First Look – Zenith Defy Classic – Smaller, More Affordable, Still Bold
In 2017, Zenith relaunched the DEFY collection and impressed with the Defy El Primero 21, a hundredth-of-a-second chronograph with a 50Hz ultra-high-beat escapement dedicated only to the chrono. But that was not all. Later that year came the Defy LAB, with its revolutionary and unprecedented oscillator – a proper innovation. And finally, there was the new design, with integrated case and bracelet, large diameter and bold shapes. For Baselworld 2018, the design is kept but with more simplicity movement-wise – but not that simple either. Meet the Zenith Defy Classic.
Omega is a real powerhouse brand, with a product catalogue that’s both broad and deep, and their Basel 2018 catalogue is no exception. This year they showed a fairly diverse mix of watches, from the elegant ladies Trésor, to a range of Olympic commemorative editions and a Speedy or two. The main focus, though, is the Seamaster. There was a lovely duo of heritage-inspired models, but really, the critical and commercial heart of their lineup is the revamped Omega Seamaster Diver 300M, better known as the SMP. It’s a model that found renown on the wrist of Brosnan’s Bond, and won hearts and minds thanks to its distinctive look and rock-solid build quality. This 2018 version boasts a host of small, but significant, changes. There’s a size and movement upgrade (including the first ever clear caseback for the model), ceramic bezels and dials, as well as the return of the classic wave pattern. All this makes the SMP an even more compelling proposition.
Seiko have again released a duo of modern re-interpretations of one of their OG dive watches – the Seiko 6159. Sitting alongside the modern re-creation – the newly released SLA025, which was also just revealed here at Baselworld 2018 – the pair echo the original design of Seiko’s first hi-beat diver but wrap it up in a slightly more contemporary package. Vital statistics Available in two variants, the cases are thinner and hark back to the design of the original, except now they have a screw-in case-back and measure 44mm across and 13.1mm thick. They’re also joined by thinner bezels, with black for the SPB077, and blue for the SPB079. The black dials have highlights of silver – instead of the original’s gold – and slightly redesigned hour markers, as well as a set of modern-day Seiko arrow hands and the Prospex logo printed in the lower half of the dial. Both are water resistant to 200m and feature a Seiko 6R15 movement with a power reserve of 50 hours. And if you’re a fan of steel bracelets you’ll have to opt for the black bezel SPB077, which is the model we’re focusing on here. On the wrist It captures…
