Around 30 adventurers will set off from Les Sables d’Olonne on Sunday November 8th, at the start of the 9th edition of the Vendée Globe, the ineffable non-stop and unassisted yacht race around the world. A circumnavigation of 21,638 nautical miles (40,075 kilometres) which only takes place every four years and for which Ulysse Nardin has the honour of being the Official Timekeeper. Ulysse Nardin Diver Net is a not marketed concept watch.
The Swiss watchmaker has been making marine chronometers of incomparable reliability for explorers since 1846 and continues this tradition by supporting the Vendée Globe. This year, the yachtsmen will spend a minimum of 70 days at sea before returning to Les Sables d’Olonne and crossing the finish line. During this odyssey, they will inevitably be confronted with the 5,000 billion pieces of the floating plastic that pollutes the ocean.
Ulysse Nardin Diver Net has turned its efforts towards researching and developing solutions for the growing plastic pollution crisis in our oceans. The watchmaker has implemented a dedicated research unit to studying materials from the sea, particularly the characteristics of oyster shells, algae, marine PET (plastic bottles) and polyamide fishing nets. The team is currently researching several avenues of sustainable innovation for future watchmaking projects.
In October 2020, Ulysse Nardin Diver Net marked the first milestone in its commitment to the marine circular economy with the launch of the new “R-STRAP”. The strap made of fishing nets is compatible with the DIVER, MARINE and FREAK X watches and made from recycled fishing nets, one of the main sources of ocean plastic pollution.
Today, Ulysse Nardin Diver Net is taking their commitment further by introducing the DIVER NET, a concept watch in which each trim element has been designed to be as environmentally friendly as possible. A totally innovative and “upcycled” watch for which the search for suppliers was key.
For the case, middle, back and bezel decoration of the DIVER NET, Ulysse Nardin has placed its trust in three young Breton designers who have created the first fishing net recycling sector in France. FIL&FAB recovers nets that are no longer in use from harbors and transforms them into polyamide pellets, a raw material that is highly resistant to friction. These partners have an industrial design and transition background, with a real sensitivity to the product.
“A design object is creating one which has been thought out from start to finish to fulfill its functions without damaging the environment”, emphasizes Yann Louboutin, one of the three founders of FIL&FAB. “Our association with Ulysse Nardin is natural: it is inevitably first and foremost linked to the sea, to Ulysses, the Odyssey, adventure, exploration, gusts of wind, salt spray and so on. We also share the desire to produce reliable objects, made to last, while reducing the ecological impact. Today, we are devoting our energy to trying to curb environmental problems, and no initiatives should be considered too small. Recycled materials are a necessity for the future.” – Yann Louboutin, one of the three founders of FIL&FAB, a supplier of recycled plastic from fishing nets (Brittany, France)
The research around the DIVER NET has consisted of redesigning its trim elements, leading the watch to feature a wrist strap made from PET plastic from the sea, transformed into reels of thread by the Swiss company TIDE. This supplier is also working to stop the production of virgin plastic at its source and use the huge resources already available. In its search for low-impact solutions, Ulysse Nardin has also replaced the traditional sapphire glass by a transparent ceramic glass, machined in the Swiss Jura. The transparent ceramic glass is a material used with the goal of having a lower environmental impact by limiting energy when it is manufactured. The innovation department has thus appraised and tested several solutions, which may be extended to other products.
The DIVER NET is a concept watch that explores important environmentally-friendly innovations while keeping the brand’s tradition of brilliant watchmaking alive. In fact, the silicon technology of the UN-118 movement can be admired through the back of its 44mm case. This concept diver watch is equipped with a concave inverted unidirectional bezel, also made of recycled fishing nets, with a curved transparent ceramic glass instead of a traditional sapphire glass. The white, gray and green dial, with its majestic white “UN” lettering, heralds the mechanical marvel that sits within it. On the hour-markers and hands, the acid green Superluminova makes it easier to see the time in the dark. Green touches – symbolizing nature – are omnipresent: on the dial, bezel, crown protector and on the stitching on the recycled PET strap. The dial also features a power reserve indicator at 12 o’clock, as well as a date window and a small second hand at 6 o’clock.
“The sea has always been part of our brand’s DNA and exploration has always been our spearhead”, stresses Patrick Pruniaux, CEO of Ulysse Nardin. “There is generally a strong willingness and interest of the staff members to support initiatives to improve the brand’s environmental performance. Our intention is not to be the first to innovate with sustainable materials, but rather to show the watch industry that it is possible to make our customers aware of recycled materials, even for luxury items. We would be very happy if our innovations were somehow ‘open-source’.”
To convey the message of this nontraditional watch, Ulysse Nardin has chosen Mathieu Crepel, a “Ulysses” of the company, as its ambassador. World champion snowboarder, Olympic medalist and surfer, he instinctively glides from snowflakes to waves and is heavily involved with The Water Family, an organization dedicated to the education of water protection and health of the planet.
“When you surf, you are faced with the problem of plastic on the beach, in the water and so on. It has harmful effects on marine fauna and flora. I am proud to be able to support Ulysse Nardin in a reflection that leads them to use recycled materials. They are at the forefront in working with the noblest and most durable materials. This recycled plastic in turn becomes a raw material that can be used for an exceptional product. This is an important brand statement: manufacturing luxury goods now requires a global approach. Being the spokesman for the launch of this watch makes me want to motivate and inspire people even more. It’s an achievement,” stated Mathieu Crepel.
