The Ulysse Nardin brand is strongly associated to the marine world since 1846, when Ulysse Nardin started designing his first marine deck chronometers.
Appropriately, the current Marine line maintains several of the design characteristics of those heritage marine time-keepers.
This year, on occasion of the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie held in Geneva, the line has been significantly enriched by the Marine Tourbillon Grand Feu, a new model which combines a flying tourbillon with a Grand Feu enamel dial.
Produced in-house at Le Locle, Switzerland, the newly developed automatic UN-128 calibre takes advantage of the excellent silicium properties for both escapement and spring. Beating at 28,800 vibrations per hour, it offers a 60-hour power reserve.
Positioned at 6 o’clock, the flying tourbillon is not only a mesmerising mechanism that the owner can enjoy staring at but also a technical solution which enhances the accuracy of the movement by counteracting the negative effects of gravity. Cage, wheels, screws and hairspring of the flying tourbillon are produced entirely in-house by Ulysse Nardin.
The sophisticated technical mechanism is framed by a precious Grand Feu enamel dial made in-house by Ulysse Nardin enamel specialists Donzé Cadrans. Its lovely pale milky color is a direct result of a process which dates back to the 17th century. The Grand Feu enamel gets its name from the exceptional heat required to fuse the enamel powder in a kiln.
The elegant hands and roman numerals nicely complement the elegance of the Grand Feu dial that instantly mark the timepiece as belonging to the Marine Collection. They indicate hours and minutes, while the indicator at 12 o’clock shows time remaining on the 60-hour power reserve.
Water resistant to 100 metres / 330 feet, the 43 mm stainless steel case with bevelled edges is enhanced by a screw down crown with a rubber notch designed for easy handling.
Expressing three key values of the brand, in-house production, technical avantgarde and craftsmanship, the Ulysse Nardin Marine Tourbillon Grand Feu (ref. 1283-181/EO) has a retail price of Swiss Francs 28,000 which sounds pretty appealing, especially when compared to other tourbillon timepieces at the same level of quality. ulysse-nardin.com