Zenith and USM Made One Mirror-Dial DEFY Chronograph, and It Goes to Auction
Zenith and USM built a one-of-one mirror-dial DEFY Chronograph for TimeForArt 2026. What is on the dial, what comes with it, and the 2025 model you can chase.
We pick every product independently. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission at no cost to you. How we make money.
Furniture and watches rarely share a spec sheet, but Zenith and the Swiss furniture maker USM keep making it work. After a limited 2025 capsule, the two have built a single watch that will never be sold in a shop: the DEFY Chronograph USM, TimeForArt Unique Piece. It is a one-off, made for the 2026 TimeForArt benefit auction, and it is already one of the stranger watch stories of the fall. The official listing for the watch is on TimeForArt.
01. What is actually for sale
The lot is a watch plus a piece of furniture. The listing names the watch as reference 03.A780.400-T/01.M3642, signed "ZENITH x USM Modular Furniture", and says it comes with a unique USM Haller furniture piece created for it. Because it is a unique piece made for auction, there is no retail price, and we did not find a published estimate.
02. The mirror dial
The standard 2025 watch came in solid colors. This one swaps that for a mirror-polished dial, so what you see changes with the room and the angle. The listing says the reflective surface is joined by blue, green, yellow and orange details drawn from USM's palette.
03. Same case, same movement
Underneath the dial, nothing changes. The listing gives a 37mm stainless steel case and a stainless steel ladder bracelet. Inside is the El Primero 400, an automatic high-frequency column-wheel chronograph running at 36,000 vibrations per hour (5 Hz) with a 55-hour power reserve. If you like vintage-shaped chronographs on a small wrist, the 37mm size is the point.
04. Why furniture and a watch
The listing ties the two brands to the same decade. USM patented the Haller modular system in 1965; Zenith launched the original DEFY and the El Primero calibre in 1969. Both were products of 1960s experiments in modular, industrial design, and the watch's octagonal case and 14-sided bezel come from that era.
05. The furniture is part of the lot
The Haller piece is not a gift box. Per the listing, it has a dedicated watch storage system and colored panels referencing the collaboration, and it was conceived together with the watch. Launch coverage describes a mirrored sideboard with room for 24 watches, so the watch and its home are designed to be shown together.
06. Where and when
Launch reports say the watch will be sold by Phillips in New York on December 5, 2026, with the proceeds going to the Swiss Institute, a contemporary art nonprofit. We did not see those details on the TimeForArt listing, so confirm the lot, estimate and terms in Phillips' catalog before you plan to bid.
07. If you want the regular version
The 2025 DEFY Chronograph USM is the realistic target for most people. Mayors, an authorized Zenith retailer, listed the orange version at $11,800 as an exclusive limited edition of 60 pieces and showed it out of stock when we checked on October 7, 2026. The blue dial is the same case in a different color.
How to think about it
This is a story, not a shopping list. The unique piece is a collector's auction lot; the 2025 watch is a limited, sold-out-at-retail chronograph. For other recent limited chronographs, see the Porsche Design Chronograph 1 Utility, or the Tornado Aristocrate Chronograph if you want the shape for a few hundred dollars. For another collaboration watch with a story, read about Timex and Fender, and for a centenary release from a smaller house, the Nivada Grenchen F77. More in watch news and the watches hub.
Shop the look
Our guides for this look: 6 Snoopy Watches From Timex Worth Wearing Right Now · 8 Luxury Dive Watches You Can Actually Wear Every Day
FAQ
What is the Zenith DEFY Chronograph USM TimeForArt Unique Piece?
A one-of-one, 37mm steel DEFY Chronograph with a mirror-polished dial and USM colors, made for the TimeForArt 2026 benefit auction. According to the official TimeForArt listing it comes with a unique USM Haller furniture piece built for it.
How much does the Zenith x USM unique piece cost?
It has no retail price. It is a unique piece made for auction, so the price will be set by bidding. We did not find a published estimate.
Can I still buy a regular Zenith DEFY Chronograph USM?
The 2025 version was a limited edition of 60 pieces per the retailer listing we saw. Mayors listed it at $11,800 and showed it out of stock on October 7, 2026, so check authorized Zenith retailers.
What movement does it use?
The El Primero 400, an automatic column-wheel chronograph beating at 36,000 vibrations per hour with a 55-hour power reserve.
