Zenith Defy Extreme Glacier

As a watch made to brave the elements no matter how far off the beaten path, ZENITH sought to highlight the environments that the DEFY Extreme was destined for with a series of evocative special editions that integrate natural stones within the ruggedness of the toughest 1/100th of a second chronograph around. Following the DEFY Extreme Desert launched in 2021, ZENITH is going to the opposite kind of landscape for the second edition: Meet the DEFY Extreme Glacier.

Blurring the lines between precision watchmaking and sculptural, wearable art, the DEFY Extreme Glacier is directly inspired by frozen barren landscapes, where only those truly adapted to endure the harsh and extreme environment can thrive.

An integral part of the titanium case, the component that protects the pushers as well as the dodecagonal bezel are crafted from chalcedony, a crystalline semi-translucent stone with a pale blue hue that evokes the frozen glaciers. Meticulously cut and polished by hand, each stone is different and exhibits slightly different colours and fibrous structures, making each of the 50 examples of the DEFY Extreme Glacier essentially a unique piece.

The open dial of the DEFY Extreme Glacier reveals the inner workings of the innovative and singular El Primero 1/100th of a second automatic high-frequency chronograph calibre and its two regulating organs beating at 50Hz for the chronograph and 5Hz for the timekeeping. Keeping with the ice-cold theme, the chronograph counters are made in transparent sapphire crystal that’s given a frosted finish, recalling a layer of ice that allows light to pass through.

Completing the look of this conceptual piece are the supplied durable black Velcro strap and white rubber strap, which can be easily swapped with the titanium bracelet using the quick strap-change mechanism on the back of the case.

The DEFY Extreme Glacier is made in a limited edition of 50 pieces, available exclusively at ZENITH physical and online boutiques.

Representing the culmination point of the DEFY collection and its different lines, which now share a common futuristic design language and spirit of endurance, these latest creations unveiled during LVMH Watch Week set the forward momentum for the year, with another emblematic ZENITH collection set to make a grand return during Watches & Wonders in March 2023.