Zenith Defy Extreme Jungle

Quick specs Zenith Defy Extreme Jung
Price: $ 26,900 | € 28.000 | £ 24,200 | CHF 25’900
Size: 45 mm
Reference: 95.9202.9004/26.I001 – limited to 50 pieces

The Zenith Defy Extreme Jungle, limited to 50 pieces, represents the final chapter in a trilogy inspired by nature’s untamed realms. Designed to excel in rugged conditions, it is part of Zenith’s Defy Extreme line and draws inspiration from the jungle’s “mystery and power”. Well, the jungle part is the green with brown tones. And the use of exotic materials combined with high-performance capabilities.

Zenith launched the Defy Extreme series to push boundaries in both durability and design. The line builds on the foundation of the Defy collection, known for its bold aesthetics and precision timekeeping. Earlier iterations, such as the Desert and Glacier editions, highlighted Zenith’s ability to merge innovation with natural inspiration. The Jungle edition continues this narrative, incorporating unique materials like Tiger’s Eye stone to reflect its thematic focus.

Titanium Case and Tiger’s Eye Stone

This Defy Extreme Jungle has a 45-millimeter brushed titanium case. Its dodecagonal bezel and pusher protectors feature Tiger’s Eye stone, giving each watch a unique appearance due to the natural striations in the material.

Tiger’s Eye stone is a chatoyant gemstone that belongs to the quartz family. It is renowned for its silky luster and unique optical phenomenon called chatoyancy, which resembles the shimmering eye of a tiger, hence its name.

Open Sapphire Dial and Functions

The open sapphire dial is tinted green, reflecting the jungle theme, with tiger-striped counters enhancing its visual identity. Rhodium-plated, super-luminova coated hands and markers ensure clear readability in any lighting.

Functions include a small seconds display at the 9 o’clock position, and a central chronograph hand completing one rotation per second. Furthermore, a 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock and a 60-second counter at 6 o’clock. Lastly, there is a chronograph power reserve indicator at the 12 o’clock position.

The El Primero 9004 Movement

The Defy Extreme Jungle is powered by Zenith’s caliber El Primero 9004, a testament to Zenith’s expertise in high-frequency chronographs. First introduced as a part of the iconic El Primero line, this caliber is known for its precision, offering 1/100^th of a second timekeeping. It achieves this through two independent escapements. One operates at 36,000 vibrations per hour for standard timekeeping. The other at an impressive 360,000 vibrations per hour for the chronograph function.

The movement in this Defy also features a khaki-green main plate and satin-brushed oscillating weight, for more jungle feeling. This automatic has a 50-hour power reserve, and its transparent case back also provides a full view of this high-performance mechanism.

Zenith includes three strap options with this model. A titanium bracelet, a khaki green embossed rubber strap with a titanium folding buckle, and a black Velcro strap.

Price Tag of the Zenith Defy Extreme Jungle

The Zenith Defy Extreme Jungle is priced at 24,000 to 28,000 in dollars, euros, pounds and Swiss francs. In this price range, competitors may include the basic models of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore and the Hublot Big Bang Unico.

Both offer robust chronographs but lack the Defy Extreme Jungle’s combination of exotic materials and 1/100^th of a second precision. And on average they are about 5 to 10k more expensive. For collectors seeking innovation paired with natural inspiration, this Zenith offers a compelling choice.