Ahead of the Vendée Globe, Mathieu Crepel will symbolically go and take a piece of ice from the top of the Pic du Midi in the Alps, which he will bring back to Les Sables d’Olonne, to prove microplastic can now be found on mountain tops, and has entered the cycle of the elements: nanoparticles evaporate in the clouds and it snows plastic. Mathieu’s goal is to highlight the crucial importance of this land-ocean relationship and the fact that snow and ice are no longer pure.
In addition to Mathieu, another Ulysses will participate in the Vendée Globe race. The celebrated yachtsman, Sébastien Destremau, will face the Everest of the seas for the second time. In the previous edition, after a Dantean journey of 124 days, he received a hero’s welcome. “I was convinced that there would be nobody left, but they were all there, cheering and clapping me. Thousands of people! I’ve never forgotten that moment and I decided to take part in the 2020 Vendée Globe as a thank you to them,” Sébastien Destremau says. This year, he will be starting aboard the “Merci” (Thank You) monohull.
“This Merci is a signal of my gratitude. It supports this intimate, professional or planetary message, ranging from the ‘thank you, Mom’ to the ‘thank you, Earth’.”His entire project is carbon neutral and he is taking on this challenge to experience great sea adventures.“I want to give meaning and emotion to this adventure.” There is no doubt that the new sailing exploit of this modern-day Ulysses will be a voyage full of emotion. During his odyssey, Sébastien Destremau will alternately wear the DIVER X NEMO POINT, the DIVER X CAP HORN and the DIVER X ANTARCTICA. “Wearing a watch that isn’t going to let you down, no matter what storm hits you, is the most important thing.” according to him.
Ulysse Nardin Diver X Skeleton 44mm
Many words can be used to describe Ulysse Nardin’s deep and varied modern lineup, but one unifying concept that ties the brand’s offerings together is audacious design. This commitment to bold and aggressive style flows through its 2021 novelties collection, and the new limited edition Diver X Skeleton is a prime example of this. By combining the impactful and futuristic tool watch principles of the successful Diver X line with the intricate showcasing of the Skeleton X series, the limited edition Ulysse Nardin Diver X Skeleton offers one of the brand’s most unrestrained and vibrant diver offerings to date.
The 44mm case of the Ulysse Nardin Diver X Skeleton follows the same sporty modern pattern as previous Diver X models, with a heavily toothed unidirectional dive bezel, distinctive stepped lugs, and low, narrow rectangular crown guards. This combination leads to a bold, hefty presence in initial images, but Ulysse Nardin increases this model’s visual impact further with a few custom touches. The case is finished with a mix of bead blasted and brushed surfaces, then capped off with a deep desaturated navy blue PVD for a dark and oceanic matte look. The concave bezel insert shares this blue shade, but adds a dynamic range of accents with its Carbonium carbon composite construction and bright white diving scale with safety orange accents. This dynamic orange tone reappears for the rubberized orange crown guards, visually breaking up the case side and injecting a touch of dramatic contrast. Ulysse Nardin rates the case of the Diver X Skeleton for a respectable 200 meters of water resistance.
Ulysse Nardin carries over the central “X” motif of the Diver X line with the Diver X Skeleton but carves away nearly everything else to showcase its reworked in-house movement. This multi-part centerpiece functions as much of the bridge assembly for the movement itself, and the brand emphasizes its multi-part construction with several visual layers and a mix of blue PVD finishing shot through with vibrant orange accents. The beveled rectangular indices and distinctive paddle hands of previous Diver X models make an appearance here in the same PVD blue for a cohesive look, and the brand further integrates the internal and external looks with a bezel-matching blue Carbonium cover for the mainspring barrel at 12 o’clock. Ulysse Nardin visually balances this element at 6 o’clock with the intricate and airy silicon balance, with its Ferris wheel-esque arrangement of nickel flyweights.
Inside the Ulysse Nardin Diver X Skeleton beats the in-house UN-372 automatic movement. Using the Skeleton X line’s UN-371 movement as a base, the UN-372 adds an X-shaped winding rotor to the skeleton design. Outside of the skeleton flourishes, finishing for the UN-372 remains somewhat spartan, without embellishment to distract from the silicon escape wheel, anchor, and balance assembly. The power reserve stands at 96 hours at a slightly low 21,600 bph beat rate. The Ulysse Nardin Diver X Skeleton is paired with the brand’s modern and sporty rubber strap in a choice of either matching midnight blue or a bold diving orange for added visual impact.
Combining its aggressive modern diver design language with an intricate skeleton dial and an attention-grabbing colorway, the limited edition Ulysse Nardin Diver X Skeleton delivers one of the boldest and most dramatic offerings on the brand’s current menu. Only 175 examples of the Ulysse Nardin Diver X Skeleton will be made to commemorate the brand’s 175th anniversary in 2021. The Ulysse Nardin Diver X Skeleton
Ulysse Nardin Blast Hourstriker 45mm
Before we wore time, we heard it. Clocks chimed in the heart of every medieval city. Clocks made by brilliant craftsmen who would, through miniaturisation , create domestic clocks, and then hand held timepieces, capable, despite their small size, to strike the passing hours. Inspired by watchmaking’s past and the possibility of moving musical timekeeping into the future, Ulysse Nardin wants you to hear time again, not read it.
