LVMH Watch Week has grown into the group’s early‑year stage for serious watch launches, and the 2026 edition in Milan underlines that point again. Zenith arrives not with a scattered catalogue refresh, but with a tightly framed exploration of one theme: Defy as contemporary, urban watchmaking. The focus is squarely on structure, geometry and high‑frequency mechanics, presented through a quintet of watches that stretch from daily‑wear steel to a rose‑gold tourbillon skeleton, with a historically important Revival piece anchoring the line‑up.
The message from Le Locle is clear. Defy is no side branch. It sits at the centre of Zenith’s modern identity, standing alongside Chronomaster while drawing directly on the brand’s late‑sixties experiments with bold shapes and robust, purpose‑driven cases. In Milan, that history is translated into ceramic, precious metal and a quieter, silver‑toned take on the compact Skyline.
Defy Skyline Skeleton in Black Ceramic and Gold
Zenith’s Defy Skyline Skeleton has already established itself as one of the stronger open‑worked integrated designs on the market. The new reference takes that architecture into a darker register with a full black ceramic exterior and a gold‑toned movement, a combination that instantly changes the character of the watch.
The 41 mm case keeps the sharply faceted Skyline profile, with a dodecagonal bezel acting as a visual frame for the skeleton dial. Brushed and polished surfaces break up the mass of black ceramic and catch the light in a controlled way rather than shouting for attention. The integrated ceramic bracelet continues the geometry of the mid‑case and is complemented by an additional black patterned rubber strap, both swappable through Zenith’s quick‑change system that requires no tools. Water resistance remains at 10 ATM, which suits the everyday sports positioning.
On the front, the open dial is shaped around Zenith’s four‑pointed star motif, revealing a gold‑coloured mainplate and bridges. Hour markers and hands are gold‑plated, faceted and filled with Super‑LumiNova, and legibility is helped by the strong contrast between the luminous elements and the darker negative spaces of the skeleton layout. Instead of a central seconds hand, there is a constantly running 1/10th‑of‑a‑second indicator at six o’clock which completes one rotation every ten seconds, a visual reminder of the high‑frequency base calibre.
Inside sits the automatic El Primero 3620 SK. It runs at 5 Hz, offers a 55‑hour power reserve and uses a silicon escape wheel and lever, which serves both performance and longevity. The architecture is fully integrated with the dial, so movement and exterior feel like a single design exercise rather than a standard calibre placed under an open‑worked plate.
Pricing for the Defy Skyline Skeleton in black ceramic is 16,900 CHF, 19,100 EUR or 18,900 USD at launch. For a full ceramic case, an integrated ceramic bracelet and a proprietary high‑frequency skeleton movement, this positions the watch firmly in the serious integrated sports segment without drifting into fantasy pricing.
Defy Skyline Chronograph in Black Ceramic
Where the Skyline Skeleton leans into transparency, the new Defy Skyline Chronograph in black ceramic presents a more closed, instrument‑like face while keeping the architectural case language consistent across the collection.
The case measures 42 mm in diameter and, again, is executed entirely in black ceramic, including the integrated bracelet. The material is coloured through its entire structure rather than coated, which supports long‑term durability. Alternating satin and polished facets emphasise the multi‑planar shape of the mid‑case and twelve‑sided bezel. A screw‑down crown helps deliver 10 ATM of water resistance, which aligns with the wider Skyline family.
Zenith pairs this with a gradient grey dial, lighter in the centre and darkening towards the periphery. The surface is engraved with a repeating four‑pointed star pattern that ties the chronograph to the rest of the Skyline line. Three subdials, decorated with concentric patterns, are set at three, six and nine o’clock, while the date sits between four and five. Rhodium‑plated hands and hour markers with Super‑LumiNova keep the display readable against the grey background.
Driving the watch is the El Primero 3600, Zenith’s latest‑generation high‑frequency chronograph movement. It runs at 5 Hz and offers a power reserve of 60 hours. The chronograph seconds hand completes one full rotation of the dial in ten seconds, allowing direct reading of tenths of a second from the main scale. Small seconds sit at nine, with 60‑second and 60‑minute counters at three and six o’clock respectively. The calibre is visible through a sapphire caseback, where the column wheel – picked out in blue – and star‑shaped rotor provide visual interest beyond the technical specification.
