Zenith Defy: Why it's the Most Misunderstood Sports Watch 

This channel is quickly becoming my favorite. This is why the world of watches is so fun. There’s a wealth of history and story behind and so much promise for what’s to come.

Whoa this was pleasantly unexpected. Have to admit, the baseline Zenith Defy has been growing on me over the past 12 months or so.

What are your thoughts around Zenith Defy: Does the collection make sense today? Has this oddball made you change your mind? ;)

A great story - nicely done! The best video on the Zenith Defy I've seen. Thank you.

You are one of the only watch RU-vidrs I’ll click a video even if I think I’m not interested in the watch. Great content as ever.

I lovelovelove the date at 4:30 w all the hour indexes in place!!

Love your opening by clicking the chronograph pusher, next to the mic, and saying (like sipping a fine class of wine) - "mmm, too good". LOL. Tony in Utah here, and I enjoyed this video first thing on a blustery Saturday morning. Well written and well delivered.

I have been eyeing vintage defys on forums. It is awesome how both obscure and charming the design is. The advertising for the defys were wild too. Apparently one with the bracelet off was used as a hockey puck and tested afterwards, working without issues. I wonder if the revival versions are as robust as the originals.

1969 is my birth year. Awesome year for watches such as this Zenith. This remind me of the Seiko Sports watches of 1969.

Thank You soo much for this meticulously researched origin story of the Zenith Defy! There is always something new to learn in Horology!

Fantastic review, as always. Love the old advertisements. A watch that has a lot in common with the Defy, but is not easily recognized in that sense is the Certina DS2. Bulky strange case (but very wearable), special shock protection system, crazy thick glass, great water resistance, elegant fumé and bullseye dials. But also a great history. I think you would enjoy to review and learn about it as well!

I was so close to buying one , 12 years ago . Looked great on , I loved it . If I hadn’t fallen for the Omega Peter Blake , then I would have walked out with a Defy . Been thinking about it ever since !

Hey ID-Guy, just wanna say thanks for your content. Watched a lot of your videos a couple times, especially the ones about the Explorer 39 (which i own😂).

Getting hooked on Zenith ?! 😊 I own an El Primero “Surf” chronograph 1973. Can’t fail that watch. Great video, thanks😊

You remain a consummate historian. Wonderful subject to watch a couple days after release with snow blanketing the scene outside. Thanks!

1. Love the brown dial 2. Do NOT love the ladder bracelet 3. Best of the bunch: the Defy Surf - that was a cool watch.

I LOVE the look of the case shape and indices. Sensibly (for once) I went to an AD in London to try it on before buying, and was unfortunately disappointed. The red dial version is much more subdued in colour than it appears in photographs, and the watch itself felt really small and flimsy.

super to see someone appreciate this special piece too - nonconformity at its best. got a good 71 one this weeks ❤

What a lovely piece (mean the old one !) Thank you for this content.

I have been a fan of the early Defy design since I got into watches back in the early 1990's, I have been thinking of getting one of these Revivals since they came out. That titanium version in particular!

Defy Skyline was amazingly executed!

Great video, fascinating origin. Loved your rendering.

Great video, learned something and gained appreciation for the revival series!

Thank you for the excellent review. The 1969 Defy is an amazing, undervalued and misunderstood watch. I am very pleased to report this, as I bought a mint 1969 tobacco fumed dial Defy about 10 years ago for peanuts money. The watch, even after all this time keeps amazing time and is an absolute pleasure to wear and the lume is gorgeous. I love this watch and it will never be sold from my collection. Thanks again for the super review and please keep up the good work. Cheers Noel

Nice clip and thanks for bringing the background to the fore. Not a fan of this particular design but agree they could look at incorporating some cues into the current line. And thanks for the name drop too 😂

I’m unfamiliar with this watch, and strangely I quite like it I, may look out for one. Keep up the good work .

Excellent discussion you present. Clearly this is not your everyday Oyster case. But, I do love that nothing else looks like the original design and I find it not that much of a visual provocation than some others. To me, you are absolutely right that the present models are trying too much to appeal to the mainstream. You green rendering actually looks much better. Well done!

What a great video. I had absolutely no idea about the origins of the Defy…and, unfortunately, I’ve added it to my short list!

Oh, mate - I 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 the Ladder bracelet! I actually had the chance to get the re-issue on wrist ~ a fortnight ago in Melbourne, Australia. I was very excited to do so, such an interesting watch ... but I was disappointed tbh. Didn't wear well on my oran utan sized wrist to start, but felt a little wrong too. Weird watch. Cool - but weird.

Love your reviews of the watches others don't do, Zenith has always been one of my favorite watch brands, but I don't have that kind of money. The Zenith Defy reminds me of the Bulova Jet Star.

