Two icons of Swiss creativity — ZENITH and USM Modular Furniture — unite in a collaboration that transcends time and discipline. The result: the DEFY Chronograph USM, a capsule collection that bridges horological mastery and architectural ingenuity
Born from the radical spirit of the 1960s, the partnership revisits a decade that redefined form and function. It was the era of the USM Haller modular system, patented in 1965, and the debut of ZENITH’s El Primero in 1969, the world’s first automatic high-frequency chronograph.
Now, imagining what might have emerged had their paths crossed then, the two maisons present a bold re-interpretation of ZENITH’s 1969 DEFY — one that never was, yet feels destined.
Compact yet powerful, the 37.3 mm stainless steel case retains the DEFY’s sharply angular geometry with its octagonal body and fourteen-sided bezel. Paired with pump-style pushers and the iconic Gay Frères “ladder” bracelet, it exudes vintage character with architectural precision. The dial, meanwhile, celebrates USM’s unmistakable aesthetic.
Available in four vibrant signature colours — Green, Pure Orange, Golden Yellow, and Gentian Blue — each edition is limited to 60 pieces. Applied square markers, concentric silver sub-dials, and a chronograph hand tipped with a luminous miniature USM ball joint add depth, wit, and storytelling.
Inside beats the legendary El Primero 400 calibre, an automatic column-wheel chronograph still revered more than half a century after its introduction. Beating at 5 Hz, it delivers precision and energy for 55 hours.
Visible through the sapphire back, its rotor is cut into the ZENITH star, flanked by ZENITH and USM signatures, underscoring the harmony of two disciplines rooted in Swiss craft.
Completing the vision is a custom USM Haller timepiece chest, created exclusively for this collaboration — a functional artwork echoing the same modular philosophy. Together, the watch and its companion piece reflect a union of form, function, and imagination.
With the DEFY Chronograph USM, ZENITH and USM deliver more than a watch: they present a love letter to timeless design, a dialogue between past and present, and a statement of enduring modernity.