It has been several years in the making but Ulysse Nardin Blast Hourstriker has found a new way to make sound. Introducing the Blast Hourstriker, an innovative new striking watch that breaks barriers in sound technology.
This art of marking the time with music has always been a part of Ulysse Nardin’s technical arsenal. It was revived in the 1980s, under the impetus of Rolf Schnyder and given a new lease of life in 2019 when the Swiss Manufacture collaborated with French audio technology company Devialet on the next level of watchmaking acoustics, which was launched in the Classico Hourstriker Phantom.
This year Patrick Pruniaux Ulysse Nardin’s CEO, has again made the choice to make sound central to the brand’s drive for more futuristic ways to reinterpret traditional watchmaking crafts.
Ordinarily, to generate the sound needed to mark the passing hours, the hammers strike a wire gong wrapped around the movement to which it is attached. The acoustic wave spreads into the middle of the mechanism and is partly absorbed by it. In these conditions, the sound heard lacks power and its harmonics are partially muffled by the material of the timepiece.
For the Blast Hourstriker Ulysse Nardin’s team of engineers decided to set themselves two challenges: Make the chiming mechanism visible on the dial side; Further improve the quality/power output ratio. A challenge that was already started with the Classico Hourstriker Phantom watch.
To achieve these goals, Ulysse Nardin’s engineers and watchmakers developed the UN 621 caliber. In order to guarantee optimal precision of Ulysse Nardin’s first in house automatic striking manufacture movement, it is powered by a flying tourbillon one that is equipped with a variable inertia balance wheel, a silicon hairspring, anchor and escape wheel. Its contemporary lines have also been made sleeker and stamped with the now iconic X associated with the brand’s latest generation of timepieces.
The most complex phase of the Blast Hourstriker’s development involved redesigning the entire kinematics of this 330 component striking caliber to allow this highly sophisticated mechanism, which is usually hidden from view, to be seen dial side.
When the striker is on, the mechanical ballet that makes the watch’s sound is visible on the hour and half hour, but even its occasional activation is just as beautiful. By pressing the button located at 10 o’clock, the mechanism, driven by a specially dedicated barrel, is triggered The hour rack and the inertia regulator start to turn the hammers, visible in an opening made at 12 o’clock, hit the gong whose shape has been subtly worked to bypass the cage of the flying tourbillon.
Finally, to ensure that the Ulysse Nardin Blast Hourstriker striking mechanism acoustic performance perfectly audible, this movement incorporates a titanium membrane developed in collaboration with Devialet the French audio technology company with whom Ulysse Nardin worked on its torsion lever used in 2019 ’s Classico Hourstriker Phantom; one of whose co founders is a direct descendant of the Ulysse Nardin family.
As in the Classico Hourstriker Phantom, the torsion lever connects the heel of the gong to the fine membrane In this construction, it is pressed against a grid to prevent it deforming in the event of extreme external pressure. This diaphragm is 3/10th of a millimeter thick and treated with black DLC, which offers a large deformation area, which, when under load, moves a large volume of air, which improves the audibility of the sound produced.
The Blast line’s signature double X cut into the rose gold caseback also ensures the security of this sensitive Devialet membrane, which, once in action, basically acts like a hi fi speaker releasing and amplifying the gong’s sound.
An exceptional mechanism requires an exceptional case. So Ulysse Nardin decided to encase a movement inspired by the power of nature in a design inspired by a powerful man-made machine the stealth airplane. To truly allow the sound of the Blast Hourstriker to resonate,
the distinctive 45 mm Blast case was given a black DLC titanium middle, capped with 5 N 18 kt rose gold, for improved acoustics. To silence this imposing timepiece with the button located at 8 o’clock on the middle must be pressed and then the ‘ or ‘ position at the tip of the
function selector hand located at 8 o’clock checked.
The three straps that come with the Ulysse Nardin Blast Hourstriker allow its different personalities to be explored. The black high-tech, waterproof velvet option emphasizes its aerodynamism, while the alligator brings its more sophisticated side to the fore. In addition, a rubber strap is also available for this model. Whatever you choose, remember the Blast Hourstriker is made to be heard not seen.
Unveiled during the Watches and Wonders 2021 event, the Ulysse Nardin Blast Hourstriker is an innovative new striking watch.
In 2019, the Swiss Manufacture collaborated with French audio technology company Devialet and launched in the Classico Hourstriker Phantom. This year, with the Blast Hourstriker watch, the luxury Swiss brand has opted for more futuristic ways to reinterpret traditional watchmaking crafts. In general, to generate the sound needed to mark the passing hours, the hammer strikes a wire gong wrapped around the movement to which it is attached. The acoustic wave spreads into the middle of the mechanism and is partly absorbed by it. In these conditions, the sound heard lacks power and its harmonics are partially muffled by the material of the timepiece.
For the Blast Hourstriker, Ulysse Nardin had to find the solutions for two challenges. The first one was to make the chiming mechanism visible on the dial side. The second challenge was to improve the quality/power output ratio.
