance claims made by the manufacturer. These include the description of the tourbillons as among the fastest ever made, the description of the chronograph as the only 1/100th-second chronograph and the power-reserve minimums. Each should be attributed to Zenith’s December 2022 materials. None has been independently verified in the sources reviewed.
Zenith’s December 6, 2022 release includes this sentence: “For the first time, this exceptional 1/100th of a second high-frequency chronograph movement will join the DEFY Extreme core collection in two serially produced references.” It is a corporate statement, not a quote from a named spokesperson.
This article does not include hands-on testing or wearer experience.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
