Zenith has launched two new variations of its Defy 21 Chroma, following on from last year’s launch of a limited edition which combined a white ceramic case and a multiplicity of colours in a1/100th of a second automatic chronograph Defy 21 form.

The Defy 21 Chroma II, also in a limited edition, comes in either a matte black micro-blasted ceramic case or a matte white micro-blasted ceramic case, with water resistance of 100m. Each has a limitation of 500 pieces.

The new models are still 44mm, but feature different tones within the colour spectrum on the open-worked dials – the black version uses bright bold primary colours, and the white has softer tones. Both iterations have colours marking the rhodium-plated hours and the 1/100-of-a-second scale, as well as the rubber ring on the crown and, of course, the stitching on the rubber strap, the colours on the latter mirroring those on the dial. The hands are rhodium-plated.

To recap/ remind, the placement on the dial is the hours and minutes in the centre and small seconds at 9 o’clock for the core functions, with the 1/100th of a second chronograph’s displays consisting of a centre chronograph hand, 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock, 60 second counter at 6 o’clock, and chronograph power-reserve indication (approximately 50 minutes) at 12 o’clock.

The movement is Zenith’s chronometer-certified automatic El Primero 9004. With a power reserve of fifty hours for the watch and fifty minutes for the chronograph, it features two independent regulators and gear trains for the timekeeping and chronograph functions that beat at frequencies of 36,000VPH/ 5Hz and 360,000VPH/ 50Hz respectively.

The movement also has the whole colour thing happening, from the blue oscillating weight to metallic colour application to PVD-coated bridges and co-ordination with the adjacent dial-side marker.

The Defy 21 Chroma II Chronograph comes on either a white or black rubber strap with rainbow stitching and a titanium double folding clasp. The white ceramic version is available at both Zenith boutiques and ADs, whereas the black version is boutique-only.

[Photo credit: Zenith]

Categories: chronograph, Limited Editions, Watch movements, Watch Profile, watches, Zenith