Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. The new Zenith Defy Skyline Chronograph Skeleton (incl. Video)
The high-beat Skyline Chrono removes its dial to reveal its powerful mechanics.
The Defy Skyline is Zenith’s answer to the trend of elegant sports watches with integrated bracelets. Introduced in 2022, it has become one of the pillars of the brand’s collections. With its octagonal case and dodecagonal bezel, its design is a modern nod to the 1969 Defy. The Defy Skyline chronograph joined the lineup in 2024. As part of the 2025 collection, this model now comes in a skeletonized version, making for an even edgier take on the concept, with the new Zenith Defy Skyline Chronograph Skeleton.
Crafted from stainless steel, the angular 42mm case of the Defy Skyline Chronograph Skeleton remains identical to the one we know on the close dial version. But it now houses a modern, openworked version of the El Primero 3600 that further enhances its architectural and technical character. Like other Defy Skyline watches, brushed and polished finishes accentuate its taut lines. The screw-down crown is emblazoned with a 3D Zenith five-pointed star logo and flanked by sloping pushers. The display case back is secured by four hexagonal screws, and the water-resistance is 100m.
The “skeletonisation” work performed on the calibre 3600 is coherent with what we have seen for the time-only Defy Skyline Skeleton (2023). Relying on geometric cutouts, it is inspired by the brand’s 1960s double-Z logo, revealing the movement’s inner workings in transparency. Just as for the Defy Skyline Skeleton, there are two versions with either black or blue coatings for the mainplate, the bridges, the chapter ring and the star-shaped rotor. And there again, the date has been removed. The overlapping azuré sub-dials are rendered in grey to create contrast. The faceted hour markers and hands are filled with Super-Luminova for enhanced legibility in all conditions.
As mentioned earlier, the watch is powered by a skeletonized version of the El Primero 3600, the latest evolution of the iconic Zenith integrated high-frequency automatic chronograph. Presented in 2019 and also used in the Chronomaster Sport, it offers a truly unique functionality. The El Primero 3600 fully takes advantage of the frequency of El Primero: 36,000 vibrations per hour, which means 10 per second. To do so, its central chronograph hand completes a full rotation in just 10 seconds (instead of 30 seconds) to accurately display 1/10th of a second.
The “3600” incorporates several notable improvements versus the “400”, the direct descendent of El Primero. In particular, it features a stop-seconds mechanism and a beefed-up 60-hour power reserve. However, the main challenge relates to the increased speed of the chronograph’s central hand – all the more, as the kinetic energy is proportional to the square of the speed (meaning it is 36 times higher here). This required a reengineering of the chronograph mechanism. Among other upgrades, it is now driven directly by a pinion mounted on the escape wheel axle via a revised horizontal clutch comprising not one but two wheels. In addition, the toothing profile of its wheels has been optimized for enhanced operations.
Fitted with a practical quick strap-change mechanism, the 3-link steel bracelet can be exchanged for the star-patterned black or blue rubber strap with a folding clasp that is also provided with the watch. The Zenith Defy Skyline Chronograph Skeleton retails for CHF 14,900. For more information, please consult Zenith-Watches.com.
