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Zenith Defy Skyline Chronograph Skeleton 42mm Mens Watch Black Interchangeable Strap
Ref. 03.9500.3600/78.I001
Sits in Zenith’s upper tier here — more premium than three quarters of the Zenith watches we list, which start at £7,000.
Price range £7,000 to £28,000 across 43 Zenith watches in stock.The 42mm stainless steel case pairs brushed and polished finishing with a fixed, faceted octagonal bezel, sitting 12.7mm thick across a 47mm lug-to-lug span. A sapphire crystal covers the front, with a sapphire exhibition caseback revealing the skeletonised El Primero 3600SK beneath — a 35-jewel automatic running at 36,000vph with a 60-hour power reserve. The open-worked black dial carries a silver chapter ring and three sub-dials: a 60-second counter at 3, a 60-minute counter at 6, and running seconds at 9. The central chronograph hand completes one revolution every ten seconds, allowing true 1/10th-second readings. Applied polished batons and hands carry Super-LumiNova. The watch ships with both an integrated steel H-link bracelet and a black patterned rubber strap, interchangeable via a quick-release mechanism, secured with a folding clasp.
- Reference
- 03.9500.3600/78.I001
- Brand
- Zenith
- Collection
- Defy
- Case size
- 42mm
- Case thickness
- 12.7mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Octagonal
- Dial
- Black
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- El Primero 3600SK
- Functions
- Chronograph, Small seconds, Skeleton dial
- Water resistance
- 100m
- Bracelet / strap
- Rubber strap
- Strap colour
- Black
- Clasp
- Folding clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- Goldsmiths
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 (3,157), Automatic Watches (1,753), Chronograph Watches (1,205) and Skeleton Watches (323).
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
- One of Zenith's more premium watches
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 | 03.9500.3600/78.I001 | 81010-11-3306-1GM | G0A41003 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £14,500 | £15,400 | £12,900 |
| Case size | 42mm | 42mm | 42mm |
| Water resistance | 100m | 100m | 100m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Rubber strap | 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 £14,500, so choose on delivery and warranty rather than price.
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