To achieve these goals, Ulysse Nardin Blast Hourstriker developed the UN-621 caliber. For ensuring optimal precision of Ulysse Nardin’s first in-house automatic striking manufacture movement, it is powered by a flying tourbillon; one that is equipped with a variable-inertia balance wheel, a silicon hairspring, anchor and escape wheel.
The most complex phase of the Blast Hourstriker’s development involved redesigning the entire kinematics of this 330-component striking caliber to allow this highly sophisticated mechanism, which is usually hidden from view, to be seen dial side.
When the striker is on, the mechanical ballet that makes the watch’s sound is visible on the hour and half hour, but even its occasional activation is just as beautiful.
By pressing the button located at 10 o’clock, the mechanism, driven by a specially dedicated barrel, is triggered. The hour rack and the inertia regulator start to turn; the hammers, visible in an opening made at 12 o’clock, hit the gong whose shape has been subtly worked to bypass the cage of the flying tourbillon.
Finally, to ensure that the Ulysse Nardin Blast Hourstriker striking mechanism acoustic performance perfectly audible, this movement incorporates a titanium membrane developed in collaboration with Devialet, the French audio technology company with whom Ulysse Nardin worked on its torsion lever used in 2019’s Classico Hourstriker Phantom. Interestingly, one of whose co-founders of Devialet is a direct descendant of the Ulysse Nardin family.
As in the Classico Hourstriker Phantom, the torsion lever connects the heel of the gong to the fine membrane. In this construction, it is pressed against a grid to prevent it deforming in the event of extreme external pressure. This diaphragm is 3/10th of a millimetrer thick and treated with black DLC, which offers a large deformation area, which, when under load, moves a large volume of air, which improves the audibility of the sound produced.
The Blast line’s signature double X cut into the rose gold case back, also ensures the security of this sensitive Devialet membrane, which, once in action, basically acts like a hi-fi speaker– releasing and amplifying the gong’s sound. To truly allow the sound of the Blast Hourstriker to resonate, the distinctive 45mm Blast case was given a black DLC titanium middle, capped with 5N18-kt rose gold, for improved acoustics.To silence this imposing timepiece with the button located at 8 o’clock on the middle must be pressed and then the ‘ON’ or ‘OFF’ position at the tip of the function selector hand located at 8 o’clock checked.
The three straps that come with the Ulysse Nardin Blast Hourstriker allow its different personalities to be explored. The black high-tech, waterproof velvet option emphasizes its aerodynamism, while the alligator brings its more sophisticated side to the fore. In addition, a rubber strap is also available for this model.
Ulysse Nardin Freak X 43mm
The image that springs into most people’s minds when discussing camouflage generally contains some combination of muted natural colors, a blotchy or digital pattern, or perhaps a heavily textured surface like a ghillie suit. However, over the course of history, camouflage has taken innumerable shapes, colors, and textures, but perhaps none other is as striking or unusual as dazzle camouflage. Originally developed in World War I as a way to break up the visual silhouettes of British naval vessels, this jagged assortment of black and white stripes attracts the eye but makes discerning the shape, speed, and direction of the object difficult. This dramatic pattern has survived into the present day, with similar designs used by automakers to disguise prototype cars during road tests, but until now, the design has seen very little use in the world of watchmaking. Ulysse Nardin aims to change that with a stark, high-impact new interpretation of the complex Freak X series that blurs the line between horology and pop art. The new limited-edition Ulysse Nardin Freak X Razzle Dazzle adds a new, visually arresting dimension to one of the brand’s most spectacle-driven lines for a camouflaged watch that refuses to hide.
Ulysse Nardin renders the 43mm case of the Ulysse Nardin Freak X Razzle Dazzle in black DLC-coated titanium. With a matte blend of brushed and sandblasted surfaces, this stealthy case design leaves minimal flash in images to distract from the visual complexity of the dial. Likewise, the overall case design is futuristic but simple, with a handful of distinctive touches like a notched bezel and layered construction to augment the unbroken flowing line that runs from tapering lug tip to lug tip. Around back, a sapphire display caseback gives a view of the simpler, less embellished rear side of the movement within. While the overall package is undeniably striking, it is notably fragile, with a water resistance rating of only 50 meters.
Referring to the dial of the Ulysse Nardin Freak X Razzle Dazzle is slightly disingenuous. Technically, this is a fully skeletonized design, with the surface beneath the handset formed entirely by movement plates. That said, the full arrangement of plates still allows a detailed view of the movement’s inner workings courtesy of the Freak X’s signature element – the carousel movement. Thanks to a planetary gear smoothly integrated into the ring supporting the hour indices, the gear train of the Freak X Razzle Dazzle rotates along with the distinctive oversized minute hand, with several elements, including the silicium balance wheel mounted directly to the hand as a counterweight. The blued surfacing of the balance helps to cut through the monochrome design of the rest of the watch, immediately picking these out as focal points in images. That said, the main plate that serves as the base for the overall design is no shrinking violet in the Freak X Razzle Dazzle, either. The angular, zigzagging pattern of black and white zebra stripes that gives this model its name is less disorienting than it is dramatic, giving a starkly pop-art flair to the Freak X’s design. While this does affect legibility slightly, the laser-etched pattern on this plate more than makes up for it with its sheer visual wow factor.
