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A Nautical History Inspires an Innovative Future for Ulysse Nardin by Stephen Watson

The Watches of Switzerland Group | 2 minute read

Ulysse Nardin continues to be inspired by its illustrious nautical history by celebrating its 175th anniversary with two innovative timepieces and an extraordinary marine chronometer-inspired desk clock made in association with Maison L’Epée. To celebrate its 175th anniversary, Ulysse Nardin reimagines its illustrious nautical history with two innovative timepieces and an extraordinary marine chronometer-inspired desk clock made in association with Maison L’Epée.

The esteemed history of Ulysse Nardin can be traced through decades of providing time-keeping devices and marine chronometers for ships navigating the high seas. Envisioning what a Marine Chronometer would look like 175 years in the future, the limited edition UFO clock took shape. The ocean’s perpetual movement inspires the curved aluminum base, the hand-blown glass bell replicating antique chronometers with a bayonet mounting system. Six hundred thirty-three components (UN-902 caliber) make up the inner workings, with one year of power reserve supplied by six barrels and a 49 mm balance wheel. The UFO can display three different time zones at once, each viewed from three different angles. Produced in association with Maison L’Epée for their 175th anniversary, Ulysse Nardin looks decidedly ahead to the future instead of recreating an homage to the past.

For 2021, Ulysse Nardin has created the Blast Hourstriker, an innovative, striking watch that produces sound in an entirely new way. The UN-621 caliber, the first in-house automatic striking movement, uses 330 components to power an innovative caliber designed to be visible from the dial’s front. The distinctive double X details in rose gold combined with black DLC-treated titanium acts as a hi-fi speaker that amplifies the watch’s tones (hours and half hours on demand) for the wrist. The mechanism that gives the watch its improved sound was developed in collaboration with Devialet, the wildly futuristic French audio technology company. The 45 mm rose gold case gets matched up with optional black alligator, rubber, waterproof velvet (!) straps for a look that combines Ulysse Nardin’s innovative sound with equal parts vision.

As part of the 175th-anniversary celebration, Ulysse Nardin introduces a skeletonized limited edition Diver X where inner workings get exposed for the first time. A re-engineered and redesigned UN-371 movement becomes the center of attention, where X marks the spot with a compelling motif that appears throughout the collection. The 44 mm case combines blue PVD with blue Carbonium, a super lightweight aerospace material with low environmental impact used for many of today’s aircraft. The hour, minute, second hands glow with Superluminova, an essential detail for diving near 200-meter depths. The optional rubber strap in either ocean blue or supercharged orange can go the underwater distance, a limited edition of 175 pieces.

CREDIT: Stephen Watson serves as an authority within the US watch industry. He was most recently the Editor in Chief of Revolution following his post as the Editor in Chief of Watch Journal and Executive Editor of Surface Magazine. Stephen Watson is a GPHG academy member.

A Nautical History Inspires an Innovative Future for Ulysse Nardin by Stephen Watson

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