Zenith’s first DEFY collection tailored exclusively for women, the DEFY Midnight was launched in 2020 to the delight of those who seek contemporary and confident femininity in watchmaking. Uniquely positioned as a versatile sporty-chic timepiece with a distinctly cosmic design, the DEFY Midnight was conceived with free-spirited, dream-chasing women in mind. As highlighted in the ZENITH DREAMHERS platform, where outspoken and accomplished women share their experiences and encourage others to go out there and fulfil their ambitions, the DEFY Midnight is a versatile companion for the independent women of today. Now, the collection welcomes two new additions inspired by a central element in Zenith lore – the starry night sky – and some of its ephemeral yet endlessly captivating phenomenon: the DEFY Midnight Sunset and DEFY Midnight Borealis.
Housed in a 36mm stainless steel case embellished with brilliant-cut white diamonds on the bezel, these two vibrant versions reinterpret traditional craftsmanship in new and unprecedented form. Endowed with guilloché engraved dials with a radiant wave pattern, like rays of light emanating from the sole applied star near the top of the dial, the dials offer a fresh take on the ancestral art form in an unexpected and visually striking manner.
In the Zenith DEFY Midnight Sunset, the dial seamlessly transitions from warm red to a deep yellow tone in a perfect gradient of colours that recalls the brief but breathtaking sky as the sun casts its last rays of light before giving way to night.
As its name implies, the Zenith DEFY Midnight Borealis evokes the aurora borealis or northern lights phenomenon witnessed around the arctic circle, featuring a midnight blue dial that gradually shifts to a bright emerald green towards to bottom. In both models, white diamonds are applied on every hour marker, except at 3 o’clock where the date window is placed.
Visible through the sapphire case back, the Zenith DEFY Midnight is equipped with the automatic Elite 670 automatic manufacture calibre, providing a power reserve of 50 hours. A star-shaped oscillating mass adds a celestial touch to the movement.
One of the features that makes the DEFY Midnight so versatile and easily adaptable to any situation and outfit is its quick strap-change mechanism, allowing the integrated stainless steel bracelet to be easily swapped with any of the three supplied leather, textile and rubber straps without requiring any tools. The DEFY Midnight is delivered in a special box that doubles as a storage case for precious items and includes three additional coloured straps and an interchangeable folding buckle.
And now, in partnership with Nona Source, a start-up incubated by LVMH, Zenith is introducing a new line of sustainably made straps with a high-fashion edge, using deadstock fabrics from the group’s most prestigious Fashion & Leather Goods Maisons that are upcycled and transformed into lavish straps in a wide array of textiles and colours.
Available at all Zenith boutiques and authorized retailers around the world, the DEFY Midnight Sunset & Borealis are compelling additions to the ultra-modern and confidently feminine collection of watches for women seeking something visually outstanding yet easily wearable.
Zenith Defy Midnight Sunset Technical Specifications
Reference: 16.9200.670/33.MI001
Key points: 36-MM case dedicated for Women. Gradient dial. Full interchangeablestrap system. Strap box included : 3 different colors straps + an interchangeable folding buckle
Movement: Elite 670 SK, Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 VpH (4Hz)
Power-reserve: min. 50 hours
Functions: Hours and minutes in the centre. Central seconds hand. Date indication at 3 o’clock
Price 11400 CHF
Gemsetting: Carats 1.48 cts, Bezel 44 VS brilliant-cut diamonds, Dial 11 VS brilliant-cut diamonds
Material: Stainless steel with diamond-set bezel
Water-resistance: 10 ATM
Dial: Red to yellow gradient & guilloché
Case: 36 mm
Hour-markers: Diamond hour-markers
Hands: Rhodium-plated and faceted, coated with Super-Luminova SLN C1
Bracelet & Buckle: Stainless steel with interchangeable strap system. Comes with 3 different coloured straps.
Zenith Defy Midnight Borealis Technical Specifications
Reference: 16.9200.670/34.MI001
Key points: 36-MM case dedicated for Women. Gradient dial. Full interchangeablestrap system. Strap box included : 3 different colors straps + an interchangeable folding buckle
Movement: Elite 670 SK, Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 VpH (4Hz)
Power-reserve: min. 50 hours
Functions: Hours and minutes in the centre. Central seconds hand. Date indication at 3 o’clock
Price 11400 CHF
Gemsetting: Carats 1.48 cts, Bezel 44 VS brilliant-cut diamonds, Dial 11 VS brilliant-cut diamonds
Material: Stainless steel with diamond-set bezel
Water-resistance: 10 ATM
Dial: Blue to green gradient & guilloché
Case: 36 mm
Hour-markers: Diamond hour-markers
Hands: Rhodium-plated and faceted, coated with Super-Luminova SLN C1
Bracelet & Buckle: Stainless steel with an interchangeable strap system. Comes with 3 different coloured straps.
Zenith: time to reach your star.
Zenith exists to inspire individuals to pursue their dreams and make them come true – against all odds. Since its establishment in 1865, Zenith became the first watch manufacture in the modern sense of the term, and its watches have accompanied extraordinary figures that dreamt big and strived to achieve the impossible – from Louis Blériot’s history-making flight across the English Channel to Felix Baumgartner’s record-setting stratospheric free-fall jump. Zenith is also highlighting visionary and trailblazing women – past and present – by celebrating their accomplishments and creating the DREAMHERS platform where women share their experiences and inspire others to fulfill their dreams.
Zenith exclusively uses its own in-house developed and manufactured movements across all of its watches. Since the creation of the El Primero in 1969, the world’s first automatic chronograph calibre, Zenith has gone on to master the complication with even more precision, capable of measurements to the closest 1/10th of a second in the most recent Chronomaster lines, and 1/100th of a second in the DEFY collection. Zenith has been shaping the future of Swiss watchmaking since 1865, accompanying those who dare to challenge themselves and break barriers. The time to reach your star is now.