Ulysse Nardin’s Drive For Innovation Results In Two Ultra Dynamic Diver Watches
3 min read
Chasing the thrill of adventure with a quest for excellence, Ulysse Nardin introduces a duo of trendy and sporty-chic styled watches. The Diver Net OPS and the Diver X Skeleton OPS are high performance timepieces that embrace the ideals of sustainability whilst conforming to the standards of excellence laid down by the brand.
With water resistance down to 300 metres, the Diver Net OPS is powered by the automatic manufacture calibre UN-118, featuring a 60-hour power reserve and a balance spring in silicon, a cutting edge material first introduced by Ulysse Nardin in 2001. In addition, the escapement is coated in DiamonSil, a patented ultra-high tech form of diamond-coated silicon that delivers exceptional precision and durability. The original case is made from a 95% recycled stainless steel and its construction features a combination of breakthrough materials that Ulysse Nardin has been pioneering.
The side parts and the caseback are composed of Nylo (60%) and Carbonium (40%). Nylo is a polyamide formed from upcycled fishing nets, while Carbonium is a cutting-edge material with exceptional strength-to-lightness properties that is produced using the same carbon fibres found in state-of-the-art aircraft wings and fuselages. In fact, Carbonium is made using offcuts from the aircraft manufacturing process, reducing its environmental impact by 40% compared to other carbon composites.
In addition, this unique material provides a marbling effect to the unidirectional rotating bezel. The dial, featuring a power reserve indicator at 12 o’clock and small seconds display at 6 o’clock, is in sandblasted khaki green, embossed with a large satin finished X. Against this background, Super-Luminova markings in beige give a green glow in low light. The adventurous style is complemented further by a fabric strap also in khaki green, itself partly made from upcycled fishing nets, or a khaki green rubber strap with a black ceramic “Ulysse Nardin” element at 6 o’clock.
The audacious Diver X Skeleton OPS on the other hand is an avant-garde reimagining of a dive watch as a piece of haute horlogerie. Water resistant to 200 metres, the 44 mm Diver X Skeleton OPS features the brand’s exceptional skeletonised automatic movement UN-372, showcasing an oversized oscillator and an escapement in silicon.
Carbonium is once again the star of the show: not just in the concave unidirectional rotating bezel, but also on the barrel cover at 12 o’clock, extending the mottled aesthetic into the heart of the watch. The ultra-modern design is confirmed by the huge skeleton X structure that dominates the dial, and the sleek case construction in high-tech, lightweight titanium, given a black DLC coating. Once again, both the audacious visual style and sustainable approach are rounded out in a khaki green fabric strap, partly made from upcycled fishing nets.
