Limited to a hundred watches only, the Ulysse Nardin has designed a new Marine Torpilleur watch to commemorate the Monaco Yacht Show. The event was held last month, in September, and saw at least thirty-thousand visitors descend on Port Hercules to see the most exciting yachts launched in the past year.
This is the eleventh year that Ulysse Nardin is partnering with the Monaco Yacht Show, and to mark the occasion, a special Grand Feu enamel dial watch was released. The common passion for sea and luxury are equally displayed with this exclusive timepiece, which is tailor-made for this occasion.
The Legacy of a Grand Feu Enamel Dial
Ulysse Nardin’s Marine collection takes on the expertise of Donzé Cadrans – which is owned by the watchmakers and showcases a dial that is minimalistic and clean. It takes a lot of effort and talent to craft enamel dial watches, and since it’s a practice that has no formal training institutes, the workshop training is what carries on the legacy.
Grand Feu Enamel refers to the ‘vitrification’ of mineral materials and since it involves a lot of hand-work, it’s common for the dial to crack and break mid-way, forcing the artisan to start all over again. For this edition, a copper base has been dusted with white and gray enamel and fired at a temperature of approximately 800°C.
After fixing the indexes and inscriptions, dyes with enamel power are applied to the first layer, and then fired once again. This process fuses the layers of enamel and then with a piece of carbon, the surface is leveled off. The only caution required here is to ensure no carbon residue is left on the enamel dial, otherwise it has to be discarded.
The process gets even more interesting once the two subdials are added and by chamfering the two with a file, they are adjusted. In this version, the gray power-reserve and small-seconds dials are soldered onto the white dial, using the tin-soldering technique. The minerals in the enamel go on to protect the dial from UV rays and the damaging effects of it.
Under the Hood and more
The Marine Torpilleur timepieces get their name from the torpedo ships used in the 19th century. The chronometer certified by the COSC and Ulysse Nardin is perfect for those who are passionate about the seas. Contrasting and complementing the white enamel dial are the elongated blue roman numerals and the pear-shaped steel hands. It gives the watch a very retro vibe.
You will find the inscriptions “Monaco Yacht Show” and “09.19” in red at the 6 o’clock spot, on the small seconds subdial. This subdial also houses the date aperture, where the dates 25, 26, 27 and 28 are marked in red – commemorating the show dates.
Under the hood is the automatic-winding UN-118 Manufacture movement, which provides 60 hours of power reserve. The watch is teamed with a blue alligator strap and retails for $9500.
