Pop Quiz: The Esoteric Detail That Makes a Big Difference
I mentioned my admiration for the Defy Revival released early last year with a ladder bracelet made by the Gay Frères. Well, guess whoâs behind the bracelet on this watch? Thatâs right, those magnificent bastards did it again. While this bracelet isnât as inventive as the ladder, the five-link design is handsome and comes with the backing of true horological history makers.
The Muggsy Bogues Award for Best Tiny Detail
The italicized font used for âDEFYâ on the dial is the perfect choice for this watch. The slanting font is evocative of the outrageous visions of the future predicted by shows like The Jetsons. In the â60s, everyone imagined that by now, weâd all be in flying cars, eating meals packed into pills, and using this font on absolutely everything.
The Plankton Award for the One Little Detail I Didnât LIke
If I had to pick one negative, it would go to the A3648âs lume. Even after giving the watch a healthy charge in the California sunshine, it didnât light up as much as I wouldâve hoped, especially considering this is a dive watch.
A little deficit in the luminosity department hardly dimmed my experience with this watch, though. (Whoâs light isnât shining a little less bright these days?) When my time was up with this watch, I was genuinely disappointed that I had to put it back in the mail to Zenith. What Iâm looking for in a dive watch is something exactly this size that still packs in a lot of easygoing charm. My week with the A3648 confirmed all the suspicions I had about this timepiece when I first saw it at Watches & Wonders in April: This is the most fun dive watch of the year.
The Specs
Steel case and bracelet, 37 millimeters, water resistance to 600 meters, 50-hour power reserve, date function between 4 and 5 oâclock, automatic movement, $7,700. Buy it here.
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