GENEVA, August 29, 2022. Dare the colour!
Ulysse Nardin celebrates the Geneva Watch Days with two new versions of its LADY DIVER 39 mm and BLAST TOURBILLON 45 mm timepieces, both inspired by the iridescent rainbow colours of silicium. Always a pioneer, in 2001 the brand was the first watchmaker to introduce a timepiece with silicium escapement components and the Freak was born, alongside contemporary watchmaking. Since then, Ulysse Nardin has incorporated this metalloid into several of its movements, including the BLAST TOURBILLON’s calibre UN 172 and the LADY DIVER’s calibre UN 816. Inspired by the shimmering colours of this revolutionary material, the bezels of these two new models are adorned with purple, green, blue or pink gemstones that sparkle in the sunlight for a “rainbow” effect. Usually associated with cheerfulness and joy, this multicoloured trend guarantees a young and fun style
Ulysse Nardin Blast Tourbillon Rainbow
The BLAST bears its name well. The skeleton “ dial’s complex and geometric forms on this imposing 45 mm timepiece with a micro-rotor in platinum placed at 12 o’clock simply blow up traditional watch design. To soften the look, a total of 50 rubies and sapphire baguette gemstones adorn the bezel and the indexes of this BLAST RAINBOW, making this timepiece sexy and powerful on any wrist
Water resistant to 50 meters and driven by an automatic flying tourbillon, the BLAST is powered by the UN 172 calibre movement with Silicium technology (escapement wheel, anchor balance spring) enclosed in a black DLC titanium case and sealed with a black ceramic polished and sandblasted upper case.
This limited edition of 50 timepieces promises 72 hours of power reserve and comes with a waterproof velvet rubber strap or a black alligator strap, together with a black DLC titanium and black ceramic self-deploying buckle, at a price of 85’000 CHF
Ulysse Nardin Lady Diver Rainbow
The new LADY DIVER RAINBOW in black or white is the next generation of the 2019 LADY DIVER but with eye-catching, dazzling decorative touches. Forty stones ( aquamarine, topaz, tsavorite and sapphire) are set on the concave unidirectional bezel of this new watch, catching the light no matter how deep the dive. Eleven diamonds serving as indexes increase the scintillating effect of the watch and bring a touch of elegance to this sublime diving watch.
The young and sportive 39 mm LADY DIVER RAINBOW, water resistant to 300 meters, is the incarnation of a utilitarian timepiece designed to reach the depths of the world’s oceans with beauty, grace, and the highest functionality. The UN 816 automatic movement with Silicium technology is the beating heart of each DIVER watch, keeping track of the hours, minutes, seconds, and date.
Both white and black LADY DIVER RAINBOW models come in a limited edition of 300 timepieces each on a white or black structured rubber strap, at a price of 12’900 CHF.
Silicium Revolution
Since the early 2000 s, silicium has become the most promising material for watchmaking. Anthracite with bluish metallic reflections in its raw state, the silicium has exceptional properties totally non-magnetic, it is light and elastic without ever deforming. Its high resistance to corrosion and its durability do not alter with time It requires no lubrication thanks to a silicium dioxide layer that hardens and stabilizes the parts and makes them insensitive to thermal variations. Therefore, Ulysse Nardin uses silicium to manufacture the regulating organs of all its timepieces, including the balance spring.
Sigatec an affiliate of Ulysse Nardin based in Sion, Switzerland, is specialized in silicium micromechanical components and creates custom-made pieces, with micron-level precision. The silicium used by Sigatec comes in the form of a wafer, a disk about 15 centimetres in diameter and only a few tenths of a millimetre thick, carved out of a silicon crystal ingot, and produced synthetically by smelters The wafer necessitates a particular process in order to be formed into the desired components, which represents the know how of Sigatec the DRIE. The Deep Reactive Ion Etching (the process is a revolutionary, hybrid technological combination of photography and 3 D etching It has claimed its pole position in watchmaking in just a decade.
