Ulysse Nardin x Wempe Diver [NET Signature Collection]

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Ulysse Nardin is introducing the new Diver NET Signature Collection in partnership with Wempe: a new diver’s watch made from upcycled high-tech materials. This exclusive limited edition of 75 with striking design accents in orange features a 44-millimeter case made from a 95% recycled stainless steel. Its construction incorporates a combination of breakthrough upcycled materials that Ulysse Nardin has been pioneering Nylo® and Carbonium® – Wempe Signature Collection x Ulysse Nardin Diver [NET Signature Collection].

Striking, state-of-the-art, seaworthy — this sporty companion conjures up summer moods and vacation plans. Wempe is launching its Summer 2024 season with the casual Diver NET Signature Collection from Ulysse Nardin: a new diver’s watch made of recycled high-tech materials. It’s a continuation of Wempe’s successful series of exclusive watches from renowned watch manufactures.

The Wempe Signature Collection is based on iconic models from the world of watches. Over the years, the Hamburg-based family-owned company has accumulated extensive knowledge about its customers’ expectations, requirements, and wishes and it fulfils these in cooperation with selected watch brands. This results in unique limited editions of watch models that are available exclusively in Wempe showrooms worldwide and at the Wempe online shop.

Diver [NET Signature Collection]

On, in or beneath the waves — for bold deep-sea explorers or true connoisseurs, “Ulysse Nardin has always developed watches as statement pieces for individualists who can think beyond traditional Swiss watchmaking and are interested in future-oriented calibre designs,” explains Kim-Eva Wempe (61). This independent innovation workshop long ago stopped using technically obsolete built-in components such as screwed golden settings or swan-neck fine adjustments. Instead, back in 2001 it became the first watch manufacture to develop robust high-performance technology made of silicon. “At Ulysse Nardin they’ve always emphasized ongoing development. That’s why today the brand is regarded as the epitome of contemporary watchmaking,” says Wempe’s managing partner. But there’s much more to the bond between Wempe and Ulysse Nardin than modern watches that capture the spirit of the times. Both of them have a shared DNA and a predilection for marine chronometers.

Since 1905, Wempe has been equipping ships with these special timepieces, whose great precision is unaffected even by rough seas and changing temperatures, thanks to their gimbal suspension and detent escapement. Ulysse Nardin too has been manufacturing marine chronometers ever since it was founded in 1846. These chronometers quickly gained a reputation for being the most precise and most awarded marine instruments worldwide, equipping more than 50 navies across the globe. “Ulysse Nardin provided us with components such as springs when we had to rebuild our production capacity in Germany in the 1950s. That was a big help for our family-owned company, in particular for my father Hellmut. And that’s why there has been an especially close and friendly partnership between our two brands ever since,” says Wempe. After the quartz crisis in the 1980s, the production of wristwatches at Ulysse Nardin was revived under the company’s new owner Rolf Schnyder. That was when Wempe became the first authorized dealer in Germany to include these watches for connoisseurs in its product range.

Exclusive, Competent, Sporty
The Diver [NET Signature Collection]

Whether diving among coral reefs, sailing on the ocean-going yacht, enjoying the surf or making a stylishly confident appearance in sophisticated beach clubs all over the world—at Ulysse Nardin, they know that contemporary diver’s watches can perform perfectly on every occasion while maintaining a modern and elegant look. Behind the refined design of these watches is the CEO of Ulysse Nardin, Patrick Pruniaux, and his personal passion. He’s an enthusiast of outdoor sports and is especially keen on sailing, kite surfing and freediving. “We are proud and honoured to partner with Wempe, a family-owned company boasting over a century of unparalleled craftsmanship and precision. Our collaboration brings forth the exclusive and thrilling Diver NET Wempe Signature Collection timepiece, a true statement watch blending innovative materials with contemporary design.”

An exclusive limited edition of 75 pieces of the exceptional Diver NET Signature Collection timepiece with design accents in orange will be manufactured for Wempe. The top performance of this conscientious diver’s watch, which is water-resistant to a pressure of 30 bar, is underscored by its cleverly integrated and upcycled high-tech materials. The original 44-millimetre case is made from a 95% recycled stainless steel and its construction features a combination of breakthrough materials that Ulysse Nardin has been pioneering. The side parts and the case backare composed of Nylo® (60%) and Carbonium® (40%). Nylo is a polyamide formed from upcycled fishing nets, while Carbonium® is a cutting-edge material with exceptional strength-to-lightness properties that is produced using the same carbon fibres found in state-of-the-art aircraft wings and fuselages. In fact, Carbonium® is made using offcuts from the aircraft manufacturing process, reducing its environmental impact by 40% compared to other carbon composites. In addition, this unique material provides a marbling effect to the unidirectional rotating bezel. Finally, this mix of materials makes the watch not only especially robust and scratchproof but also about 50% lighter than traditional diver’s watches. That significantly increases wearing comfort and makes a more casual colour combination possible.

Clearly readable contrasts are ensured by a sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides and a matte-black dial that is combined with white luminescent material on the hour markers and the hour and minute hands, and with orange luminescent material on the hands of the small seconds dial and power-reserve indicator. As a result, this sports watch can be used under any lighting conditions.

