Zenith
Chronomaster Open
$10,200
Zenith has been incorporating high-frequency timekeeping for longer than just about anyone, and the DEFY Extreme Ultraviolet is one of the more vivid reminders of why. The color story goes back to the DEFY 21 Ultraviolet from 2020, which put a violet-toned movement inside a sandblasted titanium case and struck a chord with collectors. Here, that same identity gets translated into the bolder, more architectural shape of the DEFY Extreme, and the name fits: ultraviolet sits at one of the most intense ends of the light spectrum, which feels about right for a chronograph that can time events to 1/100th of a second.
The 45mm case is matte microblasted titanium from top to bottom, which gives it a dark, almost shadowlike quality and lets the angular geometry do the talking. It also keeps the watch surprisingly light for its size. The open dial mixes violet tinted sapphire with matching violet subdials, so you can see straight through to the movement. Small seconds sit at 9 o’clock, a 30-minute counter at 3, a 60-second counter at 6, and the chronograph power reserve at 12, while the central chronograph hand whips around the dial once every second.
That one second sweep comes courtesy of the El Primero 9004, which runs two separate escapements: 5 Hz for the time, and a remarkable 50 Hz just for the chronograph. Turn it over, and the star-shaped rotor is violet too. The watch ships on a violet rubber strap, with a titanium bracelet and a Velcro strap in the box, all quick to swap.
