RESOUNDING FEAT

Ulysse Nardin breaks the sound barrier with the Blast Hourstriker

BEFORE THE TIME was told on our wrist, it was chimed by clocks made by brilliant craftsmen who would, through miniaturisation, create domestic clocks, and then hand-held timepieces, capable, despite their small size, to strike the passing hours. Inspired by watchmaking’s past and the possibility of moving musical timekeeping into the future, Ulysse Nardin created the Blast Hourstriker.

Ordinarily, to generate the sound needed to mark the passing hours, the hammer strikes a wire gong wrapped around the movement. In these conditions, the sound heard lacks power and its harmonics are partially muffled by the material of the timepiece. For the Blast Hourstriker, Ulysse Nardin made the chiming mechanism visible on the dial side, further improving the quality of the sound.

When the striker is on, the mechanical ballet that makes the watch’s sound is visible on the hour and half hour. By pressing the button located at 10 o’clock, the mechanism, driven

by a specially dedicated barrel, is triggered. The hour rack and the inertia regulator start to turn; the hammers, visible in an opening at 12 o’clock, hit the gong whose shape has been subtly worked to bypass the cage of a flying tourbillon.

Finally,to ensure that the Blast Hourstriker’s striking mechanism acoustic performance is perfectly audible, this movement incorporates a titanium membrane developed in collaboration with French audio specialist Devialet.

To complement the exceptional movement, Ulysse Nardin has developed an exceptional case inspired by a powerful man-made machine - the stealth airplane. The distinctive 45mm case was given a black DLC titanium middle, capped with 18k rose gold, for improved acoustics. The three straps that come with the Blast Hourstriker allow its different personalities to be explored. The black high-tech waterproof velvet option emphasises its aerodynamics, while the alligator brings its more sophisticated side to the fore. Lastly, a rubber strap is available for a more sporty look and feel.