Ulysse Nardin Blast Tourbillon Rainbow Technical Specifications
Reference: 1723-400B1LE-2B-RAIN/3A – 50 timepieces Limited Edition, 85’000 CHF / 80’800 EUR / 89’700 USD
Movement
- UN 172 Manufacture automatic skeleton movement
- Flying tourbillon
- Hours, minutes
- Micro-rotor in platinum at 12 o clock
- Escapement wheel, anchor balance spring in Silicium
- 25 Jewels
- Frequency 2 5 Hz oscillations 18 000 VPH
- Power reserve 72 hours
Case
- Black DLC titanium middle case
- Black ceramic polished sandblasted upper case
- Case back: Black DLC titanium open sapphire case back
- Dial: Skeleton dial
- Rectangle and double X in black
- Black hands in Superluminova ®
- Black indexes set with 12 rainbow baguette gemstones, 1.58 CTS
- Bezel: Black DLC stainless steel bezel set with 38 rainbow baguette gemstones (ruby and sapphire), 3.65 CTS
- Ruby ( sapphire ( yellow, green, blue, violet, pink)
- Diameter: 45 mm
- Water resistance 50 m
Strap
- Black velvet waterproof rubber or black alligator strap
- Compatible with any BLAST TOURBILLON strap
- Black DLC titanium and black ceramic self-deploying buckle
Ulysse Nardin Lady Diver Rainbow Technical Specifications
References
- 8163-182B1LE-1A-RAIN/3A (Lady Diver Rainbow White) – 300 timepieces
- 8163-182B1LE-2A-RAIN/3A (Lady Diver Rainbow Black) – 300 timepieces
- 12’900 CHF / 12’300 EUR / 13’600 USD
Movement
- UN 816 calibre, automatic movement
- Hours, minutes, seconds, date
- Silicium technology escapement wheel and anchor
- 19 jewels
- Frequency 4 Hz oscillations 28 800 V/H
Case
- Stainless steel polished case (Lady Diver Rainbow White)
- Black stainless steel case (Lady Diver Rainbow Black)
- Bezel: Concave bezel with a domed sapphire glass
- Stainless steel bezel set with 40 rainbow precious stones, 1.04 CTS
- Ruby ( tsavorite ( peridot (light green), topaz (London blue), aquamarine (light blue), amethyst (sapphire ( yellow, blue, violet, pink)
- Case back: Wind rose engraved on the stainless steel case back
- Diameter: 39 mm
- Water resistance: 300 m
Dial
- Silver dial with 11 diamonds, 0 12 CTS (Lady Diver Rainbow White)
- Black dial with 11 diamonds, 0 12 CTS (Lady Diver Rainbow Black)
- Date at 6 o’clock
- 12 o’clock index and hands with Superluminova ®
Strap
- White structured strap
White alligator strap
With a stainless steel tang buckle - Black structured rubber strap
Black alligator strap with white stitches
With black ceramic tang buckle
Ulysse Nardin – Manufacture of Freedom
Ulysse Nardin is the Manufacture inspired by the Ocean, producing freaky timepieces for explorers in pursuit of freedom.
Founded by Mr Ulysse Nardin in 1846 the company owes its reputation to its links with the sea its onboard marine chronometers are among the most award-winning and reliable ever designed.
A pioneer in innovative technologies and the use of high-tech materials such as silicium, Ulysse Nardin is one of the few independent and integrated manufactures with the in-house expertise to produce its own high-precision components and movements.
To underscore its commitment to its favourite environment, Ulysse Nardin is active in supporting the preservation of the Ocean, focusing on two major areas encouraging upcycling to reduce marine plastic pollution and developing scientific knowledge concerning the preservation of the sharks, its emblem.
Today, in the Swiss towns of Le Locle and La Chaux de Fonds, Ulysse Nardin remains devoted to its quest for watchmaking perfection in four collections Marine, Diver, Blast and Freak.
As of 2022 Ulysse Nardin and sister Maison Girard-Perregaux have formed an independent collective of high-horology Manufactures