Zenith

I had been curious about the Defy revival A3648 for a while and was able to check their new dive watches. In hindsight I should have worn my doxa sub professional to compare the shade of orange but the boutique visit was not scheduled. Let's get straight to it. The diameter size is more compact than anticipated although the relative thickness of the case can make it look a bit bloated from some angles. Comfort is nonetheless excellent.







The new to me beadblasted titanium in yellow. Not convinced about the long term durability of the finish but at under 100 grams wearing comfort was top-notch for those who prefer lighter watches:



A size comparison highlighting the compact case of the zenith:

A family pic with the extreme diver. The white dial boutique was my favorite of the lot with the right amount of orange accents. Despite being on rubber and using titanium the extreme diver felt much heavier than expected.









Overall I was extremely well received and staff were not afraid to bring multiple models for comparison. The 50% premium of the extreme vs the revival sounds hard to digest despite twice the water resistance. The bezel action also lacked precision. Staff education was ok for the most part despite the more technical questions like lug size on the revival but more than compensated by a healthy amount of energy and enthusiasm even at the end of a long day. I was also surprised they don't seem to offer rubber straps for the revival, or not yet. The most amusing part of the visit was one staff asking me why I liked dive watches and my reply seemed to cause some momentary consternation ("to scuba dive"). We all laughed about it but it was quite telling. In summary a nice line up of divers unfortunately positioned at a questionable price against the competition despite a lot of character. My ideal model would be a titanium case revival in brushed finish and orange dial.

And I would definitely pick the zenith over the gp. My only gripe with the revival is that while it's a fun watch, legibility is compromised due to having too much orange (hands+minute track). As far as telling time at a glance, hard to beat the searambler.

Better than the current GP:

So many different models all full of character and very unique, a lot to like.

My favourite of the ones you have posted would have to be the Extreme in the grey as in the last picture. I'm really not sure I even like the Defy models as something feels off not just about the case shape but also about how narrow the bracelets look, I just think they look odd. But thank you for your in depth report and lovely pictures of all the models posted. 

I'm a very big fan of Zenith watches, I love the brand and they have very good watches.This message has been edited by India Whiskey Charlie on 2025-09-17 13:46:21

First with the Stratos flyback, then with a classic El Primero reissue and countless other models either pilot or chronographs. They have quite a unique position with often colorful and technically appealing models, I hope I can add one at some point!

I struggle with the Defy bracelet width relative to the case, I realize it’s a nod to the older model but it’s not pleasing to my eye. I prefer the last two models ( I believe they are 42.5mm? ) you showed, the durable looking strap seems appropriate to the case size, plus the matte case finish is attractive. And the more appropriate salesperson comment is: Who doesn’t love a Dive watch!

I tried on one of those orange revival divers last year and my main thought was, "I'd rather have another Doxa." I wonder if I'd feel the same on reflection. What's your conclusion?

Even depreciated these relatively new models would probably be 2-3 times the price of a new doxa or similar tier-2/tier-3 brand so there is not enough on offer to open my wallet.