Swiss watchmaker Zenith has partnered with USM Modular Furniture to launch a capsule collection that unites horological innovation with architectural design.
The collaboration revisits the creative energy of the 1960s, the decade that saw the debut of Zenith’s El Primero chronograph in 1969 and the USM Haller modular system in 1965.
The new timepiece, which was unveiled at Geneva Watch Days, reinterprets the original 1969 Zenith Defy to imagine what might have happened if the two brands had worked together at the time. The resulting Defy Chronograph USM combines Zenith’s mechanical expertise with USM’s design language, including geometric forms and structural clarity. Each watch is delivered with a custom USM Haller timepiece chest.
The model is presented in a 37.3 mm stainless steel case with an octagonal silhouette and a 14-sided bezel, complemented by pump-style chronograph pushers and a stainless steel “ladder” bracelet designed in 1969 by Gay Frères. Water resistance is rated at 10 ATM. The dial features applied square markers with horizontal grooves and is available in four colours drawn from USM’s signature palette: Gentian Blue, Golden Yellow, Green and Pure Orange.
Each version is limited to 60 pieces and priced at CHF 10,900. The chronograph subdials are finished in silver with concentric detailing, while the chronograph seconds hand is tipped with a miniature USM Haller ball joint coated in SuperLuminova. When activated, the mechanism reveals a hidden Zenith star motif.
The watches are powered by the El Primero 400 calibre, based on the original 3019 PHC movement launched in 1969. Operating at 5 Hz with a 55-hour power reserve, the movement drives central hours and minutes, small seconds at nine o’clock, a 30-minute counter at three o’clock, a 12-hour counter at six o’clock, and a date at 4:30. The rotor, visible through the sapphire case-back, bears an openworked Zenith star alongside Zenith and USM logos.
Benoit de Clerck, CEO of Zenith, described the collaboration as uniting “the excellence of Swiss design and horology.” Alexander Schärer, CEO and President of the Board at USM, noted the shared heritage of both companies as owner-driven workshops founded in Switzerland, stating that despite different industries, they are bound by “timeless quality, refined aesthetics, and purposeful functionality.”
The Defy Chronograph USM collection is available individually or as a complete set, exclusively through Zenith boutiques, its online store and authorised retailers worldwide.
