My favourite dive watch from Watches and Wonders 2024 is actually 55 years old

I have countless highlights from Watches and Wonders 2024, but one watch I can’t stop thinking about is the Zenith Defy Revival A3648, a faithful recreation of one of Zenith’s first-ever dive watches.

I think Zenith has one of the best lineups of any watch brand, with ultra-modern, technical pieces, such as the Defy Extreme, Skyline and Chronomaster Sport, for people who appreciate more contemporary designs, sitting alongside traditional-looking models, such as the Defy Rival and Chronomaster Original, for people who prefer vintage aesthetics.

Now while I can appreciate Zenith’s modern pieces, it’s the vintage-inspired watches that I’m drawn to (I can see myself buying a Chronomaster Revival at some point in the future, for example). That’s why, at Watches and Wonders this year, I was drawn to the brand’s latest Revival model, the Defy Revival A3648.

One of the greatest sources of inspiration when creating the Defy Extreme Diver (which was also launched at this year’s show) was the Defy reference A3648. Originally launched in 1969, it presented an alternative take on Zenith’s avant-garde and rugged steel bracelet watch – it was one of the first Defy diver’s watches.

This year, in Zenith’s recent tradition of bringing back its most iconic references, the Defy Revival A3648 represents the first time ever that a vintage Zenith dive watch receives the Revival treatment.

The Deft Revival A3648 features a highly angular stainless steel case measuring 37mm in diameter – which I find much more wearable on my skinny wrists than the brand’s more modern pieces.

The steel fourteen-sided bezel present in Defy models from the same era is still present but positioned above the round rotating bezel. The unidirectional rotating bezel features a sapphire crystal insert instead of Plexiglass as in historical models, with the same black-on-bright-orange markings – one of the historical A3648’s most coveted features.

The black and orange theme extends to the dial, where the matte black surface is contrasted with orange hands and minutes track. The hour markers and hands are filled with white Super-LumiNova that emits a bright and long-lasting green glow.

With its screw-down crown at 4 o’clock and a sapphire display back, the Defy Revival A3648 retains the same depth rating of 600 metres (60 ATM), a considerable feat to have achieved in 1969 and still an impressive rating for such a compact diver’s watch today.

The sapphire case back offers a view of Elite 670 automatic manufacture movement, with a power reserve of 50 hours.

And just like the original, the Defy Revival A3648 comes on a five-link steel bracelet with a folding buckle, modelled after the bracelet the famed Gay Frères company had made for the historic reference in 1969. The deployant buckle features an expansion to allow the watch to be worn over a wetsuit without having to add or remove additional links.

I think you’ll agree it’s a stunning watch and one aimed squarely at enthusiasts. What’s more, it costs £6900 (US$7700), which, considering the modern Defy Extreme Diver also launched at Watches and Wonders costs £10,200, makes it seem very well-priced.

The Defy Revival A3648 is available from all Zenith physical and online boutiques.