Write-up: Zenith Defy A7682

The year is 1969. Zenith stands tall, most known at the time for it's successful El Primero line (success despite not being the first), and it's plethora of 3-hander watches. In the last 60s, Zenith delegated a special project to a creative team with one goal: "Defy Expecations." What did this mean? This team set out to create a fully steel diver, with shock resistance beyond what other brands were making of the time, and make a design language to set the stage for 70s "funk" style.

The two generations hit the Zenith catalogue in 1968, and the shelves in 1969: the "Octagonal" Defy gen 1 (which has received plenty of notice as modern Zenith has released some reissues as of late), and the "Tonneau" Defy gen 2 (pictured here).

Both iterations of Defy shared some very "Defying Expectations" within their innards: high-beat (for the time period) movements with ease of service, 300m WR, screw down crowns, and a rubber housing to protect the movement from any shock. Additionally, these Defys instituted a design language of sheer and angular non-rounded cases, and polyhedral porthole-style bezels.

Generation 2, as pictured here, took a tonneau case shape, and went a step further by having famed jeweler and bracelet-maker Gay Freres to design and create solid steel "lobster" bracelets - an innovation in making an integrated bracelet where the watch was clearly meant to be with the bracelet.

(Additional note: GF was known to create the most iconic and high-quality bracelets for many watch companies including Zenith, Heuer, Patek's Nautilus, AP's Royal Oak, etc, before it was purhcased by Rolex in '98 - and now being the sole reason modern Rolex bracelets are so good).

It is without a doubt in my mind, and that of many vintage Zenith fans, that this iteration of Defy is what inspired the famous Genta designs of the 70s, particularly the Royal Oak. While the RO was easily marketed and a success, the Defy found it's only true success in Italy and Spain (could be considered a win? Italy in the 60s and 70s was considered one of the fashion capitals of the world). In Italy in particular, the Defy was marketed as "Cassaforte del Tiempo" - Time Safe, due to the abovementioned specs.

Unfortunately, the Defy was vastly overshadowed by the marketing of the El Primero; to Zenith the Defy was a niche product to mediterranean coastal stylish divers, and not worth the full effort the El Primero recieved.

To prove a testament to the toughness of a 50+yr old watch, I took this red gen 2 Defy as a companion on several treks: backpacking the canyonlands, Rocky Mointain National Park, and an adventure summiting 4 peaks in a day (with rock climbing involved!) in the San Juans.

If you're interested in further reading my thoughts on adventuring with a vintage watch: https://thewindup.net/?p=520