Ulysse Nardin

Ulysse Nardin’s Freak Vision is the first – from the collection that debuted in 2001 – to incorporate an automatic winding movement within the design that consists of a distinctive baguette-shaped movement and features a flying carrousel rotating around its own access. The Freak Vision has an ultra-light silicium balance wheel with nickel variable inertia blocks (patented) and silicium micro-blades that stabilize the amplitude and significantly increase accuracy. There is a new 3D carved upper bridge, a new box type domed sapphire crystal which allows for a thinner middle and bezel, and the case has new horns, bezel, and rubber elements. A new “Grinder” automatic winding system, which Ulysse Nardin claims “revolutionizes energy transmission, surpassing existing systems for efficiency by a factor of two,” generates energy with even the slightest movement of the wrist. “The oscillating rotor is linked to

Presented in an imposing 46 mm titanium case, the Deep Dive Hammerhead Shark comes with a unique removable crown guard (reminiscent of the oversized guard seen on Panerais). This 300 piece limited edition has Hammerhead Sharks all over the watch, 15 in total, including one engraved and then red lacquered on the titanium crown, another embossed on the caseback, and then 13 more in a pattern that makes it look like they are swimming on the dial. With professional dive specs such as a 1000 meter water-resistance rating, a screw-down crown with removable guard, a screw-in caseback, and a screw-down helium escape valve (at 9 o’clock) – this dive watch can go virtually anywhere. The large rotating bezel has 12-notched teeth for easy manipulation, even with diving gloves. And the strap automatically expands using a spring based on water depth.

“Eight years after the first Moonstruck made its mark, the Moonstruck Worldtimer remains the only astronomical wristwatch with the bright part of the moon always facing the sun, as happens in real life. The dial also displays a particularly easy-to-read map of the tides,” according to the manufacture press release. The Executive Moonstruck Worldtimer is presented in a 46 mm diameter case that is made of platinum or 18K rose gold. The case is water resistant to 100 meters and features a locking crown for added security. Inside, is in-house automatic caliber UN-106 which beats at 4Hz (28,800 vph), has a silicon escapement and hairspring, and a 50-hour power reserve. The functions include indication of the position of the Sun and Moon in relation to Earth, moon phases, map of the tides, worldtimer for 24 cities, an instant time zone

Named after Ulysse Nardin’s son, Paul David, who took control of the company after his death in 1876, the new Classico Paul David Nardin is based on a 1945 timepiece from the company’s archives. Fittingly, it measures 39 mm in diameter, is made of stainless steel, has baton hands, Arabic numerals, along with a small seconds display at 6 o’clock. All specifications that give it a classic appearance. In fact, the design is akin to the 1964 retro Ulysse Nardin timepiece that we covered last week. It even has the same automatic caliber UN-320 in-house movement and the logo featuring the brand name in flat black print with a raised, silvered anchor motif applied directly to the dial. Most importantly, it does not look like the Nebuchadnezzar spaceship from the movie the Matrix. Why is that important? Well, considering how

In a departure from the unconventional or “freakish” modern watch designs that have been coming from Ulysse Nardin for as long as I can remember, as of late, the Le Locle manufacture has released numerous vintage inspired timepieces. And the Diver Le Locle may be their best yet. Originally released in 1964 – in a 38 mm case – the new version is 42 mm and features modern in-house automatic caliber UN-320, which is equipped with a silicon escapement and hairspring, and a 48-hour power reserve. The dial is matte black with large round and rectangular luminescent (tan) indexes and large baton-shaped luminescent hour and minute hands. Small seconds are displayed in the subdial at 6 o’clock, which has a cross hair marking and an Alpha shaped luminescent hand. A magnified date display, that can be quickly set both forwards

Marking ten years since the launch of the Innovision 1 – which boasted ten horological innovations – the Innovision 2, a halo/concept timepiece, was unveiled at SIHH 2017, with ten new innovations. Dual constant escapement Following in the footsteps of the Dual Direct escapement of 2001, which set new standards in efficiency, the new Dual Constant makes an even greater leap forward. This sophisticated constant force escapement makes ingenious use of a complex silicium structure with locking elements and flexible silicium blades that are not dependent on the mainspring. This means that friction is reduced, and the small pulses of energy transmitted to the balance wheel and hairspring are equal and constant over time. The result? Mechanical accuracy that is second to none. Direct silicium bonding The InnoVision’s escapement element is made from a process in which Deep Reactive Ion

Ulysse Nardin recently announced an instant push-button dual-time watch with a unique alarm that features a cathedral gong. The Classic Sonata is presented in a 44 mm diameter stainless steel case with a fixed titanium bezel. In the center of the dial is a blue Geneva stripe motif. Prominent “Glaive” sword-shaped skeletonized luminescent hour and minute hands display the local time in conjunction with hand applied dagger-shaped faceted and polished hour indices. There is also a long baton-shaped central seconds hand. Although it is worth noting, that there is not a minute or second scale for the central time display. The crown at 3 o’clock controls the local time (hours, minutes, seconds). And the crown at 9 o’clock controls the date, while the pusher on that crown turns the alarm on and off. At 6 o’clock is the 24-hour format

Ulysse Nardin debuts a boutique-only FreakLab timepiece in all black. Crafted in blackened titanium with a carbon fiber bezel, the case diameter is 45 mm, and as the name suggests, there is a unique mechanism inside. The tourbillon, silicum double escapement, silicium hairspring, balance wheel, and the entire gear train are all visible on the dial. The mechanism you see in the center of the dial, with all the aforementioned components, also acts as the minute hand, rotating once around the dial every hour. Further, a short, exaggerated arrow-shaped hour hand is also set in the center. Together they indicate the time. Setting and winding the watch are just as unusual as telling the time. Instead of a crown, the time is set using the bezel. Setting the time (hours and minutes) is done by unlocking the bezel via a

For Only Watch 2015, Ulysse Nardin created a unique musical timepiece which performs the song “We are the Champions”, written by Queen’s Freddie Mercury. Housing the caliber UN-690 in a 45 mm blackened titanium case, the Only Watch Stranger incorporates a what the manufacture calls a “Melody-on-call” function selector through which the owner can listen to the melody each hour, or also by request, at the push of a button. An anthracite dial with red “Only Watch” text, features 10 cherry red blades that chime the tune in concert with the music box mechanism’s rotating disc. This and 42 other one-of-a-kind watches will be sold on 7 November 2015 during the Only Watch charity auction in Geneva. run by Phillips Watches.

Within the Marine Diver collection, Ulysse Nardin has introduced a new limited edition dive watch collection called the Blue Ocean. The 45.8 mm diameter case is stainless steel, coated with vulcanized rubber. The entire case, crown, and bezel are coated with this special rubber treatment. Matching the color scheme of the case, the dial features a wave pattern in blue. Further, the luminous material on indexes, bezel dot and hands is also blue. Even the movement, which is visible through a sapphire caseback, has been blued. And, finally, the rubber strap, is, you guessed it: blue. Thankfully, the dominantly blue theme is contrasted by the rose gold hour and minute hands, rose gold markings and black applied indexes. In addition to the large hour and minute hands, the date is displayed through a magnified window at 6 o’clock. The small