Ulysse Nardin explores different dial materials for its latest Executive Tourbillon Free Wheel editions.
Ulysse Nardin explores four vastly different dial materials for its latest takes on the Executive Tourbillon Free Wheel
There is no doubt that the Ulysse Nardin Executive Tourbillon Free Wheel is a creation of mechanical mastery and certainly a marvel to behold. But can it get any more interesting than it already is? Evidently so, as the watchmaker shows us new versions of the timepiece that bear four distinctively different twists, demonstrating its full potential for aesthetic versatility.
As it is, the complex gears and bridges that seem to “float” under its clear sapphire crystal are already a stunning sight. What else can be done to raise our visual appreciation of the timepiece to a higher level? A change of dial colour would be the most straightforward approach, but a watch like this deserves a surface treatment that is as impressive as the components underneath it. That is why the watchmaker has introduced four limited editions of the Executive Tourbillon Free Wheel with unusual materials and interesting finishes used on its dial and barrel cover.
Here, we list five features of these new executions— only 18 pieces of each are available—that make them remarkable high horology creations and true collectibles for the watch connoisseur.
RARE METAL
To many, the most eye-catching of the lot must be the variation with a grainy silver dial made of osmium. Known as the least abundant element in the earth’s crust, it has a lustrous, bluish-white shine and is also one of the densest elements in the world. Osmium is typically alloyed with other precious metals to harden them, but on the dial of the limited-edition Executive Tourbillon Free Wheel, its unusual, incandescent appearance is instead employed to better advantage.
HIGH-TECH MATERIAL
Another unusual variation is the one with a dial crafted out of carbonium gold, a material made by fusing aeronautical-grade carbon filaments with gold particles within a thermosetting matrix. The result is a dark brown-black composite material marked throughout with gold veining that gives the watch a luxe yet somewhat futuristic appeal.
ART AND CRAFT
The remaining two models in the line-up are taken in a different direction—one of a more refined aesthetic and the other, inspired by ancient artistry. Straw marquetry, an inlay technique once used by nuns in the 17th century, is revived on the dial of the third limited-edition piece— shiny, black-dyed straw is pieced together to form radiating patterns across the dial, creating a uniquely tactile finish. The last version features a deep-blue aventurine dial, which makes a softly shimmering backdrop for the gleaming gears and bridges that are spread over it.
IN-HOUSE TECHNOLOGY
Each of these four variations houses the UN-176 mechanical movement that was introduced in the original Executive Tourbillon Free Wheel last year. The flying tourbillon movement is developed entirely at the Ulysse Nardin manufacture in Switzerland and features the brand’s inhouse Ulysse Anchor escapement, which utilises low-friction silicium instead of metal or jewels that are typically used in traditional escapement systems.
UNUSUAL SAPPHIRE CRYSTAL
The large box-domed sapphire crystal atop its 44mm case is designed to allow the eye to fully appreciate the Executive Tourbillon Free Wheel’s “flying” elements. It has a complex structure that is tricky to construct—the box angles, for example, were particularly hard to shape and required a long period of experimentation and painstaking work.