In honour of World’s Ocean Day and celebrating its community of friends and partners including world-renown shark experts, divers, universities, and non-profits, Ulysse Nardin unveils a stunning, shark-themed limited edition of the 42 mm DIVER – the Ulysse Nardin Diver Lemon Shark.
June 8 th, Key Largo, Florida Keys – Ulysse Nardin, the Swiss watchmaker, has pledged its efforts in an environmental commitment that follows the United Nations guidelines and their 17 sustainable development goals ( set to be met by 2030. Our aim is to reduce marine pollution by integrating materials culled from the ocean whenever possible into our new products. While we recycle discarded fishing nets into watch bands, we are also acquiring greater oceanographic knowledge with our focus being mainly on sharks. With their status as the apex predators of the sea and a largely misunderstood species of marine life, sharks are the avatars and cherished emblems of Ulysse Nardin.
In keeping with the Swiss watch manufacturer’s devotion to shark conservation around the world, Ulysse Nardin has launched the DIVER Lemon Shark, a contemporary and functional model designed specifically for the deep. The 42 mm model is the newborn in the Diver collection and features a black dial with a yellow lemon shark ‘ a stamp of three lemon sharks on the back and a black R-STRAP made entirely from recycled fishing nets. The touches of yellow on the bezel, dial, crown and band pay homage to the lemon shark, recalling the colour of its skin and its connection to the ocean floor. It is a technical marvel fitted with the Caliber UN 816 movement the concave bezel with a domed sapphire glass creates a sleek look designed for those who consider exploring the depths of the ocean a personal challenge.
The DIVER Lemon Shark works thanks to revolutionary silicium technology, pioneered by Ulysse Nardin at its headquarters in Le Locle Switzerland. Superluminova indexes in ‘shark gray’ adorn the dial and a yellow 0 marks the 12 o’clock position on the bezel. The lemon yellow second hand, second markers and discreet stitching on the R-STRAP distinguish this model from all others, making it a unique and coveted timepiece that pays homage to these magnificent animals. The DIVER Lemon Shark is available in a limited series of just 300 pieces.
To celebrate the launch of the DIVER Lemon Shark on World’s Ocean Day, Ulysse Nardin has teamed up with world-renowned shark experts dedicated to the study of marine life and ocean conservation by bringing together two outstanding organizations: OCEARCH and the FIU Medina Aquarius Program in the FIU Institute of Environment.
OCEARCH, and the scientific importance of tagging sharks
Sharks are essential to the natural order of marine ecosystems. By studying these misunderstood and often feared animals we are able to learn more about their feeding habits, mating processes and movements in the ocean. This ultimately allows us to understand how to best protect them.
OCEARCH is a nonprofit organization that helps scientists collect and access previously unattainable data in the ocean. This data is extremely valuable in helping achieve their goal of re-establishing the balance of the ocean and achieving maximum abundance through scientific research, education, outreach and policy.
OCEARCH’s dedication to inclusion is highlighted in their sophisticated Shark Tracker App, which allows scientists and the general public alike to follow along in real-time with sharks that have been previously tagged by the organization and its collaborators. This gives more people the access to study and learn about the movement of sharks in our ocean.
Ulysse Nardin and OCEARCH teamed up in June 2020 with the shared goal of protecting these ocean predators Chris Fisher, Founder Expedition Leader of OCEARCH, says “we need to speed up scientific discoveries if we are going to have any chance of leaving healthy oceans behind for our grandchildren”.
Florida International University (FIU) and its Aquarius Reef Base underwater research laboratory
At the heart of FIU’s Medina Aquarius Program is the Aquarius Reef Base. The world’s only underwater research and education laboratory, Aquarius is deployed 60 feet beneath the surface of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. This globally significant asset provides unparalleled means to study the ocean, test and develop state of the art undersea technology and train specialized divers.
Dr. Mike Heithaus Dean of the College of Arts, Sciences Education (and Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Florida International University (FIU) says, “We are now developing a new Aquarius, working on the design and engineering aspects of the ultra-sophisticated new underwater laboratory. Our faculty is truly dedicated to the study and preservation of marine ecosystems worldwide and the updated facility will enhance the scope and impact of FIU on research, educational outreach, technology development, and professional training”.
Photographer Fred Buyle , ocean explorer and friend of Ulysse Nardin
Photographer Fred Buyle – a friend of Ulysse Nardin and fearless deep-sea diver based in the Azores contributes his craft to the bio tagging of sharks in a quest to better understand these gentle members of the Carcharhinid family. “Lemon sharks are not aggressive towards people yet they are nearly a threatened species. Bio tagging is essential to having a larger perspective on how they live”, says Buyle.
Fred uses his knowledge and experience to dive with scientists as they approach the apex predators of the seas, leading them to the nurseries where they give birth and documenting their courageous tagging process.
The lemon shark, a gentle giant
Based mainly in Florida, lemon sharks are carnivores that feed on fish and crustaceans. They tend to be able sneak up on their prey as they are easily camouflaged thanks to their yellow colour, which matches that of the sandy ocean floors they inhabit. They give birth to live young and apparently have the ability to form social bonds and learn from each other. The largest recorded lemon shark was measured at 3.4 meters (11.3 feet) and weighed 184 kilograms (405 pounds).
“Sharks are largely misjudged to be dangerous to humans, which are not their natural prey”, said Patrick Pruniaux CEO of Ulysse Nardin .“We and OCEARCH believe in education. The more informed the public is about these magnificent creatures, the more they will respect their place in the natural hierarchy of the oceans”.