The watch with depth for individualists of strong character

“We believe it’s important to create a powerful look with the vibrant orange colour as well as making an impact with mechanical high-performance precision,” explains Bernhard Stoll (64). As a thoroughbred independent company, Ulysse Nardin offers not only contemporary design but also future-oriented watch movements that it develops and manufactures in-house. For the Diver NET Signature Collection, it chose the self-winding calibre UN-118 with a date display and power-reserve indicator, upgraded with an anti-magnetic silicon balance spring and an escape wheel, as well as a pallet made of patented DiamonSil. This know-how guarantees no less than 60 hours of operation and a significantly higher accuracy of the watch’s rate. “Most importantly, this technology requires significantly less maintenance, and that’s why the guarantee has been extended to five years,” says Stoll.

The exclusive special features of the Wempe Signature Collection x Ulysse Nardin

To date, the Wempe Signature Collection has presented limited special editions of five selected watch brands, “which were always sold out in practically no time,” explains Uwe Beckmann (54) from the Wempe Watch Division, who is the General Manager of the Frankfurt showroom. According to Beckmann, the Diver NET Signature Collection is “especially intriguing for collectors because the limited edition consists of only 75 pieces that are individually numbered.” This is noted on the case, and on the sapphire crystal case back, which is printed with the logo of the Wempe Signature Collection. The watch comes with an orange-coloured rubber strap and an additional rubber strap in black. Both straps are embellished with a black ceramic element and an orange Wempe Signet. The strap of this extroverted diver’s watch is closed by a double-folding clasp made of scratch-resistant titanium and ceramic.

This model was created for individualists and collectors who want a contemporary diver’s watch that is a demonstration of high-quality Swiss watchmaking.

Wempe Signature Collection x Ulysse Nardin Diver [NET Signature Collection]

Diver NET Signature Collection, Ref. UN220061 – 15,750 EUR; USD 15,900 (plus sales tax), limited edition of 75 pieces

Functions

• Hour, minute, small seconds,
• Date,
• Power-reserve indicator

Movement

• Ulysse Nardin manufacture caliber UN-118, mechanical, selfwinding movement, silicon balance spring, escape wheel and pallet made of DiamonSil
• Components: 300
• Jewells: 50
• Frequency: 28,800 a/h or 4 Hz
• Power reserve:n Approx. 60 hours
• Dimensions: Round, height 6.45 mm; Ø 31.6 mm

Case

• Inner case of stainless steel (95% recycled); flanks and case back made of Nylo® x Carbonium® (= 60% recycled fishing nets & 40% upcycled Carbonium);
• Diameter 44 mm, height 14.81 mm,
• Water-resistant to 30 bar.
• Transparent case back of sapphire crystal with the Wempe Signature Collection logo.
• Numbered 1 to 75/75
• Crystal: Convex sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective coating on both sides
• Control elements:
  • Screw-in titanium crown with three crown positions, crown protector and Wempe signet.
  • Unidirectional rotating diving bezel with a scale and 20 minute markers with Super-LumiNova®

Dial

• Matte black and sandblasted with a brushed X,
• Luminescent hour markers,
• Rhodium-plated hour and minute hands with white Super-LumiNova®,
• Rhodium-plated hands for the small seconds dial and power reserve indicator with Super-LumiNova® in orange

Strap

• Orange-coloured rubber,
• Interchangeable wristband in black,
• Both with a black ceramic element and a Wempe Signet engraving,
• Double folding clasp of ceramic and titanium

Wempe Signature Collection
The Wempe name is synonymous with fine timepieces and jewelry. This family-owned company, which is based in Hamburg and was founded in 1878, is headed by Kim-Eva Wempe (who was born in 1962) and has 32 showrooms in cities all over the world, including New York, Paris, and Madrid.
The company has been closely connected for generations with the renowned watch manufactures of Switzerland and Germany. Wempe produces its own Glashütte I/SA brand wristwatch chronometers in Glashütte, Saxony, and its own By Kim brand jewelry in Schwäbisch Gmünd. In addition, Wempe operates the largest independent watch workshop in Europe and has been certified as a “Best Place to Learn” in Germany since 2015.

Ulysse Nardin – HAUTE HORLOGERIE. WITH A TWIST. SINCE 1846.
Ulysse Nardin is the independent and integrated Swiss manufacture powered by unbounded imagination, crafting cutting-edge timepieces for free-spirited watch collectors since 1846.
A maverick, a visionary, a pioneer. Ulysse Nardin, the founder of the Manufacture, was all three.
From the mountains of Le Locle, where the Manufacture stays anchored today, Ulysse Nardin combined his passion for ocean exploration and horological excellence to create the world’s most awarded and precise marine chronometers.
But this was just the beginning.
« If it’s possible, it’s done. If it’s impossible, it will be done ». These words from Paul-David Nardin, also a pioneer in his own right, are no rhetoric and echo his father’s enduring legacy.
Twisting the boundaries of watchmaking with innovative technologies and disruptive materials, challenging horology conventions, combining creative and mechanical experimentation…: exploring the impossible has always been at the core of Ulysse Nardin.
This singular expression in Haute Horlogerie was epitomized in 2001 with the launch of the first and only watch with no dial, no crown and no hands, aptly named the Freak. A revolutionary icon which also ushered silicon into watchmaking, paving the way for incredible precision and reliability, across the industry.
This creative freedom is fueled by the artisans of Ulysse Nardin. Combining almost 180 years of in-house mechanical and artistic savoir-faire, they stand for the singularity of their craft and defend sustainable values. This strong heritage lives across four collections: Freak, Blast, Marine and Diver.
As part of the first collective of independent watchmaking manufactures, with its sister company Girard-Perregaux, Ulysse Nardin opens new horizons for the entire industry through its very own vision of Haute Horlogerie. With a twist.