The only significant change to the original is the caseback and movement. Whilst ‘fauxtina’ gets a bad rap at times, in my mind it makes total sense on a re-edition such as this. The cool grooved applied hour markers are as per the ’69 model and date at 4:30 is there, which is faithful to the original and the sword hands have toned SuperLumiNova to ape vintage tritium. Fumé or degrade dials have always been one of my favourites and the taupe tones of the original are back in the revival in what Zenith are calling grey tones. The dial is also incredibly faithful to the original. The new Revival piece has the brand’s modern version of the ladder bracelet, which is now an iconic design in its own right and deemed by collectors as one of the great bracelet designs of all time. The original Defy was equipped with a Ladder bracelet, made by venerable bracelet makers Gay Freres. The bezel has fourteen sides that adds to the angular look of the watch, with the contrasting finishing and angles allowing the light to emphasise the depth and interesting construction of the watch. The revival of integrated bracelet steel sports watches has been a recent phenomenon and whilst this watch’s bracelet is actually not fully integrated, the overall aesthetic is very much in tune with this zeitgeist. The 40mm steel case is octagonal, with six of the eight sides having a scalloped face to allow the case to flow into the bracelet. Where the modern iteration of the watch, like a modern flyweight racing car, is sleek and sporty and often housing a skeltonised dial, the Revival is all about presence and heft you’re going to know you’re wearing this it’s a proper sports watch. The A3642’s significant presence is what led to the nickname coffre-fort, the French for bank vault. In a world that was, at the time, dominated by the often-discussed quartz crisis the release of the Defy was not only unusual in that it was a mechanical watch but also in its robustness.

The 2022 Zenith Defy Revival is a detailed and faithful reedition of the original watch that has been created using the original plans from the early 1960s.

Zenith Revives Its Original Defying Moment

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