Zenith DEFY 21 Chronograph Returns With Black & White Ceramic Limited Editions

Both the black and white versions pop with a rainbow of colors in the dial.

Zenith’s DEFY 21 Chroma watch is back—this time in a pair of black and white ceramic collector’s editions.

First unveiled during LVMH Watch Week in 2022, the DEFY 21 Chroma was initially available in a limited edition white ceramic case and “the world’s only serially produced high-frequency 1/100th of a second automatic chronograph calibre.”

Now, Zenith has re-issued the handsome chronograph with two new editions of the DEFY 21 Chroma II in black and white ceramic—each popping with its own range of colors.

The black ceramic version brings forth a range of tones based on the primary colors, while the white ceramic version features brighter accents with an emphasis on blues and pinks.

The ceramic case gives way to a refracted rainbow spread evenly across the open dial, the tips of the hands and the movement, all in a dazzling gradient of hues spanning the color spectrum.

The markers and 1/100 of a second scale extend beyond the dial and case, with the crown’s rubber grip ring as well as the rubber straps’ stitching mimicking the arrangement of the dial.

The raised chronograph counters match the case’s colors, beneath which the eye-catching movement shines. Each bridge is finished in a different metallic look, following the gradient of the dial’s markers.

Visible through the dial and the sapphire case back, the El Primero 21 automatic high-frequency 1/100th of a second chronograph features two independent regulating organs and gear trains for timekeeping and chronograph functions, operating at frequencies of 5Hz (36’000 VpH) and 50Hz (360’000 VpH).

Both versions of the limited edition watch retail for $15,600 and are limited to 500 examples for each colorway. The DEFY Chroma II in white ceramic is available at Zenith boutiques and select retailers, while the black ceramic edition is only available at authorized Zenith outlets.