ULYSSE NARDIN

Unveiled as part of the trio of watches (the other two being the Freak S and the Freak X Aventurine) that make up Ulysse Nardin’s Vertical Odyssey – Mission 2, which celebrates the wonders of celestial voyage, the Blast Moonstruck carries a name and an aesthetic that embody everything space and beyond. A direct descendant of Ludwig Oechslin’s Trilogy of Time collection created nearly 40 years ago, whose historical astronomical complication is now housed within the geometrical contemporary case of a Blast, the new watch is fitted with a moon phase indication, days of lunar month, tidal coefficients, worldtimer, dual time, and positions of the sun and moon around the globe, aside from the standard hour, minute, and date functions. At the centre of its sapphire crystal, part of the northern hemisphere as seen from the North Pole is placed there to accentuate the feeling of being at the heart of the universe. The 3D effect is heightened by setting the domed crystal, with the land masses micro-engraved on the inside, in a protective sapphire crystal box encircled by an 18-carat rose gold ring – on which the 31 days of the month are engraved, with a small triangle loaded with luminescent material serving as pointer. On the reverse side, the UN-106 Manufacture calibre that drives the watch is visible through the open caseback. Its 42 mm case is crafted from black ceramic, black titanium and sapphire crystal, with a black strap made of alligator leather, velvet or rubber.