Reviews
2018 Revolution Round-up: Ulysse Nardin
Reviews
2018 Revolution Round-up: Ulysse Nardin
SIHH 2018 – The Freak Saga Continues
Ulysse Nardin’s biggest bang this year at SIHH 2018 was, without a doubt, the Freak Vision. First introduced in 2001, the Freak was the brainchild of Rolf Schnyder, then-CEO of Ulysse Nardin, and watchmaker and designer Ludwig Oechslin (based on a concept created by Cartier’s Carole Forestier-Kasapi, who consulted at Ulysse Nardin at the time before joining Cartier). The original Freak was decidedly different from anything else in the world of watches – it introduced a carrousel tourbillon with a minute-hand that was also the entire movement. It was also, at the time, the first watch to use silicon components, which is almost a norm in modern watchmaking today.
Diving Deeper
While the Freak Vision dominated the airwaves from Ulysse Nardin during SIHH 2018, the brand also introduced the Diver Deep Dive, an appropriately named hulk of a watch with a water resistance of 1,000 meters. Ulysse Nardin’s relationship to water and diving is no secret – the brand has a long history with diving instruments, and that relationship continues to drive its pursuit of partnerships. This year alone, Ulysse Nardin announced new partnerships with free diver Fred Buyle, professional French kite surfer Alex Caizergues, sailing journalist and navigator Sebastien Destremau, and French professional snowboarder turned “waterman” Mathieu Crépel.
The Classics
And to complete its roster in 2018, Ulysse Nardin also expanded its women’s watches with five new Classico Jade 37mm timepieces, steel pieces available in blue, gray or red with a sweet wave of diamonds on mother-of-pearl dials. The design is demure and elegant, and absolutely at home amongst the brand’s offerings in the Classic Collection.