The Ulysse Nardin Diver [AIR] Seddiqi Edition Features

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When Ulysse Nardin first teased the world with the Diver [AIR] at Watches and Wonders 2025, the horological community collectively held its breath. The claim was audacious: the world’s lightest mechanical dive watch. At 52 grammes with the strap attached, this skeletal creature managed to rewrite what we thought possible in the intersection of high horology and professional dive instrumentation. The Seddiqi 75th Anniversary Edition, limited to 30 pieces, takes that already exceptional foundation and dresses it in vibrant blue accents that honour Ahmed Seddiqi’s 75-year legacy in Middle Eastern luxury retail.

What Ulysse Nardin has achieved here extends beyond clever marketing hyperbole. This is a watch that required reimagining materials from the molecular level, stripping away every superfluous gramme whilst maintaining structural integrity for 200 metres of water resistance. The result challenges the very conventions of what a dive watch should feel like on the wrist.

The Ulysse Nardin Diver [AIR] Seddiqi 75th Anniversary Edition

The Dial Architecture

The dial of the Diver [AIR] Seddiqi refuses to conform to traditional dive watch orthodoxy. Instead of a solid expanse of luminous markers and hands against an opaque surface, Ulysse Nardin presents a minimalist skeleton construction that exposes the mechanical theatre beneath. This approach, pioneered with the Diver X Skeleton in 2021, has been refined here to an almost ascetic purity.

The rhodium-finished indexes catch light with metallic precision, each treated with white Super-LumiNova for nocturnal legibility. Against this restrained palette, the vibrant blue Super-LumiNova on the hands creates a striking visual hierarchy. The hour and minute hands themselves are executed in black, providing contrast, whilst the seconds hand wears white with that signature blue luminous material. This chromatic strategy connects every visual element of the watch, from the dial markers to the bezel insert, creating a unified identity that speaks to both Seddiqi’s heritage and Ulysse Nardin‘s contemporary design language.

The skeletal nature of the dial means you’re perpetually aware of the movement architecture below. There’s no traditional dial plate obstructing the view, just the essential time-telling elements floating above the mechanical landscape. This transparency demands exceptional finishing on every visible surface of the movement because there’s nowhere to hide mediocrity.

The CarbonFoil bezel, fashioned entirely from 100% upcycled carbon fibre, features luminous indexes rendered in the same vibrant blue. The concave profile and unidirectional rotation meet ISO 6425 standards for dive watches whilst the randomised carbon weave pattern ensures each piece carries subtle visual variation.

The Calibre UN-374

The beating heart of this timepiece represents a significant evolution from the UN-372 movement found in the Diver X Skeleton. Ulysse Nardin didn’t simply refine the existing architecture; they fundamentally re-engineered it for extreme lightness without sacrificing reliability.

Constructed with bridges and main plate in 90% recycled titanium, the movement comprises 199 components across 21 jewels. The recycled titanium comes through a collaboration between TiFast, one of Europe’s leading titanium producers, and ThyssenKrupp, with the metal reclaimed from the Swiss biomedical industry. This isn’t recycling for marketing purposes; the material properties required for surgical implants translate directly into horological applications demanding strength-to-weight ratios.

The most visually arresting element is the flying barrel arrangement. With the traditional upper plate removed to save weight, the mainspring barrel sits in a flying configuration, its exterior hollowed on both top and bottom surfaces, leaving spoke-like supports that recall automotive wheel architecture. Despite this skeletal construction, the barrel delivers a 90-hour power reserve, operating at a frequency of 3 Hz (21,600 vibrations per hour).

The oversized silicon balance wheel dominates the visual landscape of the movement. Silicon’s properties (should be well known by now: amagnetism, resistance to temperature variation, and reduced friction) have made it Ulysse Nardin‘s material of choice since the brand pioneered its horological application decades ago. The escapement wheel and anchor are crafted from upcycled silicon, continuing the brand’s commitment to both performance and environmental responsibility. These components wear no traditional finishing in the classical sense because silicon cannot be decorated with Côtes de Genève or perlage. Instead, the material’s crystalline structure provides its own austere beauty.

