Review: Zenith Defy Extreme Diver

Our hands-on review of the Zenith Defy Extreme Diver, a diver’s watch featuring a distinctive design and an El Primero 5Hz calibre. Price €11,800

At the beginning of last April, during the Watches and Wonders exhibition in Geneva, Zenith introduced the Defy Extreme Diver, a robust diver’s watch featuring a distinctive, edgy design inspired by the Defy models released from 1969 onwards.

After our introductory article of the two launch versions with black and blue dials, we spent a week with the Defy Extreme Diver in blue (ref. 95.9601.3620/51.I301) and are now delighted to share our impressions and photos in this hands-on review. Simply click on the images to enlarge them.

At the top of the Defy range in terms of performance with a water resistance of  60 bar (600 meters / 2,000 feet), the Defy Extreme Diver meets the ISO 6425 requirements for professional diver watches, which include ISO 764 for paramagnetism as well as ISO 1413 for shock resistance, making it a comprehensive diver’s watch suited to the most demanding conditions.

The watch features a 42.5 mm x 15.5 mm case crafted from a Grade 5 titanium alloy (titanium, aluminium and vanadium), lighter and more hard-wearing than steel as well as being very resistant to corrosion, particularly in salty seawater.

Offering the highest strength-to-density ratio of any metal, titanium is also darker than steel for a more technical look. 

Surfaces are predominantly brushed, with a few polished edges highlighting the watch's dynamic lines. 

Encircling the fixed, polished and brushed dodecagonal bezel is a ceramic unidirectional rotating bezel with grooved edges to ensure a secure grip during use.

Rotating with 120 precise clicks, it displays a 60-minute scale for measuring diving time or other events.

On the caseband at 9 o'clock, there is a helium escape valve for saturation diving. This valve allows gas—which could otherwise increase the internal pressure and cause damage—to escape.

On the opposite side, the oversized screw-down crown is protected by two titanium guards that are well integrated into the case design.

When unscrewed, the crown has three positions: Position 1 for manual winding, Position 2 for date adjustment, and Position 3 for time-setting with stop seconds.

When you first handle the Defy Extreme Diver, your eye is immediately drawn to the striking blue dial and its intricate pattern of engraved four-pointed stars. 

Offered in both blue and black variations with corresponding ceramic bezels, the metallic dials exhibit a sunburst finish, accentuated by rays extending from the Zenith star at 12 o’clock. 

Paying homage to historical Defy diver models, a vibrant orange highlights the outer minute track, the tip of the seconds hand, and the inner segments of the hour and minute hands.

Positioned at 3 o’clock, the date display harmonizes with the color of the dial.

The generously sized hands and applied hour markers are coated with three distinct pigments of "X1" grade Super-LumiNova, emitting light in blue (used for the minute hand and the bezel triangle), green, and orange hues. This facilitates easy distinction between the hour, minute, and second functions. 

Instead of a solid case back, the screwed-down sapphire crystal case back showcases the meticulously finished El Primero 3620-SC self-winding caliber.

This high-frequency manufacture movement operates at a frequency of 5 Hz (36,000 vibrations per hour) with a 60-hour power reserve. It features a paramagnetic escapement with key components in non-metallic silicon for improved resistance to magnetism.

We particularly appreciated that the Defy Extreme Diver comes with three strap options, which can be swapped out in just 10 seconds thanks to a clever, user-friendly strap-interchangeability system. It is one of the best strap/bracelet exchange systems we have encountered. Check this TikTok clip to see how quick and seamless the exchange process is.

The titanium bracelet, featuring H-shaped links, has both brushed and polished surfaces and secures to the wrist with a triple folding clasp with security push buttons.

The first additional strap, matching the dial color, is made of FKM rubber with a Cordura-effect texture. 

The second is an extra-long strap crafted from recycled fishing nets, designed to be worn over a wetsuit. 

You can see the watch alternating between the three strap options in this Instagram clip.

Despite its size, the watch sits comfortably on an average male wrist (the wrist in our pictures is 17.7 cm / 7 in) thanks to its original case design with short, almost nonexistent lugs.

Retailing at the price of €11,800 / US$11,300 and available either in blue (ref. 95.9601.3620/51.I301) or black (ref. 95.9600.3620/21.I300), the new Zenith Defy Extreme Diver combines excellent performance with a state-of-the-art manufacture movement, a striking and distinctive appearance, and the versatility of multiple strap options to suit different situations. zenith-watches.com

Suggested reading:

- The history of the Zenith El Primero