The in-house Caliber UN-230 automatic movement is on full display inside the Ulysse Nardin Freak X Razzle Dazzle. Contrasted with the rotating dazzle camouflage spectacle up front, the view of the Caliber UN-230 through the caseback is clean and restrained, almost minimal, with a radially brushed black finish across the movement bridges and skeleton rotor with hints of brightly polished elements poking through the gaps. Performance for the Caliber UN-230 is solid, with a 72-hour power reserve at a 21,600 bph beat rate.
To complete the intricate black-and-white colorway of the Freak X Razzle Dazzle, Ulysse Nardin delivers the watch with a pair of straps. Both options follow the same pattern, with rubber-lined leather in a modernist perforated pattern finished with deep black point de bride stitching. Delivered in both optic white and black, these straps add a touch of visual texture to the overall package while harmonizing with the monochrome design.
By adding a dazzling new camouflage texture to the already eye-catching look of the Freak X line, the limited edition Ulysse Nardin Freak X Razzle Dazzle creates one of the brand’s most striking modernist looks to date. Only 30 examples of the Ulysse Nardin Freak X Razzle Dazzle will be made
Ulysse Nardin Diver
As Ulysse Nardin Diver has streamlined its product line-up over the last few years, the Ulysse Nardin Diver family has become one of the collection’s anchors (if you’ll pardon the pun). Until now though, these mostly three-hand-and-date watches have been on the big side, sitting at 44mm or larger. Today that changes with the introduction of a new collection of Divers that preserve the aesthetics and details of their larger brethren but in a more manageable 42mm size. Sure, that’s still not approaching vintage diver territory, but it’s definitely a huge difference that will open this collection up to many new people. There are both blue and black dial/bezel variants and a handful of great strap options to choose from, including two different steel bracelets.
While most of the watches are part of the main collection, there is one limited edition Ulysse Nardin Diver 42mm, the so-called Blue Shark, which has a steel case with a matte blue PVD coating and a blue dial with an orange shark down at six o’clock. It comes paired with a matching blue textile strap with orange stitching and is limited to just 300 pieces.
There is a lot to like about UN’s Diver collection, especially when it comes to the details. The slightly concave bezel with its concentric rings adds a lot of visual depth to the watch, the grained dials have just enough texture to them, and the faceting on the lugs and knurling on the bezel add dynamism to the cases. These watches look and feel modern, but they’re not trying to find solutions to problems that don’t exist – they know that a lot of what makes dive watches so iconic is their simplicity and there’s no reason to add superfluous extras (the only place where this misses for me is the inclusion of the geographic coordinates of the UN manufacture in Le Locle at six o’clock on the dials). I’m also a big fan of the choice to include a mesh bracelet with straight end links as an option here. It’s a play for the vintage nerds, sure, but it totally got me. I’m looking forward to seeing these in the metal soon.
Ulysse Nardin Watch
When it comes to Ulysse Nardin, it’s hard not also to think about innovative, avant-garde design. With a steady focus on the use of uncommon materials, novel mechanics, and artistic thinking, the brand in its modern history has made a name for itself with collections like the Freak, and so many individual watches like the Marine Mega Yacht and suggestive Classic Voyeur Minute Repeater, among so many others. This is not to say the brand doesn’t also tread in classic watch design from time to time, which they certainly do. In fact, much of the Marine, Diver, and even aptly named Classico collections do work in-step with very traditional styles and materials. But for these classic looks, it is undoubtedly Ulysse Nardin’s experimental work that catches the eyes of most luxury-inclined consumers.
Now, the brand is unveiling its latest experimental work in the industry, with three new timepieces that hold inventive thinking centrally from design to execution. Of these, we have the new table clock UFO, which started with a question posed by Patrick Pruniaux, CEO of Ulysse Nardin, “What [would] a marine chronometer designed in 2196 be like?” After this, we come to the brand’s two wristwatch novelties, the first being the Blast Hourstriker which follows up on the original Blast unveiled by the brand last summer, and brings the brand’s signature sonorous complication to the unorthodox construction. And lastly, the brand is unveiling the new Diver X Skeleton, a new hybrid watch of the Diver X and Skeleton X design first unveiled in 2019, and in effect, bringing an uncommon skeletonized look to a 200-meter water resistant timepiece.
Turning first to the very uncommon Ulysse Nardin UFO, we come to an incredibly complex table clock displaying three independent time-zones and carrying a full year’s worth of power reserve via six manually wound barrels. The skeletonized aluminum creation is encapsulated via a 3mm-thick ovoid blown glass bell created by Romain Montero, a 26-year-old, Swiss-based artisan glassblower. Its total size from aluminum base to rounded glass top measures 263mm tall (or about 10 in.) and 159mm in diameter (6.25 in.). If the watch looks like something produced by MB&F rather than Ulysse Nardin, that’s because the creation was developed in close collaboration with renowned clockmaker Maison L’Epée, a brand which has been manufacturing traditional clocks since 1839 and is best known for their work with MB&F and bringing CEO Max Busser’s ideas to mechanical life. While dubbed the “UFO,” the piece of horological art takes its inspiration from rethinking marine chronometers rather than something interstellar. “Whereas [traditional] marine chronometers were housed in wooden boxes and set on gimbles to counteract the effect of the ship’s constant sway, [the UFO] reverses this … [making] waves when it is nudged gently.” In technical terms, the almost-16 lb. (7.2kg) creation rests upon a rounded bottom, swinging up to 60° from its axis without losing balance, with the tungsten weighted center of mass such that the clock avoids swinging too fast or tipping, and by extension, damaging the clock or affecting its timekeeping abilities.
