Introducing: The Zenith Defy Extreme Diver Takes The Defy Back To Extreme Depths

April 10, 2024

Fast-moving chronographs, pilots' watches, even heritage models C there are many things that Zenith does well. But until today, something has been missing from the modern catalog: a diver. Well, Zenith has fixed that by announcing the Defy Extreme Diver, and it's not just your simple diver in aesthetic only. This one goes deep C 600 meters, in fact. That means it also has a helium escape valve. The new Defy Extreme Diver has a lot about it that's unusual for a dive watch. Inside the 42.5mm by 15.5mm brushed titanium case beats El Primero 3620-SC automatic high-frequency manufacture calibre, running at 36'000 VpH, with 60 hours power reserve. That movement is also visible through a sapphire display back, something you rarely, if ever, see on a dive watch, let alone one that's rated to such extreme depths. The watch has big, bold, skeletonized hands with orange accents and large hour markers with SuperLuminova X1 lume.? The watch comes in either a blue and orange or black and orange motif, with a ceramic unidirectional bezel that matches the color of the starry sky pattern on the dial. It also has an interchangeable strap system and comes with three straps: one in rubber matching the dial (with a folding buckle), another color-matched fabric strap with a pin buckle, and finally, a metal bracelet with a folding clasp. If you've been waiting for a Zenith diver, you can pick this one up for $11,300. What We Think Divers aren't a new idea for Zenith, but they're not one we've seen from the brand in a while. A few watches, like the Sub Sea A3630 from over 50 years ago and my favorite Pilot Diver, often come off as weird blips in the brand's history of making iconic chronographs. But these days, you need to be more than a one (or even two) trick pony to fit the broader market. This specific diver takes a lot of inspiration from the Zenith Defy A3648 from the '60s and '70s, making it a good reminder that Zenith has a deep back catalog to pull from. The Zenith Defy A3648, so you can see the connection. On paper, the new Defy Extreme Diver isn't a small watch. At 15.5mm thick, it might be a bit too big for my wrist, but I've consistently been surprised at how much I like the Defy Extreme Chronographs,?despite the size. The only other concern I have is that the bezel seems very small for actual diving use, and the large, angular case may get in the way of using the bezel with dive gloves on. The aesthetics are also going to be a love-it-or-hate-it proposition. The touch of a throwback to the original A3648 is nice, especially since they simultaneously gave us the real reissue today. The Defy Extreme has always been the collection where Zenith feels most comfortable breaking free of the heritage mode, and this certainly fits the bill. The Basics Brand: ZenithModel: Defy Extreme DiverReference Number: 95.9600.3620 (black) and 95.9601.3620 (blue)Diameter: 42.5mmThickness: 15.5mmCase Material: Brushed titaniumDial Color: Blue or black sunray brushed, with starry sky patternIndexes: Rhodium-plated hour markers, faceted and coated with SuperLuminova X1Lume: Rhodium-plated hands, faceted and coated with SuperLuminova X1Water Resistance: 600mStrap/Bracelet: Full interchangeable strap system; three straps included: color-matched rubber with folding buckle, color-matched fabric strap with pin buckle, and metal bracelet with folding clasp The Movement Caliber: El Primero 3620 SCFunctions: Hours, minutes, seconds with stop-second mechanism, and datePower Reserve: 60 hoursWinding: Automatic; star-shaped oscillating weight with satin finishingsFrequency: 36'000 VpH Pricing & Availability Price: $11,300Availability: NowLimited Edition: NoFor more, click here. Shop this story Hodinkee is an authorized retailer of Zenith; to view our collection, click here.Zenith is part of the LVMH group. Although LVMH Luxury Ventures is a minority investor in Hodinkee, we maintain complete editorial independence.