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Zenith Defy Skyline Automatic 36mm Unisex Watch Blue
Ref. 16.9400.670/15.I001
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Stepping up in Zenith's range
Chronomaster Original Steel 38mm Mens Watch Silver£13,100
Pilot Big Date Flyback 42.5mm Mens Watch£13,100
Defy Skyline 41mm Mens Watch Black£13,900
Defy Skyline Chronograph Skeleton 42mm Mens Watch Black Interchangeable Strap£14,500
Chronomaster Sport 41mm Mens Watch Skeleton - Interchangeable Strap£14,500
The Defy Skyline sits within a line Zenith built to carry the geometric boldness of the original Defy into contemporary wear — angular octagonal case, starry-sky dial motif, movement finished to show. This 36mm boutique edition adds a bezel set with 52 VVS brilliant-cut diamonds, about a carat in total, which shifts the watch's register without softening the architecture: the faceted octagon remains emphatically structural, and the stones follow its angles rather than soften them. The ice-blue sunray dial is engraved with a repeating four-pointed star pattern — the Zenith emblem made into a surface — and the rhodium-plated indices and faceted hands carry Super-LumiNova, so the geometry holds after dark. The exhibition caseback reveals the Elite 670's star-shaped oscillating weight, satin-finished, which is a considered touch on a movement that earns the view: 144 parts, 27 jewels, 50 hours of reserve. At 10.35mm across a 36mm footprint the watch sits flat and close to the wrist. The bracelet swaps tool-free for the included ice-blue rubber strap, so the same watch reads entirely differently dressed down.
- Reference
- 16.9400.670/15.I001
- Brand
- Zenith
- Collection
- Defy
- Case size
- 36mm
- Case thickness
- 10.35mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Octagonal
- Dial
- Blue
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Bezel
- Bidirectional rotating
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- Elite 670
- Functions
- Date, Skeleton dial
- Water resistance
- 100m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Blue
- Clasp
- Folding clasp
- Lume
- Super-LumiNova
- Retailer
- Goldsmiths
Additional specifications
- Power reserve
- 50 hours
- Gem set
- Yes
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 7 collections
This watch appears in the Zenith Defy range (23), Back in Stock (4,007), Stainless Steel Watches (2,833), Watches Under 37mm (1,509), Automatic Watches (1,417), Blue Dial Watches (780) and Skeleton Watches (260).
Temporarily out of stock
Goldsmiths is not currently taking orders for this reference. Last listed as available on 26 September 2026. Stock is checked nightly and this page updates when it returns.
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- 100m water resistance covers swimming and watersports
- 36mm suits most wrists
- 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 | 16.9400.670/15.I001 | 278559-6001 | 81005-11-3154-1CM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £11,300 | £11,200 | £12,800 |
| Case size | 36mm | 36mm | 38mm |
| Water resistance | 100m | 30m | 100m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Leather strap | Stainless steel bracelet |
| Power reserve | 50 hours | — | 46 hours |
| This watch |
|
|
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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 50 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 unisex, and at this size it suits any wrist that takes the dimensions.
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