The Defy series was introduced in 2018 and immediately became much loved and sought after by fans of the brand. The model presented here was launched in 2021 and continues the success of the Ultraviolet, launched a year earlier. In the same spirit as the Ultraviolet, the new Ultrablue focuses on this color, which appears on the movement, dial, and strap.
The rest of the watch is deliberately left as neutral as possible, so as not to detract from the appeal of the bright metallic blue. The muted case retains its contours and shapes, as well as its relatively impressive proportions, with a diameter of 44 mm and a height of 14.50 mm. In this case, however, it is made of microblasted titanium, and as a result, we have a darker gray tone and a matte, as if slightly frosted, surface. Complementing the blue theme, the integrated rubber strap has a blue rubber insert with a Cordura effect on the front and stitching in the same tone.
We cannot but start with the dial, as it is the most impressive thing about this watch - skeletonized, executed with great attention to detail, it is a reference to the epic limited edition Defy Lab from 2017. Its other remarkable quality is that, unlike most similar watches, this one is legible – because of the large, generously 'illuminated' hour markers, which are anchored to the contrasting color of the outer ring of the case.
The hands are also large, in the form of double swords, the chronograph sub-dials are in the usual positions for an El Primero - overall, the dial of this watch manages to be interesting without being cluttered.
The case is the next thing that attracts attention – besides being a remake of the original Defy from the 70s, it is more than contemporary – comfortable, light, made of a modern material, with incredible detail and multiple planes. And the fact that it is only 14.5 mm thin not only contributes to the comfort but also shows that a no less remarkable movement is hidden inside the watch!
And, of course, the back of the watch – as with most modern models of the brand, this one is... Wow! Besides allowing us to enjoy the integrated movement (which is a work of art in itself), the entire architecture is very well thought out, proportional, and somehow very complete.
The movement deserves separate attention, because under the in-house factory abbreviation El Primero Calibre 9004 lies a true work of technical thought and watchmaking art! Not for nothing is the series named Defy 21 – because this is truly a 21st-century movement.
The El Primero 21 is created with two separate escapements - each with a balance spring made from a new patented material by the brand - Carbon-Matrix Carbon Nanotube. One takes care of the time and operates at the usual El Primero frequency of 36,000 vph, while the second is made entirely for the chronograph and operates at the mind-boggling frequency of 360,000 vph!!! This means that when the chronograph is started, the seconds hand makes a full rotation of the dial in one second! The seconds are then counted on the 60-second sub-dial at '6 o'clock', and the minutes are counted on the 30-minute register at '3 o'clock'. Due to the large amount of energy required to power the chronograph at 360,000 vph, the chronograph function can only run for up to 50 minutes, and in order to monitor this indicator, a power reserve indicator is built into the watch.
The watch is truly wonderful and we sincerely hope that it will become a worthy part of a connoisseur's and expert's collection, because such a fine example at such a reasonable price for such series will be hard to find again.
