Wearing the Zenith Defy Revival for a few weeks reveals a piece that balances vintage charm with modern expectations. The watch, priced at £7,000, uses the Elite 670 automatic movement and channels the early 1970s with a design that feels surprisingly current. As the name suggests, it is a reissue of a diver’s watch from 1969, but its vivid colours and conservative size mean it fits well within current trends.
Design and Dimensions
The Zenith Defy plays within vintage dimensions rather than strictly modern ones. Its steel case measures just 37mm, which is quite a way from the modern 41mm Rolex Submariners you’ll see around nowadays. With that in mind it’s not too imposing and fit my wrist well. This wasn’t a watch-wearing-me-type situation.
The finish is top-notch too, as you’d expect from a watch at this price. However, the key thing here is the details and the colour, which make the Revival larger than life. There are lots of quirks: it discreetly squeezes in a date window after the 4 which sounds busy but isn’t – and there’s also a crown in the same place. The former feels balanced despite the size and the latter keeps the watch cool, compact and unusual.
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The big draw here, though, is the orange colour that Zenith has used on the bezel and dial. It’s bold, citrus and just loud enough in person, raising the watch that bit more. It’s an interesting hue too, somewhere between orange peel, Aperol Spritz and fluorescent orange. A perfect summer colour, it’s able to keep the sunny vibes going even if the weather isn’t.
Specs and Build Quality
The rest of the dial has a black, matte finish giving a nice contrast to the inner orange layer of the watch. At the same time, the Defy gets batons for hour markers – thick ones for 3,6,9 and 12 and slightly thinner ones for everything else. The hands are different to one another too, with a striped arrow for a minute hand and a second hand that incorporates a square.
Zenith has popped in its Elite 670 automatic movement which has a power reserve of 50 hours. It uses 144 components and beats at a frequency of 28,800. Water resistance is at 60 atmospheres, which roughly translates to around 600 metres or 2000 feet. There’s an exhibition caseback too, so you can see the movement in action if you wish.
The bracelet is smooth, machined well and feels comfortable on the wrist, but there’s more than enough adjustment for even someone as pernickety as me. The edges of the case are angular and precise too, making the Defy Revival feel robust despite its smaller stature.
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Zenith has managed to create a watch that feels simultaneously restrained and loud. The small case keeps it understated, while the specific hue of orange makes it eye-catching. It is clean but packed full of unusual details. It wasn’t something – like the Tag Heuer Solargraph – I felt I could throw on with any outfit, but when I did wear the Zenith, people immediately had questions. Some were about the brand itself (which still isn’t so well known out of watch circles) while others were just about this model in particular. The feedback was widely positive, too.
The steel strap did take some getting used to, but after playing the adjustment and an extra link, it fit well throughout the day. The luminescence was also good in lower light conditions, and fun fact: in UV light the orange seems to glow even more. It’s a cool effect.
This Zenith is a cool, unusual watch that costs a fair amount, but backs it up with strong build-quality, specs – and especially style. Channelling the early 70s in every aspect, it’s a perfect blend of bold and restrained. An Aperol Spritz for your wrist; it’s one of the most enjoyable pieces I’ve tried so far.