Now turning to the first of the brand’s creations for the wrist, we find the Blast Hourstriker, which as mentioned follows up on the original 2020 Blast, a time-only avant-garde design. The obvious update for the model is in its use of Ulysse Nardin’s signature “Hourstriker” complication which we last saw in 2019 with the Hourstriker Phantom. The complication notably differs from a traditional minute repeater in that it only chimes hours and half hours, rather than smaller increments of time. Like the original Blast, the Hourstriker uses a large rose-gold 5N and black DLC titanium case, measuring 45mm by 16mm, complete with sharp faceting, meticulously brushed finished edges, and an overall very sporty appeal for a 30m water resistant watch. On its dial, the skeletonized look of the alternating rose gold, DLC, and metal components provide a particularly mechanical aesthetic, the style integrated with a six o’clock flying tourbillon and small on/off indicator for the Hourstiker complication. Speaking more to the chiming mechanism, Ulysse Nardin developed the UN-621 caliber specifically for the timepiece, with it serving as the brand’s first in-house automatic striking manufacture movement to be powered by a flying tourbillon. Like previous Hourstrikers, the Ulysse Nardin Blast features a Devialet amplification system developed by a team of engineers from Ulysse Nardin and the namesake French audio technology company Devialet. The system is essentially a super-thin metal membrane which amplifies the acoustic waves from the watch gong of the Hourstriker which, when combined with a torsion lever, “acts as the membrane of an electromagnetic enclosure, or more precisely, as the membrane of a phonograph head, the ancestor of the vinyl record deck.” In practical terms, it allows the sound to be louder, clearer, and more pleasant to the ear while using less overall power from the mechanical reserve.
The final release as part of Ulysse Nardin’s experimental group of 2021 novelties is the new Diver X Skeleton, an innovative hybrid watch celebrating the brand’s 175th birthday, being first founded in 1846, and limited to 175 editions.
At its core, the Diver X Skeleton is, as its name indicates, a skeletonized dive watch, living within a supremely uncommon category of watch both for the technical difficulty of producing a highly water resistant and durable sapphire-heavy timepiece, but also for the practical viability and consumer interest in a watch that reduces visibility on a category of watch renowned for just that. Practical and technical concerns aside, the model is a unique sporty wearer, experimenting with the very centerpiece of what it means for a watch to be a diver.
The large timepiece measures 44mm by 15.5mm, cased with large sapphire windows on its front and back, as well as blue PVD Carbonium, a super durable and lightweight carbon-based material which the brand originally used on its FREAK X. As a nod towards the growing awareness of the carbon impact watches and the larger fashion world are having, Ulysse Nardin mentioned Carbonium’s 40% lower environmental impact than other carbon-based materials, a historically energy-intensive material to create and shape.
On the dial of the watch, transparency reins with the redesigned UN-371 movement on display and the model’s namesake blue “X” serving as a center point for the watch’s large lume-filled hands, each pointing to matching indices on the outer edge of the plane. Like previous X-series watches by the brand, the Diver X Skeleton features a large barrel towards the 12 o’clock position, which in combination with the movement’s slowed 21,600 vph frequency helps provide the model with a higher 96-hour or 4-day power reserve.
Altogether, the Ulysse Nardin Diver X Skeleton presents a seamless hybrid of design schemes produced by Ulysse Nardin in recent years, bringing various elements from across the brand’s collection into a well-executed timepiece. In this regard, and with a grain of salt for its viability as a practical dive watch, the watch effectively meets its purpose as a hardy commemorative timepiece to the innovative, marine-focused legacy of the Ulysse Nardin brand.
Frederique Constant Vintage Rally
When I hear Frederique Constant and Austin Healey, one word immediately comes to mind; tradition. Both brands, after all, have collaborated for 17 years and counting, through their Frederique Constant Vintage Rally Collection to create Austin Healey racing inspired watches. The collection has seen various types of dial designs and complications over the years including a dial with a ‘triple date window’ and several different types of chronographs. Frederique Constant’s latest announcement displays yet another evolution in the collection and a welcomed detour, with an off center seconds sub dial and a modern grey dial. This new release is the equivalent of passing by a vintage Austin Healey; you’re going to take a second look.
Frederique Constant leads off the Frederique Constant Vintage Rally collection with a contemporary grey dial model wrapped in a wearable 40 mm polished stainless steel case that is just a hair above 11 mm thick. The matte grey dial gives the Vintage Rally Healey an updated, sleek look, and, as with most well executed grey dials, it’s not too serious like a black dial tool watch, but not too striking like a brightly colored dial watch. The off center sub dial is confidently located at 9 and the red small seconds hand contrasts quite nicely. The oversized numerals located at 12 and 6 are a staple of the Vintage Rally collection, and center the rest of the silver colored and hand polished applied hour indices and hands, filled with white colored lume.
