A Masterpiece In Movement: Zenith Taps Renowned DJ Carl Cox For A New Collaboration

Zenith and legendary DJ Carl Cox have come together once again to unveil the DEFY Extreme limited edition, a masterpiece inspired by the realm of DJing. This limited edition collection marks the continuation of an extraordinary partnership between Zenith and Cox, and to celebrate this release, Cox graced the iconic Raffles in Chelsea with an exclusive set, offering electronic music aficionados a night to remember and marking his final London show of 2023.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Zenith

Cox, the British DJ, producer, and close friend of the Zenith brand, is undeniably a living legend in the electronic music universe. Revered as a pioneer in his field, he has consistently elevated his craft, taking global audiences on a sonic journey. Through this collaboration, Zenith and Cox demonstrate a shared spirit of innovation while exploring the meaning of movement.

The DEFY Extreme Carl Cox follows the highly acclaimed DEFY 21 Carl Cox edition, introduced in 2020. With this second collaborative timepiece, Zenith and the globally renowned DJ take their exploration of electronic music to the next level, offering a limited edition of only 100 pieces.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Zenith

For Julien Tornare, the CEO of Zenith, this collaboration was a mechanism to dive deeper with Cox: “Always cheerful, positive, and buzzing with energy, Carl Cox truly inspires us and proves that if you’re passionate and driven by what you do, nothing is impossible. For our second creation together, we wanted to delve deeper into his rhythmic world and revisit his early days of DJing with analog instruments. The result is Zenith’s most advanced chronograph, reimagined by Carl Cox in a retro-futuristic and minimalist style, making it truly special.”

To reveal the extreme craft of music production, the DEFY Extreme Carl Cox limited edition, Zenith found inspiration in one of the most iconic tools in the DJ’s arsenal: the turntable. Using Zenith’s fastest and most robust chronograph ever created to set the tempo, the design concept drew cues from Cox’s favorite set of turntables. A striking departure from the norm, the DEFY Extreme’s case features matte-finished stainless steel and yellow gold, giving it a bright, sparkling appearance not typically associated with polished or brushed steel. This combination of materials evokes a sense of minimalistic, nostalgically retro-futuristic elegance. The matte yellow gold accents on the dodecagonal bezel and pusher guards are reminiscent of the golden tonearm of a turntable stylus.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Zenith

Cox enthusiastically remarked, “I feel so honored that Zenith has immortalized the three turntables that helped make my name within this watch. Beautifully done and with incredible attention to detail, the watch is a fitting tribute to something that has made dancefloors come to life all over the world, from a brand known for its mastery of movement. They wanted to do something special, and they couldn’t have done better! Oh Yes, Oh Yes!”

The open dial of the DEFY Extreme Carl Cox is where the high-frequency mixing takes center stage. Atop the smoked sapphire crystal base, three black chronograph counters resemble miniature vinyl records, with concentric grooves that capture and reflect light, creating a mesmerizing visual effect. The minute track features a pattern of perfectly aligned dots reminiscent of the stroboscope effect found on the sides of Cox’s turntables. The power reserve indicator, located on the smoked sapphire element at 12 o’clock, cleverly resembles an ON/OFF switch.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Zenith

Visible through both the open dial and the sapphire case back is the El Primero 9004 caliber. It holds the distinction of being the world’s fastest and only serially produced chronograph movement with a high-frequency 50Hz chronograph, offering precise 1/100th of a second time measurements. To further enhance its appeal, the star-shaped oscillating weight and the main plate have been meticulously decorated in black, adding a touch of exclusivity to the DEFY Extreme.

The watch is officially available today, September 25th, retailing at a rocking $30,100.