The Purple Color of Zenith’s Newest Watch Is Inspired By its High Frequency
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With a movement and strap bathed in a striking purple hue, the new Defy 21 Ultraviolet from Zenith makes a bold aesthetic statement, but it’s the rationale for the color choice that watch lovers will find most charming.
Positioned at the short-wavelength end of the visible spectrum, violet has the highest frequency of all visible colors—a perfect match for Zenith’s El Primero 21 chronograph movement, which beats at a frequency of 50 Hz, lending it unparalleled accuracy to the tune of 1/100th of a second.
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As the highest frequency chronograph in regular production, the Defy 21 is among a new breed of modern chronograph made possible by contemporary watchmaking achievements involving the use of silicon, which can withstand the high speed of the movement much better than traditional lubricants.
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Earlier this year, Zenith unveiled the Defy 21 Land Rover, which honors the 3-year-old partnership between the watchmaker and luxury carmaker, as well as the Defy 21 Carl Cox, a limited-edition model boasting a glow-in-the-dark carbon bezel paying tribute to the superstar DJ for which it’s named.
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The latest Defy 21 edition is equipped with two escapements—one for essential timekeeping, which beats at 36,000 vibrations per hour (VpH) and has a frequency of 5 Hz, and the other for the chronograph, which beats 10 times faster at 36,000 VpH and boasts the aforementioned 50 Hz frequency.
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The model’s El Primero 9004 automatic movement is chronometer-certified by Timelab, a Geneva-based organization that provides third-party certification services for the Swiss watchmaking industry. The contemporary model—whose royal purple scheme is a world watchmaking first, according to Zenith—retails for $13,100