I dig the dial asymmetry with the off center sub dial, however I’m particular when it comes to the symmetry of the hour markers, and if you do look closely, the hour marker at 3 seems to be ever so slightly smaller than the hour marker at 9. It’s not a deal breaker for me, as the asymmetric dial and overall design make for an attractive piece. The grey dial model comes with a grey racing style calf leather strap with tonal grey stitching, completing the ‘All Grey Everything’ affair.
If being greyed out isn’t your speed, then Frederique Constant Vintage Rally offers up a pair of different colorways with their ‘International Models’. We get the traditional ‘British Racing Green’ á la the classic Healey rally car, and like the aforementioned grey model, it’s encased in polished stainless steel with polished indices and hands, and fitted with the small red seconds hand. And what better way to complement a green dial than with a brown racing leather strap and white stitching to suit the white graduated 60 minute scale.
Its counterpart is dressed up in a rose gold plated case with matching indices and hands, and accompanied by a midnight navy blue dial and matching leather strap. All three watches are powered by Frederique Constant’s FC 345 Calibre (a modified Sellita SW-200), the iconic NOJ 393 engraved on the case-back and a complete gift set including a miniature NOJ 393 model.
Frederique Constant Yacht Timer
I’ve been a pretty vocal advocate for micro-brand watches, and for good reason. I’ve found that many micro-brands are able to deliver excellent quality products, and for great prices. This isn’t typically a knock on more established luxury watch brands, but given the nature of the industry, smaller teams operating with direct to consumer sales models are able to better optimize their final retail prices. But if micro-brands start to drive up their prices, then there should be no reason to avoid larger brands like Hamilton, Frederique Constant, Certina, Tissot, Alpina, etc. These brands have been around for a while, and some of their watches are pretty impressive.
Since Baltic and Lorier decided to venture close to the $1000 category, with mostly typical Frederique Constant Yacht Timer gmt watch designs and specs, I decided I would take a look at some of the other options available in this category. The Baltic and Lorier were very well received, but there are other GMT watches out there at similar prices. The Frederique Constant Yacht Timer GMT is one such watch; although following a very different design aesthetic. This particular watch has a retail price of around $2000, but can be found close to the $1000 mark.
Located on the outskirts of Geneva, Frederique Constant operates from a modern production facility. From the outset, the company’s objective was to create quality watches at very keen prices. Indeed, the founders of the Maison, Peter Stas and Aletta Bax, have frequently stated,’ let more people enjoy luxury’.
Some of watchmaking’s old guard have been in existence since the 18th and 19th centuries, hence, in comparative terms, Frederique Constant is a young company. It was founded in 1988 and has since enjoyed exponential growth. In 2004, the luxury brand unveiled its first Manufacture movement, a technical feat which has eluded many firms. Today, the brand has produced 29 different calibres, demonstrating its ingenuity and technical capability, two attributes which are at the heart of the brand’s culture.
In 2019, the luxury marque unveiled the Frederique Constant Yacht Timer Regatta Countdown. As its name suggests, this watch is designed for regattas, where five dots on the dial transition from one colour to another, signifying the countdown to the start of a race.
This latest version of the watch, presented in a stainless steel case, features a gorgeous anthracite guilloché dial and is equipped with the brand’s in-house FC-380 calibre.
A Frederique Constant signature timepiece, the Yacht Timer Regatta Countdown made its return to the watchmaking scene in 2019. It joined the Maison’s collections as early as 1997 at the instigation of its co-founder Peter Stas, who is passionate about sailing and the open sea himself.
Frederique Constant Yacht Timer Regatta Countdown offers a technical complication popular with fans of yachting and regattas: the countdown to the start of the race. Its classically stylish new look is the epitome of luxury sports chic, designed for regattas and relaxed pontoon times alike.
Housed in an elegant 42 mm polished stainless-steel case, the new Frederique Constant Yacht Timer Regatta Countdown presents an anthracite grey dial, playing on the colour harmony. Inspired by the most stunning examples of traditional luxury watchmaking, this new dial features a guilloché decoration. This age-old finish affords the light a regular pattern, where it can dance, stretch out and be reflected, like waves and swells, presenting an ever-changing appearance depending on the viewing angle. To complement this elegant symphony of tones, this new version comes with a matching stainless-steel strap made up of alternating polished and satin finished links, fastened with a folding buckle.
Frederique Constant Runabout
These limited-edition Frédérique Constant Runabout Automatic watches are inspired by “gentlemen’s sport boats of the roaring twenties.” It’s important to explain this and emphasize their nautical, Italian nature as well as the wood and chrome runabout boats (“most commonly seen on the canals of Venice”) they are meant to reference – because otherwise they might be mistaken for just basic but handsome, three-hand automatic Swiss watches. So, with that imagery in mind, let’s consider how these Frédérique Constant Runabout watches fit into the brand that is so well-known for entry-level value.
