In 1969, Zenith launched El Primero, the first ever fully integrated automatic column-wheel chronograph movement, enabling 1/10th of a second precision. This groundbreaking model laid a new milestone in watchmaking history that had never been surpassed – until now. Half a century later, Zenith has once again defied tradition and pushed existing boundaries, leading us into the world of 1/100th of a second accuracy.
The Zenith Defy El Primero 21 represents a quantum leap in both performance and mechanical design. This is a competition against no-one but itself. The newly upgraded movement of this timepiece boasts a frequency of 360,000 A/H (50 Hz), ten times that of its world-famous El Primero predecessor, enabling 1/100th of a second precision. An exquisitely designed display magnifies the effect of this astonishing frequency: the inner bezel bears a scale graduated from 1 to 100 around which a 1/100th of a second hand sweeps at a lightning speed of one turn per second, offering unprecedented visual impact and a surreal time-travelling experience for the wearer. Echoing the trend in modern engineering development and ensuring optimal performance, this incredible mechanical complication is achieved using a far smaller number of components, minimizing tedious assembly and adjustments. In addition to significantly improved performance and mechanical structure, the design of the TIMELAB-chronometer certified Defy El Primero 21 draws inspiration from its 1969 predecessor. Framed by a 44 mm case made of grade 5 titanium, the openworked dial of the Defy El Primero 21 offers a resolutely contemporary background for the key identifying characteristics of the original: a star-tipped sweep-seconds hand, large luminescent baton-type hands and facetted hour-markers all paying tribute in a demonstration of futuristic brilliance.
The TIMELAB-chronometer certified Defy El Primero 21 Blue features a titanium case with matching rhodium-plated hour markers and hands. The openworked dial displays a chronograph power-reserve indication at 12 o'clock, hours and minutes in the centre, small seconds at 9 o'clock, black 60-second counter at 6 o'clock and the Defy El Primero 21’s trademark blue 30-minute counter at 3 o'clock, offset by the unusual and visually striking blue mainplate. Designed to please a range of tastes, the Defy El Primero 21 Blue offers a choice of three striking straps from black rubber covered with a sophisticated blue alligator leather coating; the comfort of supple blue rubber; or the sleekness of unadulterated titanium, all with a titanium double folding clasp. This timepiece, endowed with a 50-hour power reserve and water-resistant to 100 metres, is sure to please the most discerning gentleman diver.
