This is a copy/paste from my post on Royal Footman's Trousers, same stats, same question:
12 Defense and 1 Vitality is too good for level 10 :)
On a more serious note, its very likely that the game developers wanted there to be enough nice conquest items to last you all the way through level 25, when you are expected to advance to rank 3, and Rank 3 Conquest Items become available to you.