Zenith updates my favourite watch with vibrant dials and a chronograph function

Zenith has just made my favourite watch even more irresistible. The brand’s iconic DEFY Revival has been reimagined with a chronograph function for the very first time, and it now comes with dials so bold they’ll brighten up even the greyest of days.

This launch is no ordinary update. It’s the result of a collaboration between Zenith and Swiss design house USM Modular Furniture, best known for its endlessly customisable Haller system of steel tubes, ball joints, and colourful panels.

Both brands were defining forces in the 1960s – Zenith with the groundbreaking El Primero chronograph movement in 1969, and USM with its modular furniture in 1965. Now, they’ve asked a fun “what if” question: what if their paths had crossed back then? The answer is the new DEFY Chronograph USM.

The watch takes the sharp, architectural case of the original 1969 DEFY – a compact 37.3mm octagonal design with a 14-sided bezel – and equips it with Zenith’s legendary El Primero 400 automatic chronograph movement.

It’s water-resistant to 10 ATM, fitted with retro pump-style pushers, and comes on the signature ladder bracelet designed by Gay Frères.

The real showstopper, though, is the set of dials. Available in four USM-inspired shades – Green, Pure Orange, Golden Yellow, and Gentian Blue – each version is limited to just 60 pieces.

They’re finished with silver chronograph counters, square markers with grooved detailing, and a neat party trick: the chronograph hand is tipped with a miniature USM Haller ball joint filled with luminous paint. Start the chrono, and a hidden Zenith star is revealed – a playful touch for collectors who love small details.

Inside, the El Primero 400 keeps things running at a high frequency of 5Hz, just as it has since 1969. It delivers central hours and minutes, small seconds, a 12-hour chronograph, and a date tucked between 4 and 5 o’clock.

Flip it over and the sapphire caseback shows off the movement, complete with an openworked Zenith star rotor carrying both Zenith and USM logos.

Each watch comes in a custom-designed USM Haller presentation chest – or, if you really want to go all in, you can buy the full set with all four dial colours and matching furniture modules.

I loved the DEFY Revival before – now I want one in every shade. You can check them out on Zenith’s website.

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