The Zenith Defy Revival A3690 Gets Historic Teal Dial

There was one watch we saw at the LVMH Watch Week still under wraps, and it was also one of our favorites, even though it’s based on an existing model. The perfectly odd Defy Revival welcomes the new A3690 reference, with a brilliant teal dial with vignette effect that darkens towards the perimeter. If you’ve followed the first two releases of this Defy Revival, you won’t be surprised to hear that this is also based on a historic reference from 1969. This is a dial color that saw usage throughout the Defy collection of the era, another example of which you can see in this Affordable Vintage spotlight on the Defy from 2015. Side note, when are we getting the Revival treatment on the A781, A782, and A783?

There’s not much left to say about the A3690 from a technical perspective, as it’s identical to the A3691, and A3642 we’ve seen released in recent months. The 37mm octagonal case and 14 sided bezel piece remain as funky as ever, and if you liked it on the other references, you’ll likely find a lot to love with this one. The dial is the biggest departure here and it makes just as big a statement as the case. While the teal dial thing has kind of jumped the shark at this point (hasn’t it?), Zenith gets a pass thanks to the historic reference point, and the fact that the Defy was doing integrated bracelet sport watches since the ‘60s.

Plus, this is a great teal dial. It stands up to the bold design of the case and the accordion hour markers demanding equal attention. It’s a tough look to balance and pull off properly but I think this is the most compelling Defy Revival as a result of their success bringing these elements together. It’s too early to be thinking about summer but this watch puts me in the right state of mind considering it’s still January. 

Zenith is using their Elite 670 automatic movement in this Defy Revival, as we’ve seen with the others, providing 50 hours of power reserve and a date complication at 4:30. The watch will come on their famous ladder style bracelet for maximum style and comfort. 

The Zenith Defy Revival A3960 is not a limited edition, and will be priced at $6,900. The watch is available now directly from Zenith or at any of their authorized retailers. Zenith.