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The Octagonal Defy

cell1010
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Hi folks,

I just joined the defy club. I kind of loved the line for quite a while but never really found the right example, other watches got in the way and I kind of forgot about the plan to get one. Partly because one rarely sees them with really good dials…

the A3642 re-issue got it back on my map. All the nice pictures of the old and new one side by side. I was sold. Coincidentally two popped up while I was searching the web and I bought them. What was really important for me besides a pristine dial was that they had the ladder bracelets. These are easily the coolest vintage bracelets in the market. So here we go. Both dials are damage free however they have developed slightly different colors. One is very creamy and chocolaty while the other has a rather greyish hue to it.

I’m not sure if I’m going to keep both but in the meantime I try to figure out which one I like best.

B0814F6D-712C-4877-A5A1-02AB3EAF8BAE.jpeg DB01267A-D131-4343-8871-C8D78DF7E3AD.jpeg
 
Jkuback
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688
cell1010 cell1010
Hi folks,
... I kind of forgot about the plan to get one...

B0814F6D-712C-4877-A5A1-02AB3EAF8BAE.jpeg DB01267A-D131-4343-8871-C8D78DF7E3AD.jpeg

Big mistake 🙄 but corrected 👍


cell1010 cell1010
Hi folks,

... I was sold.

B0814F6D-712C-4877-A5A1-02AB3EAF8BAE.jpeg DB01267A-D131-4343-8871-C8D78DF7E3AD.jpeg

::rimshot::

cell1010 cell1010
Hi folks,

...
I’m not sure if I’m going to keep both but in the meantime I try to figure out which one I like best.
...
B0814F6D-712C-4877-A5A1-02AB3EAF8BAE.jpeg DB01267A-D131-4343-8871-C8D78DF7E3AD.jpeg

Let me know 🍿

But most important: welcome to the club ::psy::
 
connieseamaster
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The lume on the champagne dial example is drool worthy. Perfect match for the dial.

This is at a layover at my watchmaker, but I'm super excited for when it does get to me:
IMG_20220201_130142211.jpg
 
sirtaifun
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513
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340
Boys, maybe the two of you should discuss that on private?
 
ken_hodson
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506
I've been itching to join this group and last week I picked up an A3643 with a 2552pc movement off eBay.

I think it has had only one owner. It has signed crown, original mineral glass crystal and the Zenith signed ladder bracelet. The case looks unpolished and movement is running fine. The crystal has scratches and the dial lume may need replacing at some point (it has gone black)...possibly some water ingress at some point, I suspect? However, I'm not sure there is much you can do with the crystal, I believe finding a replacement will be difficult?

I do love this iconic watch!
 
IMG_20220301_174449_081.jpg
vintage hab
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ken_hodson ken_hodson
I've been itching to join this group and last week I picked up an A3643 with a 2552pc movement off eBay.

I think it has had only one owner. It has signed crown, original mineral glass crystal and the Zenith signed ladder bracelet. The case looks unpolished and movement is running fine. The crystal has scratches and the dial lume may need replacing at some point (it has gone black)...possibly some water ingress at some point, I suspect? However, I'm not sure there is much you can do with the crystal, I believe finding a replacement will be difficult?

I do love this iconic watch!
Congrats. I had my eye on that one too, especially since it had the bracelet.
 
sirtaifun
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340
There is a replacement glass from Zenith it doesn`t have the same shape like the one from the 60`s though.
 
Jkuback
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688
ken_hodson ken_hodson
I've been itching to join this group and last week I picked up an A3643 with a 2552pc movement off eBay.

I think it has had only one owner. It has signed crown, original mineral glass crystal and the Zenith signed ladder bracelet. The case looks unpolished and movement is running fine. The crystal has scratches and the dial lume may need replacing at some point (it has gone black)...possibly some water ingress at some point, I suspect? However, I'm not sure there is much you can do with the crystal, I believe finding a replacement will be difficult?

I do love this iconic watch!

Congratulations on the new addition: great piece and they are getting more and more rare in this condition.

Re crystal: it's nearly impossible to find an original mineral. And we also tried to restore an old scratched one, which would be possible but tough job (our broke unfortunately due to the heat of polishing). However there are some nice replacement crystal which look good.
 
ken_hodson
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Thank you @Jkuback @sirtaifun and @vintage hab for your kind comments.

I'm absolutely loving this watch, I haven't taken it off yet. It may have started something for Zenith now...

I may look into replacing the crystal (thanks for the advice and recommendations), although I also may keep the watch as it is, scratches and all. To the best of my knowledge, it is all original and I am warming to that concept... I've only been collecting watches for about three years, but have gone from buying new watches in pristine condition, to loving vintage classics, such as the Defy, in very much used condition 🙄
 
vintage hab
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I finally took the plunge and have an incoming Defy 😁. It looks in great shape in the photos, but unfortunately it doesn't have the bracelet.

I've seen several crowns: (i) with Zenith star, (ii) with box corners, and (iii) plain. According to the long write-up on page 10 of this thread (June 9, '21), the star was standard pre-1972, then both the star and box corners were available. No mention of the plain crown, but I see a lot of them on watches for sale.

Question: can anyone say with certainty if the plain crown is original or definitely a service replacement?

I'll post some photos once it arrives!
 
sirtaifun
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340
The plain one is not from Zenith.
From Zenith it is the Zenith logo like still it is nowadays and in the beginning it was the "Nato" star like on the cover.
 
sirtaifun
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340
Yes I think so but I do not know if those parts fit to the Vintage casing.
Glasses and crowns are still available as service parts original from Zenith today for your Defy and there is a ladder bracelet from the El Primero which is 19mm from what I heard.
Compared to other brands service parts from Zenith are cheap.
As an example I paid 20EUR for the service glass for my Defy the only thing is they wont sell it outside an service.
Edited:
 
ken_hodson
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506
Thanks @sirtaifun that is helpful to know.

To access the parts like crown/crystal would you have to get Zenith to service the watch? Or can Zenith supply parts to independent watchmakers? Are Zenith like Omega in trying to bring watches back to 'like new' when they service them?
 
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