The rotor, visible through the sapphire exhibition caseback, carries the UN logo executed in vibrant blue, maintaining the colour signature throughout every aspect of the watch. The open barrel construction allows you to observe the mainspring during winding, a rare visual treat typically hidden within sealed barrels.

Finishing across the titanium bridges follows contemporary sports watch conventions rather than haute horlogerie traditionalism. Surfaces are brushed and bevelled, with polished internal angles where appropriate, but this is not a movement adorned with hand-engraved balance cocks or thermally blued screws. The aesthetic priority here is structural honesty and mechanical transparency.

The movement architecture underwent extensive testing to withstand shocks up to 5,000g, a remarkable achievement given how much material has been removed. This required finite element analysis and iterative prototyping to identify stress points and reinforce them without adding unnecessary mass. The result is a movement that weighs less than 10 grammes yet meets the durability standards expected of a professional dive instrument.

The Case Construction

The 44mm case of the Diver [AIR] Seddiqi represents materials engineering at its most sophisticated. Achieving the total watch weight of 52 grammes (46 grammes without the strap) required a modular approach combining three distinct materials, each selected for specific performance characteristics.

The central case section, along with the bezel ring, screw-down crown, and caseback frame, are executed in 90% recycled titanium. This forms the structural backbone responsible for the 200-metre water resistance rating. The recycled titanium maintains the same mechanical properties as virgin material whilst reducing environmental impact, a consideration that extends throughout the watch’s construction.

The side sections of the case, including the lugs, utilise Nylo-Foil, a composite material comprising 60% recycled fishing nets and 40% upcycled carbon fibres. This unusual blend provides the necessary strength for strap attachment points whilst dramatically reducing weight compared to solid titanium construction. The material’s slightly textured surface creates visual interest against the polished titanium centre case.

The concave rotating bezel employs CarbonFoil, made from 100% upcycled carbon fibre. According to reports, this material was sourced from retired IMOCA sailing boats, creating a poetic connection between ocean racing and dive watch construction. The random weave pattern inherent to forged carbon processes means each bezel exhibits unique figuration, subtly differentiating each of the 30 pieces despite their matching specifications.

At 14.7mm in height, the case maintains a relatively svelte profile for a 44mm dive watch, though the skeletal dial and lightweight construction create an impression of greater dimension. Crown protection is integrated into the case architecture, finished in the same vibrant blue that threads through the entire design.

Both front and rear crystals are sapphire, with the domed crystal protecting the dial and a flat circular crystal fitted to the screw-down display caseback. The caseback itself reveals the skeletonised calibre and bears a personalised “75” transfer celebrating Seddiqi’s anniversary year. This subtle marking distinguishes the limited edition from the standard Diver [AIR] without overwhelming the design.

The watch ships with two strap options: a vibrant blue elastic fabric strap with hook-and-loop closure, and a white rubber strap with black ceramic and black PVD titanium folding clasp. The elastic strap contributes to the 52-gramme total weight, whilst the white rubber variant adds slightly more heft but provides a different aesthetic entirely. Both integrate seamlessly with the case design, the 22mm lug width providing proper proportions for the 44mm diameter.

Closing Thoughts

The Diver [AIR] Seddiqi 75th Anniversary Edition represents something quite specific in contemporary watchmaking: the convergence of materials science, environmental consciousness, and skeletal haute horlogerie applied to a professional tool watch. Ulysse Nardin‘s two decades of advanced materials research have culminated in a timepiece that weighs roughly the same as a standard leather strap.

The partnership between Ahmed Seddiqi and Ulysse Nardin extends beyond commemorative obligation. For 75 years, Seddiqi has shaped horological appreciation across the Middle East, developing watch culture in a region now central to luxury retail. This limited edition of 30 pieces offers collectors an iteration of the headline-making Diver [AIR] with personalised details that connect it specifically to that heritage.

