We begin Friday with the Touch and Try session with Ulysse Nardin. Here are our highlights and hands-on impressions of the novelties.
Live from WWG25: Highlight from Ulysse Nardin new releases
As with last year, UN chose to only release one novelty. This is a new diver’s watch.
Ulysse Nardin Diver (Air)
The name air is derived from the fact that watches are 80% air and for UN, the other 20% is high technology, or that is the marketing pitch. The watch looks very handsome, with a nice interesting play of bright orange strap in contrast to the grey of the case and movement.
The claim from UN is that new Diver (Air) is the lightest diver watch, weighing 52g (10g for the movement) for the whole watch including strap. Compare with the Diver Skeleton X which weighs 105g. The inspiration is taken from F1 supremo Colin Chapmann, and the movement is constructed using the architecture principle to leverage on the strength of triangles. 90 hours power reserve.
The design of the watch is to focus on lightness and sustainability. Ti and carbon is chosen for strength and weight advantages. Al is rejected because UN feels that though it is light, it is not robust and strong enough. The bridge, main plate, container, lower bezel and case back is made of 90% upcycled ti, and made by TiFast in Italy, a company specialising in titanium for the aerospace and F1 industries. The same story is also the same tale of a upcycled carbon used to make the foil of the bezel. The elastic nylon for the strap is also made from recycling. The Cigatec silicon escapement is now also using up-cycled silicon from production waste.
The Diver (Air) has a water rating of 200g. The weight of 52g is approximately the weight of one clementine, which if subjected to this pressure, will turn into juice.
The retail price is set at CHF 36k. Limited production of about 300 pieces.
The UN-374 is a new caliber