The entry-level Swiss luxury watch market must be an incredibly intense space to operate in. Frédérique Constant has proven itself agile and dynamic, however, recently offering in-house movements, a “horological smartwatch,” a perpetual calendar watch for around 8,000 Swiss francs… all among their standard fare of good value for classic and mostly uncontroversially designed watches. The Frédérique Constant Group also has Alpina for sport watches and Ateliers DeMonaco for more haute horology stuff. And now, they have been acquired by Citizen Watches, which also puts them under the same expanding umbrella as Bulova, Arnold & Son, Angelus, and movement maker La Joux-Perret. So, there is a lot going on at Frédérique Constant, and looking at the brand, I think: “They are in it to win this game.” They are, at the very least, certainly worth keeping tabs on.
The Riva Historical Society provides the context for this batch of limited edition Frédérique Constant watches. Frédérique Constant partnered in 2009 with the Italian non-profit organization that helps preserve these cool old boats, and the brand puts out limited-edition watches to honor the relationship each year. Past models included chronographs and moon phases, and these Frédérique Constant Runabout Automatic watches offer just three-hand time-telling, and the date at 6 o’clock. This picture should give you a basic idea of the kind of boats we are talking about and the lifestyle association they are going for:
What may help these Frédérique Constant Runabout watches stand out a bit, and what may not be immediately clear from these images, is that the somewhat conservative designs come in a 43mm polished case. That should give some wrist presence and machismo to their otherwise restrained personality. They appear designed to be elegant and not overly flashy – which I can appreciate – and legibility promises to be pretty good on both models, but especially the white-dial one.
All the basic stats and details you should be looking for in this segment check out, of course: sapphire crystal, some texture and dimensionality to the dial, lumed hands and indices, and a see-through sapphire (that’s a bonus) caseback to display the Swiss automatic movement. The case is water-resistant to 100m, which seems appropriate for a watch with an aquatic theme – and we’d actually like to see pretty much all modern watches with that rating.
The Frédérique Constant Runabout Automatic is powered by the automatic (obviously) FC-303 movement (4Hz, 42-hour power reserve) which is a base Sellita SW200-1 “assembled in the Frederique Constant manufacture.” It’s sure to have a custom-decorated rotor of some sort, but we unfortunately don’t have any images of that for the moment. The flag of the Riva Historical Society is also apparently etched into the case back window.
Frederique Constant Classics Index Automatic
If there’s one thing (among others) that Frederique Constant is good at, it is to create classic and elegant watches at fair prices. Of course, the brand also knows how to bring complex watches to a wider audience – think about its in-house perpetual calendar – or even recently to design a watch that can compete in the sports watch with an integrated bracelet. But clearly, the elegant all-rounder watch is somehow a speciality at Frederique Constant, with a collection named, rightfully so, Classics. And this year, the brand has decided to bring some fresh air and a contemporary twist to this collection, with the new Frederique Constant Classics Index Automatic.
Whether barrel-shaped, round or rectangular, the watches from the Frederique Constant Classics collection share some common hallmarks, namely an appeal for Roman numerals, polished cases with sleek lines and textured dials with guilloché-like patterns. Furthermore, these can feature simple but useful complications, such as date, day, month and chronograph or elegant moon phases. Certainly, these watches are timeless but might, for some, lack modernity and this is why, this year, Frederique Constant has decided to bring a decidedly modernized version of the Classics Index Automatic, as well as new time-and-date and GMT models powered by quartz movements. What remains, however, is the accessible price range.
The new Frederique Constant Classics Index Automatic remains part of a pillar collection for the brand and retains some of the elements known from this collection. What mostly change here is a more dynamic style for the dial, sleeker and younger, but still elegantly designed.
The case of this Frederique Constant Classics Index Automatic measures 40mm in diameter and about 10mm in height, a reasonable size that allows the watch to be worn on a daily basis, even for business purposes. The slim bezel opens on a wide dial that brings immediate legibility. The entire case is polished and shows gentle curves. It is equipped with a sapphire crystal on top and the caseback is solid stainless steel. Also, the water-resistance is rated at 50m, which makes it a care-free all-rounder watch. On the wrist, the feeling of a modern watch with casual elegance is present and the comfort is reinforced by its short lugs. The case is available either in stainless steel or with a rose gold plating.
What drastically changes compared to other models in the Classics collection is the dial. No more traditional guilloché-like pattern and blue hands, the new Frederique Constant Classics Index Automatic opts for dynamic hands and applied indexes filled with luminous material and a plain matt blue, white or black dials, with a slightly grained effect. A simple minute track is printed on the periphery and a date window, making sense in this daily-beater context, sits at 3 o’clock. Sleek and restrained, it also feels pleasantly finished.
In order to retain its accessible price, the Frederique Constant Classics Index Automatic isn’t powered by one of the brand’s manufacture movement but instead rely on an outsourced, tried-and-tested automatic engine, the Calibre FC-303, also known as a Sellita SW-200. Beating at 4Hz, it stores 38 hours of power reserve.
The watches are worn on a slightly casual strap that complements its look, made of calf leather strap with alligator embossing and nubuck finishing. The edition with a blue dial is also available on a 5-row polished stainless steel bracelet.
The Frederique Constant Classics Index Automatic is now available from the brand’s online boutique. Prices start at EUR 895 for a steel model on a leather strap, up to EUR 1,095 for a rose gold-plated edition. A rather pleasant price for a Swiss watch made by an established brand, also making it the most accessible FC watch with an automatic movement.
