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Zenith Defy Skyline Chronograph 42mm Mens Watch Blue Interchangeable Strap
Ref. 03.9500.3600/51.I001
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Stepping up in Zenith's range
Chronomaster Sport 41mm Mens Watch Skeleton - Interchangeable Strap£14,500
Chronomaster Sport 41mm Mens Watch Skeleton - Interchangeable Strap£14,500
Defy Skyline Chronograph Skeleton 42mm Mens Watch Black Interchangeable Strap£14,500
Chronomaster Sport 41mm Mens Watch Grey£16,100
Chronomaster Open 39.5mm£21,300
The El Primero is the movement Zenith has built its identity around since 1969, and the 3600 is its most precise expression: a 5 Hz automatic that drives a central chronograph hand completing one full sweep every ten seconds, giving genuine 1/10th-of-a-second resolution on the wrist rather than the implied precision of a slower hand. That is not a common thing in a self-winding chronograph. The octagonal case and twelve-sided faceted bezel are angular in a way that photographs coldly but reads differently in person — the alternating brushed and polished surfaces catch light in sections, and the blue dial's sunray finish shifts between slate and electric depending on the angle. The engraved four-pointed stars across the dial surface are subtle at a glance and clearer once you have looked for them. At 11.6mm the case sits lower than most sport chronographs, which matters across a bracelet this architecturally busy. The date at the 4:30 position avoids interrupting either the sub-dials or the symmetry of the dial layout. The quick-change system lets the steel bracelet swap for the included blue rubber strap without tools, which is genuinely useful rather than a selling point — the watch reads differently on each, and having both from the outset means it earns its place in more than one kind of week.
- Reference
- 03.9500.3600/51.I001
- Brand
- Zenith
- Collection
- Defy
- Case size
- 42mm
- Case thickness
- 11.6mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Octagonal
- Dial
- Blue
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- El Primero 3600
- Functions
- Chronograph, Date
- Water resistance
- 100m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Silver
- Clasp
- Folding clasp
- Lume
- Super-LumiNova
- Retailer
- Mappin & Webb
Additional specifications
- Power reserve
- 60 hours
- Strap
- Interchangeable
Learn more about Zenith
Georges Favre-Jacot founded Zenith in Le Locle in 1865, aged twenty-two, with an idea that was radical for the Swiss industry: bring every trade needed to make a watch — movement, case, dial, hands — under one roof and one management. The integrated manufacture was largely his invention, and the Le Locle site he built is still in use.
The approach produced results at observatory trials, where Zenith accumulated more precision awards than any other manufacture. The name itself came from a calibre Favre-Jacot considered the summit of his work.
Its defining achievement is the El Primero of 1969, developed over seven years and announced in the same year as the Heuer-Breitling consortium's Calibre 11 and Seiko's 6139. It was an integrated automatic chronograph beating at 36,000 vibrations per hour, allowing measurement to a tenth of a second — a frequency almost nothing else matched for decades.
It nearly did not survive. When American owners ordered the mechanical tooling scrapped during the quartz crisis, a watchmaker named Charles Vermot hid the plans, presses, and cams in a walled-off attic. When demand for mechanical chronographs returned, Zenith could restart production because of him. Rolex used the El Primero in the Daytona from 1988 to 2000.
LVMH acquired Zenith in 1999.
- 1865
- Georges Favre-Jacot founds the integrated manufacture at Le Locle.
- 1969
- The El Primero automatic chronograph debuts at 36,000 vph.
- 1975
- Charles Vermot hides the El Primero tooling from destruction.
- 1988
- Rolex adopts the El Primero for the Daytona.
- 1999
- Acquired by LVMH.
Also in 5 collections
This watch appears in the Zenith Defy range (23), Stainless Steel Watches (2,833), Automatic Watches (1,417), Chronograph Watches (1,131) and Blue Dial Watches (780).
Best of 2 retailers
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- 100m water resistance covers swimming and watersports
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
Zenith Defy Skyline alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 03.9500.3600/51.I001 | 81010-11-3592-1GM | G0A49022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £12,500 | £12,600 | £12,900 |
| Case size | 42mm | 42mm | 42mm |
| Water resistance | 100m | 100m | 100m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet |
| Power reserve | 60 hours | 54 hours | 50 hours |
| This watch | Closely matched | Closely matched |
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Yes. At 100m it is rated for swimming and snorkelling, though not for diving.
Water resistance explainedWill the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Sapphire, mineral and acrylic comparedDoes it need a battery?
No. It is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedHow long does it run for when it's not worn?
About 60 hours fully wound — enough to survive a night off the wrist, but not a full weekend.
Is it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's.
Cheapest place to buy
Both Mappin & Webb and Goldsmiths list it at £12,500, so choose on delivery and warranty rather than price.
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