In 2022, the inaugural TimeForArt auction took place in partnership with Phillips, marking the first and only benefit watch auction to support contemporary art and artists. In its opening year, it raised $1.2 million for the Swiss Institute’s exhibitions, public programs, education initiatives, and community engagement. Its next edition returns this December as part of The New York Watch Auction XV, now featuring a whopping 25 watch brands up from the original 17, including Zenith with a unique Defy Chronograph.
For this special edition going toward a worthy cause, Zenith has once again teamed up with USM Modular Furniture. The pair first collaborated in 2025 on four ultra colorful Defy Chronograph models inspired by the timeless and playful design language of the distinctive furniture. Here, the watchmaker drew on the brand’s patented USM Haller modular system and married it with the architecture of the Defy Chronograph. For the upcoming charity auction, the duo continues to use the model as the canvas, but this time, they take a more subtle and subdued approach to the design.
The foundation remains the same with the Defy Chronograph’s compact 37mm stainless-steel case, octagonal geometry, fourteen-sided bezel, and the stainless-steel “ladder” bracelet. Like we saw in the original collaboration, there are small easter eggs throughout, like the tip of the chronograph seconds hand that’s fitted with a miniature USM Haller ball joint and provides a subtle link back to the furniture system.
The biggest change comes in the centerpiece of the watch: the dial. Instead of the bold and bright colors we saw across the original co-created models, the brands shift the focus to the furniture’s metal surfaces with a fully mirror-polished dial. However, we still get the quintessential pops of color incorporated into the piece unique, but this time, the pair takes a softer approach. Here, we see USM’s signature palette of USM Golden Yellow, USM Pure Orange, USM Green across the three overlapping azure chronograph counters along with USM Gentian Blue around the periphery.
Form aside, the heart of the model is classically Zenith thanks to the iconic El Primero movement. This particular edition houses the El Primero 400 automatic high-frequency column-wheel chronograph caliber, beating at 36,000 vibrations per hour (5 Hz) and offering a 55-hour power reserve.
As an added bonus, USM has created a one-of-a-kind mirrored Haller sideboard with an integrated storage compartment designed to hold up to 24 watches to accompany the unique timepiece hitting the auction block. The Defy Chronograph USM TimeForArt Unique Piece set will be auctioned at Phillips New York on December 5, 2026 at 3:00 PM EST, with 100% of the proceeds, including Phillips’ Buyer’s Premium, benefiting Swiss Institute. For more information, head over directly to Zenith.
