Ulysse Nardin is an unconventional watch brand that most notably makes the handless watch called the “Freak.”

The company was originally founded in 1846 and in addition to being known for marine chronometers, was a pioneer in the use of silicon in watchmaking.

This is all great, however, subjectively, an incongruent design language across collections, watchmaking that fails to innovate the way the company did in the past, and excessively high retail prices — seemingly result in interesting timepieces that are not compelling enough to compete in their respective price range.

Objectively, according to Watch Charts, Ulysse Nardin watches trade nearly 50% under retail on the secondary market. That’s not unusual in an industry where a few companies dominate sales. However, when a watch you buy is north of thirty thousand, that might be hard to resell at half that, you should (really) consider alternatives.

Ulysse Nardin collaborated with Amoureuxpeintre (minimalist designer Vsevolod Cherepanov) to create a 29-piece limited edition Blast Amoureuxpeintre. Uniquely, the watch is a customized version of Blast Skeleton X, with smoke-colored frosted sapphire glass on the dial and caseback, created using a process of laser etching and thin metallization.

The mostly black-gray monotone color scheme consists of a 42 mm diameter case that’s crafted of titanium and coated with an anthracite PVD finish, and with matching anthracite hands with gray luminous material.

A manually wound 3Hz Ulysse Nardin caliber UN-371 powers the hours and minutes and features a 96-hour power reserve. The Blast Amoureuxpeintre (Ref. 3713-260LE-9A-SEVER/0A) watch is paired with a thick gray Alcantara strap.

Unless you’re dying to own something from Vsevolod Cherepanov (aka Amoureuxpeintre) — at a retail price of $32,700 — you could find plenty of excellent alternatives for the same or less money.

Learn more at Ulysse Nardin.

 

Photo by Ulysse Nardin.