Everything angular but then the rounded brushed surfaces on the upper case. Truly defying design aesthetic. Not my cuppa but totally respect the effort. In some ways it speaks to the anti-aesthetic aesthetic of the 70s. Punk rock, etc.

Great look back. I’m still amazed these integrated watches are considered sports watches. Do love the hr markers.

I am a big fan of this watch. In pictures, you are right, not too appealing, but trying it on, it’s different, it’s great and unique. I would consider it, if I didn’t already have the A384 on bracelet.

Surprisingly i'd wear the crazy Defy Extremes if they fit me and I could afford them, but now that you've brought up the originals....they are striking my fancy...to a degree...

Didn't know the history behind the line, very interesting. Thanks brother for the great video. I think they should play more on that uniqueness 👍🏽

Very intresting to discuss about the Defy line, it’s strange and bizzare through its history from 1969 to the Nataf 2000s Defy era till now. I have some of 2000s defys, as strange and design approach that Nataf took to release these watches, I found them interesting as they invested in lot’s of new strange materials and specs like “Zenithium” and 1000m water resistant. I think that Zenith now are bringing what is called common ground in terms of design especially with the Defy Skyline so it might appeal to the genta hype generation and they did a good job, I myself interested in the Defy skyline Chronograph and their new diver.

Excellent video. Great research with the ads.

Wow never knew the original Defy was so beautiful, absolutely stunning!

i want that piece of history! great story

Great research….. didn’t know anything about the Defy line !

As always another great video. I really appreciate the "odd lot". I have so many watch that fall into the traditional format, that I can be comfortable with a watch that is so different from the others. Now I need to find an AD.

Great video, great watch. But I thought Certina DS watch in 1959 was really the g-shock precursor

You got me on this one, I’ve never enjoyed the styling on this piece and thought it was just a cheesy 70s design with no real interest. After hearing of the history though I’ve definitely become, if not a fan, a bit more of a Defy respecter. Cheers

This has become one of my favorites from Zenith. I’ve gravitated away from tool/sports watches as a whole, this is its own thing. I bought an A385 with a ladder bracelet over summer, that’s simply one of my very best watches. While I was wiring for the watch to arrive, I planned to replace the ladder bracelet. That desire left the building once I had it on for a short time. I’m generally a strap lover, leather in particular, the ladder truly works with a vintage Zenith watch, they are cut from the same cloth. I don’t care about the clasp’s deficiencies, I just don’t. The clasp may not belong on a $9500 watch, but that’s not what I paid for it anyway. I recently bought an SBGW269, I love the faceted indices GS offers, that could be another reason why I’ve come to think more about the Defy Rival. I like the more muted colors. Zenith is, from what I gather intending to update their Elite line of dress watches. That’s where my interests as a whole have shifted, but this remains a unique, interesting timepiece. The only thing I wonder about- as much as I appreciate the ladder bracelet, the way in which this is setup, it looks as if conventional straps are off limits. That would be a bummer if true.

I think the head drops were beneficial. This is a wonderful design. I can see why people who have climbed aboard the modern bandwagon would not appreciate it. Your research never fails to enlighten

If you like way out there pieces then rado could be really up your street too. Especially the diastar range, which they still make today.

Thank you for the history! I have the current red model. It's stunning! The ladder bracelet is unusual, but wears fine. Love those indices and facets! 😍

Thank you for bringing to my attention a brand that as most people did I brushed to one side because it wasn't a famous brand. thank you

Great channel, great video, what a really amazing watch.

I bought the defy skeleton in blue earlier this month. Love it. 3 of my other watches are in for servicing (overdue) right now so guess what’s getting extra wrist time😎.

This was a nice surprise. I did not know about this history of the Defy! I must say I have a soft spot for the current Defy Skeleton models. If purchasing a Zenith, though, I’d absolutely start at a great Chronograph like ID_Guy did! Wow!

I loved it as soon as I saw it.

Can’t believe this channel only has 3k odd subscribers!

You've actually changed my mind with this video 😜 funny how the story can change someones mind about the time piece (in positive sense 😁). May I add a suggestion for a video? (why asking if I will anyway bother you with it) Fortis Stratoliner maybe, it's an odd one and really streamlined to one thing (Virgin Galactic) but maybe can be interesting. And their history (brand, not the watch) from 1920s as well, but just an idea, maybe it's not interesting at all 😅

The defy revival si by far one of my favorite recent releases from zenith

Great vid, as always! I’m really torn about these watches. I really think the revival is a funky, different looking watch that I admire on paper…but sometimes it seems like the things that make a watch (or any product) admirable on paper also make them too funky for most of us to actually pull off…

I love it! Great vid.