The watch is supplied on a two‑link black ceramic bracelet and an additional black rubber strap with folding clasp, both attach via the same quick‑change system used on the rest of the Skyline line. Official pricing stands at 20,900 CHF, 23,400 EUR or 23,600 USD, placing the ceramic Skyline Chronograph slightly above the steel versions yet still coherent within Zenith’s El Primero chronograph hierarchy.
Defy Skyline Tourbillon Skeleton in Rose Gold
The Defy Skyline Tourbillon Skeleton is the most overtly high‑horology piece in Zenith’s LVMH Watch Week releases. It takes the Skyline design vocabulary and uses it as a framework for a fully openworked, high‑frequency tourbillon movement in a rose‑gold case.
The 41 mm case is crafted entirely from rose gold, with a mix of brushed and polished planes that keep the familiar Defy silhouette but add weight and warmth on the wrist. As with the other Skyline references, water resistance is 10 ATM, and the case integrates both a solid rose‑gold bracelet and a blue rubber strap, interchangeable through the same push‑button system.
The dial side dispenses with any conventional surface, giving an unobstructed view of the El Primero 3630 SK calibre. Bridges and mainplate are treated with blue PVD, with rhodium‑plated bevels catching the light and clearly outlining the geometry. The Zenith star is not just a logo here; it forms a structural motif in the skeletonisation, radiating around the tourbillon aperture at six o’clock. Applied gold‑plated hour markers with Super‑LumiNova and solid‑gold hands with colour‑coordinated varnish maintain legibility against the open structure.
The tourbillon completes one rotation per minute and runs at 5 Hz, in line with Zenith’s long‑standing focus on high frequency. The skeletonised barrel leaves the mainspring visible as it unwinds through the 50‑hour power reserve. On the back, a solid gold oscillating weight with a satin finish reinforces the sense that this is the flagship of the Defy Skyline range.
Production is limited to 50 pieces worldwide. The watch is priced at 91,900 CHF, 102,800 EUR or 103,700 USD. Within Zenith’s catalogue it sits as a bridge between the regular Defy Skyline models and the brand’s more traditional high‑complication offerings, showing that El Primero architecture still has fertile ground in current haute horlogerie.
Defy Skyline 36 – Silver Dial, With or Without Diamonds
Zenith’s work on the compact Defy Skyline 36 might look quieter next to a rose‑gold tourbillon skeleton, but it has substantial real‑world importance. This size is where many collectors, and a large number of new customers, actually wear their watches, and the move to a refined silver dial broadens the appeal of the existing colourful line.
The case remains at 36 mm in stainless steel, with the same twelve‑sided bezel and sharply faceted lugs seen across the Skyline family. Length, thickness and 10 ATM water resistance are unchanged, which keeps the watch in comfortable daily‑wear territory. The integrated steel bracelet is matched with a black rubber strap featuring a starry pattern, both fitted with a folding clasp and quick‑change system.
On the dial, Zenith replaces the previous blues and pastel tones with a silver‑toned sunray finish. The now familiar engraved pattern of four‑pointed stars remains, echoing historical Zenith motifs while giving the surface depth without excess decoration. Rhodium‑plated hands and indexes with Super‑LumiNova complete a very clean layout, with the date at three o’clock. The result is a versatile, monochrome execution that feels calmer than its predecessors and sits well on a wide range of wrists.
Two versions are offered. One keeps a plain steel bezel. The other adds 52 VVS brilliant‑cut diamonds, totalling around one carat, set into the bezel for a stronger jewellery presence. In both cases, the core case and movement specification is identical.
Inside, the Elite 670 automatic calibre delivers hours, minutes, central seconds and a date, running at 4 Hz with a 50‑hour power reserve. Through the sapphire caseback, the star‑shaped rotor adds a distinctive Zenith signature that ties the Skyline 36 to the brand’s wider collections.