Ulysse Nardin Diver Lemon Shark Technical Specifications and Price
Reference 8163-175LE/92-LEMONSHARK
Movement
- Calibre UN 816
- Features:
- Hours, minutes, seconds
- Self-winding movement
- Date at 6 o’clock
- Power reserve: 42 hours
Case & Dial
- Steel case, Black DLC
- Bezel: Inverted concave unidirectional rotating bezel
- Diameter: 42 mm
- Dial: Sand-blasted
- Case-back: Lemon shark engraved
- Water-resistance: 300 m
Strap
- Black R STRAP, scratch closing, metal component in titanium
- 100% recycled from the Ocean from fishing nets
- 100% collected in France (Brest, Marseille)
- Polyamide, YTT+
Price
- 6’900 CHF / 6’300 EUR / 7’300 USD / 6’070 GBP
About Ulysse Nardin Manufacture of Freedom
Ulysse Nardin is the Pioneering Manufacture inspired by the sea and delivering innovative timepieces to free spirits.
Founded by Mr Ulysse Nardin in 1846 and a House of the international luxury group Kering since November 2014, Ulysse Nardin has written some of the most beautiful chapters in the history of Fine Watchmaking. The brand owes its reputation to its ties with the nautical world its onboard marine chronometers are among the most reliable ever designed and remain very popular with collectors all over the world. A pioneer in cutting edge technologies and the use of innovative materials such as silicon, Ulysse Nardin is one of the few manufactures with the in house expertise necessary to produce its own high precision components and movements. An exceptional level of horological excellence has earned it a spot in the exclusive circle of Swiss watchmaking the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie. Ulysse Nardin is taking action in two main ways to help conserve the oceans reducing marine plastic pollution and developing scientific knowledge in shark conservation, animals which are its emblem. Today, from Le Locle and La Chaux de Fonds in Switzerland, Ulysse Nardin continues its quest for watchmaking perfection around four pillars Marine, Diver, Blast and Freak. In 2021 Ulysse Nardin is celebrating its 175th anniversary and is offering fans of exploration a vertical odyssey, from the ocean depths to the upper atmosphere.
About OCEARCH
OCEARCH is a global non-profit organization conducting unprecedented research on our ocean’s giants in order to help scientists collect previously unattainable data in the ocean. Our mission is to accelerate the ocean’s return to balance and abundance through fearless innovations in critical scientific research, education, outreach, and policy using unique collaborations of individuals and organizations in the US and abroad. OCEARCH is recognized as a world leader in generating scientific data related to tracking (telemetry), and biological studies of keystone marine species such as great white sharks, tiger sharks, and more. OCEARCH provides a free open-sourced Shark Tracking service and app that allows scientists, educators, and fans alike to learn about the never before documented movements of our ocean’s animals. Learn more at OCEARCH.org
OCEARCH App: https://www.ocearch.org/app
Digital Media Library: https://bit.ly/3hTLUNG
About FIU
Florida International University is a Top 50 public university that drives real talent and innovation in Miami and globally High research (R1) activity and high social mobility come together at FIU to uplift and accelerate learner success in a global city by focusing in the areas of environment, health, innovation, and justice. Today, FIU has two campuses and multiple centres. FIU serves a diverse student body of more than 58 000 and 260 000 Panther alumni. US News and World Report places dozens of FIU programs among the best in the nation, including international business at No.2. Washington Monthly Magazine ranks FIU among the top 20 public universities contributing to the public good.
About Fred Buyle
Buyle is a free diver and underwater photographer born in 1972. He has been connected to the sea since childhood when he spent several months each year on the family sailboat. At 10 an age when most kids are still skipping rope in the schoolyard, he discovered freediving. Plunging into the oxygen tank free technique for the next years of his life, he became a scuba diving instructor, teaching freediving in beginning in 1991.
He set his first world record in 1995 and decided to dedicate his life to freediving. He broke three additional world records between 1997 and 2000 and in 1999 passed the mythical 100-meter depth on one breath of air.
In 2002 he began a second career in underwater photography. His goal to show the beauty of freediving and the animals in their natural, underwater world.
Using only natural light, Buyle has captured images of sharks, ray, fish, dolphins and countless other majestic specimens of marine life.
Buyle comes from an artistic background. His grand grandfather was a pioneer of photography in the 1890’, his grandfather was a painter and his father an advertising and fashion photographer during the 1960s. His work reflects these influences, showing a subtle beauty that only comes with an experienced eye.
Buyle uses a simple formula for his photographs: water, available light, a camera and one breath of air. With simple equipment and freedom to move around, a freediver can capture unique moments. Fred has been taking pictures as far down as 60 meters on a single breath of air in remote locations inaccessible to even scuba divers. This “Zen” approach makes Buyle’s photography different from any other underwater photography.
Concerned by conservations issues, in 2005 Buyle began to work with marine biologists, assisting them in their fieldwork. He uses his freediving abilities to approach the animals and perform tasks such as acoustic and satellite tagging and DNA sampling. Buyle has worked with teams from Colombia, Mexico, France, the UK, the Philippines and South Africa, sharing his practical knowledge and personal experience with marine life Fearlessly approaching great white sharks, great hammerheads, scalloped hammerheads, lemon sharks, ferox sharks, humpback whales, sperm whales and orcas, he never uses a protective cage, which can disturb the animals.
During these missions, Fred carefully documents the field work he performs in order to contribute to the conservation efforts on a larger scale through talks, conferences and his own website. He believes that positive imagery is more effective than the catastrophism widely used in the media nowadays and his images are used by NGOs around the world for their conservation campaigns.
Ulysse Nardin Diver Lemon Shark Gallery
