BY JOVAN KRSTEVSKI
Zenith has been on top of its game recently. Last year saw the brand release stunning modern re-issues of the reference A386 and A384 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the El-Primero chronograph movement. To begin 2020 the brand has released quite a few intriguing watches and one of them is the Defy EP21 Land Rover Edition, a collaborative effort between British automotive giant Land Rover and Zenith that celebrates the latest generation of the Land Rover Defender.
Since its inception, the Defender name has stood as a symbol of strength and solidity for Land Rover. Launched back in 1990 the Defender received a modern and refined makeover last year and the new Zenith Defy EP21 Land Rover Edition draws inspiration from this new avatar of the iconic vehicle. The defender has been known for its rugged and boxy looks and the same has been projected in the design of this new watch. The case of the Defy EP21 Land Rover has been crafted from titanium, a material that is known for its lightweight nature and strength. Further to that, the case has been given a sandblasted finish to mimic the tough and sporty demeanor of the Defendor. The case measures a large 44mm in diameter and is water-resistant to a healthy 100 meters.
To complement the micro-blasted case, the face of this watch has also been presented in a muted shade of grey. But as a lot of grey would have made the face look a little boring, Zenith has thrown in some nice orange accents. As for the layout, once again as a nod to the Defender, things have been kept simple and functional. You get a tri-compax layout with 3 sub-registers at 3,6 and 9, a slick power reserve indicator below 12, a white printed minute/seconds chapter ring and a sloped chapter ring with a scale to measure up to 1/100th of a second. All hands have a baton-style shape and the hour/minute hand has also been painted with luminous material to ensure low light visibility. In all the dial is quite legible and balanced especially for a chronograph.
Powering the watch is Zenith’s technical marvel the El Primero 9004. This modern automatic chronograph movement comprises 293 components, operates at a high frequency of 5Hz and offers a power reserve of 50 hours. While all this sounds usual what makes this one special is that it can record up to 1/100th of a second.
In the end, all I would like to say is that the new Zenith Defy EP21 Land Rover Edition is a robust looking watch that pays a fitting tribute to an equally tough as nails car. The watch would be made available with two strap options: – the ‘Adventure’ with an all-terrain textured rubber and the ‘Country’ that features a grey rubber strap with a fabric effect and orange stitching. The watch is limited to 250 pieces and will retail for CHF 13,900.
Visit Zenith here.
