There is a moment in every watch collection when the pieces stop simply telling time and start telling a story about the wrist that wears them. Zenith reaches that moment twice over with its latest DEFY Extreme drop. The Lapis Lazuli II and the Ultraviolet are two 45mm chronographs that trade quiet restraint for presence, each one built around the same fiercely technical heart, the El Primero 9004. One leans into the drama of natural stone and blackened metal, the other into the electric charge of violet light. Both are unmistakably DEFY.
Now landing on Zenith’s website and inside its boutiques, the pair reads less like a matched set and more like two characters in the same story. The Lapis Lazuli II is the rare one, just 50 pieces at $37,100 USD, cut from forged carbon and dressed in real stone. The Ultraviolet is the louder one, priced at $20,100 USD, built for daily wear without dimming its impact. Together, they prove that a chronograph accurate to the hundredth of a second can still be styled like a statement piece.
Lapis Lazuli II: Stone Meets Steel
Zenith revisits an earlier steel and gold edition of this watch and reimagines it in forged carbon and titanium. The shift changes everything about how the piece sits on the wrist. It wears lighter, reads darker, and feels more like an object built in a lab than one pulled from a jewelry case.
The dial is openworked, letting the mechanics peek through from the front. Set into that architecture are counters carved from genuine lapis lazuli.
The stone carries natural flecks of pyrite, which catch passing light and flash gold against the deep blue surface. Against the matte, stealth-toned case, the contrast feels almost cinematic, raw earth meeting engineered precision.
Limited to 50 pieces at $37,100 USD, this edition is built for collectors chasing rarity as much as craft. It is a watch that treats geology as seriously as it treats horology.
Ultraviolet: Titanium With a Colorful Twist
The Ultraviolet borrows its name and its mood from the edge of the visible light spectrum. Its case is matte, microblasted titanium, giving the large 45mm silhouette an unexpected lightness on the wrist. Violet-tinted sapphire runs across the dial and subdials, casting a glow that shifts with every angle of light.
The case itself favors sharp geometry over soft curves. That choice is not just visual. Every angle is designed to catch and bend light differently, giving the finish real depth rather than a flat shine.
Even the smallest detail stays on theme. Flip the watch over, and the star-shaped oscillating weight glows in the same violet coating found on the dial. Three strap options come with it: a violet rubber strap, a titanium bracelet, and a Velcro strap for something more relaxed.
At $20,100 USD, the Ultraviolet opens the door to Zenith’s high-frequency chronograph world at a more approachable price, without asking wearers to compromise on presence.
Inside the El Primero 9004 Movement
Strip away the color and the stone, and both watches beat with the same extraordinary engine. The El Primero 9004 is chronometer-certified, automatic, and built around a rare idea: two escapements working independently inside one case.
The first escapement handles everyday timekeeping. It ticks at a steady 5 Hz, or 36,000 vibrations per hour, and delivers a 50-hour power reserve. This is the movement’s calm, reliable half.
The second escapement exists solely to drive the chronograph. It races at 360,000 vibrations per hour, spinning the central chronograph hand through a full rotation every single second. That speed is what lets the watch capture intervals down to the hundredth of a second, and read them instantly rather than requiring any calculation.
Through the sapphire caseback, the oscillating weight carries the finishing touch. Satin for the Lapis Lazuli II, violet for the Ultraviolet, each one a small signature tying the movement back to the watch’s identity.
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Pricing and Where to Buy
The DEFY Extreme Lapis Lazuli II is priced at $37,100 USD, limited to 50 pieces worldwide. The DEFY Extreme Ultraviolet is priced at $20,100 USD, with no stated production limit. Both are available now through Zenith’s official website and its boutiques.
Featured image: Zenith