What distinguishes this watch from the standard Diver [AIR] is the unified vibrant blue signature threading through every element: from the Super-LumiNova on hands and dial, to the bezel indexes, the elastic strap, the crown protectors, and even the side plates. This chromatic consistency transforms what could have been a simple colour variant into a cohesive design statement.

The Diver [AIR] concept itself represents Ulysse Nardin‘s willingness to hybridise traditionally separate categories of watchmaking. The brand merged skeletal high horology with ISO-certified dive watch functionality, creating what they describe as “the world’s lightest mechanical dive watch”. At 52 grammes complete, the claim carries weight, or rather, the conspicuous absence of it.

Whether this extreme lightness serves practical diving purposes or functions primarily as technical achievement remains a question each potential owner must answer. What cannot be disputed is the engineering rigour required to remove material without compromising 200-metre water resistance and 5,000g shock resistance. This is not simply a skeletonised movement placed in a hollow case; it’s a systematic reimagining of how a dive watch can be constructed when conventional wisdom is set aside.

The reference 3743-170LE-3A-SED_OA joins the small fraternity of retailer-specific limited editions that honour longstanding partnerships whilst offering collectors something genuinely distinct. The 30-piece limitation ensures exclusivity without veering into unobtainable rarity, and the vibrant blue signature provides instant visual differentiation from the standard orange and white variants.

For enthusiasts who appreciate technical watchmaking married to environmental responsibility, the Diver [AIR] Seddiqi offers unusual appeal. The 90% recycled titanium movement and case components, the upcycled silicon escapement, the recycled fishing net case parts, and the carbon fibre reclaimed from ocean racing yachts create a materials story that extends beyond fashionable sustainability gestures into genuine materials innovation.

This watch ultimately asks whether we still require our dive watches to feel substantial, whether heft equates to quality in our unconscious assessment. Ulysse Nardin proposes that the answer might be no, that strength and lightness can coexist, and that transparency need not compromise water resistance. The Diver [AIR] Seddiqi 75th Anniversary Edition makes that proposition in striking blue.

Ulysse Nardin Diver [AIR] Seddiqi 75th Anniversary Edition Technical Specifications

Ref. 3743-170LE-3A-SED_0A – CHF 39’000, Limited to 30 pieces worldwide. Exclusive to Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons for 75th Anniversary

Functions

Hours, minutes, seconds

Movement

Calibre UN-374
Automatic winding
199 components
21 jewels
Frequency: 3 Hz (21,600 vibrations per hour)
Power reserve: 90 hours
Flying barrel construction with hollowed surfaces
Oversized silicon balance wheel
Upcycled silicon escapement wheel and anchor
90% recycled titanium bridges and main plate
Shock resistance: 5,000g
Rotor with vibrant blue UN logo

Case

Case diameter: 44 mm
Case thickness: 14.7 mm
Materials: 90% recycled titanium (central case, bezel ring, crown, caseback frame), Nylo-Foil (lugs and side sections – 60% recycled fishing nets, 40% upcycled carbon fibres), CarbonFoil bezel (100% upcycled carbon fibre from retired IMOCA sailing boats)
Sapphire crystal (front, domed)
Sapphire crystal exhibition caseback with “75” personalised transfer
Screw-down crown with vibrant blue crown protectors
Water resistance: 200 metres (ISO 6425 certified)
Unidirectional rotating bezel with concave profile
Weight: 46 grammes (without strap), 52 grammes (with elastic strap)

Dial

Skeleton dial construction
Rhodium-finished indexes with white Super-LumiNova
Black hour and minute hands with vibrant blue Super-LumiNova
White seconds hand with vibrant blue Super-LumiNova
Bezel indexes in vibrant blue Super-LumiNova
Random weave carbon pattern on bezel (unique to each piece)

Dimensions and Weight

Lug width: 22 mm
Total weight with elastic strap: 52 grammes
Total weight without strap: 46 grammes
Movement weight: Less than 10 grammes

Straps

Vibrant blue elastic fabric strap with hook-and-loop closure (included)
White rubber strap with black ceramic and black PVD titanium folding clasp (included)