Pricing is 8,400 CHF, 9,500 EUR or 9,400 USD for the standard steel‑bezel version, and 11,900 CHF, 13,500 EUR or 13,300 USD for the diamond‑set model. Given the level of case work, integrated bracelet and in‑house movement, the non‑diamond variant in particular lands in a strong position for anyone looking for a compact, angular everyday piece from an established manufacture.
Defy Revival A3643 – A Key 1969 Design Returns
The final Zenith novelty at LVMH Watch Week 2026 is different in tone but vital in context. The Defy Revival A3643 continues a series that began with the A3642 in 2022 and the ruby‑dial A3691 in 2023, all drawing on early Defy references that helped define the brand’s design direction at the end of the sixties.
Here, Zenith revisits the 1969 Defy A3643, known among collectors for its silver‑toned dial and unapologetically geometric case. The new watch uses a 37 mm stainless‑steel case reconstructed from original blueprints, with an octagonal mid‑case and a 14‑sided bezel. Brushed and polished surfaces give the case clear edges without making it feel blocky, while the proportions stay close to the original model.
Water resistance is rated at 30 ATM, which translates to 300 metres. That figure is not a marketing flourish; it reinforces the original Defy concept of a robust, go‑anywhere watch that could handle real use in and around water. The watch is delivered on a stainless‑steel ladder bracelet, recreated in partnership with Gay Frères and immediately identifiable as a Zenith signature.
The sunray silver dial has been recreated through high‑precision scanning of a vintage piece and stays extremely close to the historical layout. Applied hour markers use a two‑tier construction, with a satin‑brushed top surface sitting above glossy black‑lacquered recesses, lending depth without resorting to tricks. Luminous blocks and faceted hands ensure night‑time readability, while the seconds hand carries a rectangular orange segment that brings a sharp functional accent to the display.
In a departure from the original 1969 model, the solid steel caseback has been replaced by a sapphire display back. This reveals the in‑house Elite 670 automatic calibre, complete with its openworked Zenith star rotor and Côtes de Genève finishing. The movement runs at 4 Hz, offers a 50‑hour power reserve and provides central hours, minutes, seconds and a date at around four‑thirty.
The Defy Revival A3643 is part of the regular collection rather than a limited edition and is priced at 6,900 CHF, 7,900 EUR or 7,800 USD. It occupies an accessible position in Zenith’s range, particularly given the level of historical fidelity and the work involved in recreating the case and dial with such care.
Conclusion – Defy as Zenith’s Contemporary Core
Seen together, Zenith’s novelties at LVMH Watch Week 2026 form a coherent statement. The brand uses the Defy platform not only to revisit its past but to outline how it views contemporary watch design and mechanics. The black‑ceramic Skyline Skeleton and Chronograph underline an urban, integrated‑bracelet aesthetic that has become a central pillar of the catalogue. The tourbillon skeleton in rose gold shows that the same design language can support high‑complication watchmaking without drifting into visual noise. The Skyline 36 in silver demonstrates that Zenith understands the importance of wearable, versatile sizes with restrained dials, and the Defy Revival A3643 ties everything back to a landmark year in the brand’s history.
Across these launches, the common threads are clear. There is a consistent interest in architecture – in how cases, bezels, dials and movements relate to one another as a single structure – and an ongoing commitment to high‑frequency calibres where they make sense. The quick‑change strap and bracelet systems, robust water resistance figures and considered sizing all point to watches designed to be worn hard rather than kept in a box.
Zenith likes to describe itself as the heart of watchmaking, a manufacture that has combined in‑house movements and industrial integration since 1865 while collecting an exceptional number of chronometry prizes along the way. These new Defy pieces connect that history with a present that is unapologetically contemporary. In Milan, with the broader LVMH group gathered and the industry’s eyes on the year ahead, Zenith uses Defy to state where it stands today: firmly rooted in Le Locle, completely engaged with modern watchmaking, and still pushing high‑frequency architecture into fresh territory.
