Zenith: Defy Classic Carbon

The world of watchmaking has always been a succession of innovations and technicalities that have made our watches ever more precise and reliable. In the recent years, many Brands have also dedicated a lot of resources to researching new materials and composites to improve strength, weight and wear. Among the many used, one of those that has certainly been most successful thanks to its peculiarities and its unique and futuristic appearance is carbon.

Used 90% for the production of the cases, until now the so-called carbon fiber bracelets were made with superficial plaques of composite material fixed to a metal base, or reserved for a few watches with great complications and produced in limited series. With the DEFY Classic Carbon, in addition to the case, Zenith offers a new ergonomic bracelet entirely made of carbon: an unprecedented technical feat.

Producing a full carbon fiber bracelet required the Manufacture to take on an entirely new set of technical challenges. Weighing a mere 65 grams in total with its carbon bracelet and titanium clasp, the DEFY Classic Carbon sets a new benchmark of precision for Zenith that extends beyond the movement. In relative terms, it weighs almost half as much as an equivalent DEFY Classic model in titanium, which is already significantly lighter than traditional metals like stainless steel and gold. 

Following the angular lines of the DEFY Classic case, each link in the bracelet is a piece of solid carbon fiber, molded and milled with precision in such a way that it highlights the layers or “strata” of the carbon fiber, while providing superior ergonomics on the wrist. Because the patterns are layering of carbon fiber can differ from one component to the next, no two watches will be exactly alike. And for those who prefer the contrast of the carbon fiber case against strap, the DEFY Classic Carbon is also available with a black rubber cordura-effect strap, with a carbon and titanium folding buckle. 

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The aesthetics of the DEFY Classic Carbon perfectly match the dark style of the new 41mm carbon caseand bracelet, emphasizing the skeletonized star-shaped motif dial and the in-house Elite automatic caliber with silicon escape-wheel and lever. Despite the dark colors, legibility is guaranteed thanks to the black applied hands and indexes coated with green Super-LumiNova.

The new DEFY Classic Carbon will be available at Zenith Boutiques and retailers as well as its online shop from this month. (Price 19.900 CHF on carbon bracelet and 11.900 CHF on rubber bracelet)