Nice watch. Thanks for the education but I'm still looking for a chrono. Good deals are appearing. I saw one of the 1/10 second central second hands recently discounted 30%. The problem for buyers this year will be when to blink and actually pull the trigger. Dealers (especially grey and secondary) keep telling us it isn't going to happen but I'm seeing signs of the dam about to burst everywhere.

What a wonderful piece. Never heard of it until now. You're right about the facets, incredibly eye catching. I can see why you find it so alluring. I, like you are drawn to the designs of the 70's. Most modern pieces while engineered well lack presence. I especially like the Defy diver. It's a stand alone piece. Definitely not your run of the mill diver.

This retro model can almost pass off as okay when flatened for web and photos. But to truly appreciate its shape and cry out, “What in God’s name is that” I recommend finding the Defy Revival Shadow in its matte titanium finish at an AD. The chiseled shape, without the benefit of shiny finishes, becomes explicit and almost plastic toy-like. And then it would be understood how no-one makes a watch like this today, for good reason.

Oh that bracelet looks like one clench of my fist will distort and snap on a good tight fit. Lovely watches though. Thanks for bringing this brand to my attention. Great video yet again from the master 👍🇬🇧

Other than the tricolor el primero, zenith never did anything for me. I appreciate this video for at least giving me new information.

Heh heh! An acquired taste! Something of it in the SMP's scalloped bezel and case?

I own an early Defy with the caramel coloured dial and enjoyed your video very much (as more or less all of your vids). Pitt

I have a vintage Defy . The brown fume dial and hands look great. The watch runs great and keeps great time. The case is beat to hell. Someone wore this watch very hard. I do not have Gay Freres ladder bracelet. The are hard to find and crazy expensive when you do find them.

@IDGuy curious to hear your thoughts about the organizational changes in LVHM, with Julien Tornare (who has been such a great advocate of the brand) moving over to Tag, replaced by the ex-Panerai guy. Zenith's couple of last years were really thoughtful about their portfolio, I'm a bit worried this might be affected now.

Your best video!!

Yema came out with some micro rotor watch that looks exactly like this. If zeniths date complication wasn’t at 4:30 I may like it more. Big company with history that just isn’t like the other major brands in sales.

I think it'd 'make sense' for it to have angular crown guards, but than having the audacity to not have crown guards would fit the Defy name

I love it!

It’s an odd duck, the Defy. I can’t decide whether it’s unappreciated genius or a travesty.

The idiom, "Don't judge a book by its cover" Graphic designer "Am I a joke to you?"

Still not tried the shadow titanium. Would love to as I think it looks awesome.

The ladder bracelet is the only thing I like about it.

Cool tan lines with that bracelet

I adore this thing and it's a shame that it's been retroactively lumped in with the Genta designs that followed. It's a reminder that watch brands once stood out from each other with bold new designs, technologies, and functions as opposed to the current market in which watch brands gather so quickly around the same few trends, genres, and movement approaches. Call it the Tudorfication of modern watch design where the goal seems to be removing any element that might lend tension or visual interest in pursuit of giving this narrow community what it thinks it wants instead of igniting our passions with something new.

I gotta say people dont buy into Zenith because of the following. Zenith is the first of so many things in the watch industry and in any business theres usually just 3 ways to win. 1. Be first 2. Be better 3. Cheat Seeing as Zenith is always the first and yet fail to capitalise on all the advantages of being first really shows a consistant degree of negilgence to capitalise. This resonates into failure in so many peoples eyes and thats why the market dosnt see Zenith as an aspirational brand, but more of a nostilgic brand or even arguably many missed opportunities.

You’re tha man

❤. Sweet.

I love it

I love zenith and what a beautiful piece they created! Most modern watches are monstrous looking huge and as tasteless as modern society. Good work zenith for that particular release

What’s the bracelet called???

I could identDEFY with it.

I say each to their own. One man likes the appearance of Katie price while another may favor Natalie Portman. It's just the same with watches.

cool watch with a lovely vintage vibe.. For me, date window on defy looks very unnecessary and design killer...

How’s the accuracy of Zenith? I never owned one.

1st Wow

The dials are genius, the case?…… only a mother……

2nd again damn it 😅

I like the El Primero but this Defy is a little too much for me.

I don’t know…….to me the early Defy’s were designed for well to do hippies or pot smoking surfers 🏄‍♂️. Am I a curmudgeon?

Not the biggest fan. I would get the new Bulova Jet Star that it reminds me of at a much cheaper price

Everyone is remembering the Zenith as a cringe brand,they knew Seiko pionereed the first auto chrono but they still named their auto chrono “El primero instead of El segundo”!!

Previous design was better

The whole Zenith brand does nothing for me.

You make obsessing over watches justifiable. One should be indulgent if they love a watch which does not get mass media coverage and hype. Thank you. IDGuy 👋

It is in fact…. hideous