A super-excusive series – the Ulysse Nardin Executive Tourbillon Free Wheel – boasts of ultra box-domed sapphire crystal and free-floating movement components, set against the backdrop of unique dial materials.
The Ulysse Nardin Executive Tourbillon Free Wheel showcases mechanical mastery, that blends aesthetic artistry and functionality. The Free Wheel puts under the hood a futuristic movement, making this one of the most daring timepiece to date. The materials used in the dial and barrel cover construction are exceptional. With only eighteen watches to go around, this collection is very exclusive.
The Free Wheel features an Osmium, Aventurine, Straw Marquetry, or Carbonium Gold dial, and engraved on a plaque (screwed to the left side of the case), you will notice the limited number marked. Essentially there are only eighteen watches in each variation.
The Osmium Dial
Said to be one of the rarest, densest and heaviest metals in the world, the Osmium Dial is teamed with a white gold case that frames the osmium crystals elegantly. This incandescent material has the atomic number 76 in the Periodic Table of The Elements chart, and is seen in alloys of the platinum group. It’s typically used in areas where the mareial is required to be hard.
The Aventurine Dial
Akin to a starry night that lures every sailor to the seas, the deep blue aventurine dial is shimmy and reflects a glittering stars-filled sky. Coming from the family of translucent quartz, the aventurine gets its name from the Italian a ventura – which means by chance or ‘let the adventure begin.’ We have seen this material being used in the Ulysse Nardin men’s Blue Aventurine Genghis Khan 789-80.
The Straw Marquetry Dial
At one point in time, this rare straw marquetry technique was practiced by nuns in convents. Today, it’s been revived by Ulysse Nardin. In lay terms, lightweight straw means there is no issue of pressure on the dial and barrel cover. Specialized artisans work with shiny, black-dyed straw – preparing and cutting every stalk for the face design. A layer of sleek veneer on to the dial, completes the look. The process work involves splitting the straw dying it with textile dye and then applied onto the dial and the barrel cover.
The Carbonium Gold Dial
Carbonium is said to be twice as light as aluminum and is made from aeronautical-grade carbon fibers. The carbon and resin composite is made from ecologically-sourced materials and works phenomenally well with the dial. Carbonium Gold is essentially the mix of carbon filaments and gold particles and the result of this fusion is the gold-veined effect on the dial.
Common to all watches is the 44 mm diameter case in their respective precious metal. The watch is water-resistant to 30 meters and under the hood is a manually wound caliber UN-176 in-house Executive Free Wheel movement. Specs include the anchor flying tourbillon, constant escapement on the dial side, mainspring barrel at 12 o’clock, the power reserve indicator at 4 o’clock and 7-day power reserve.
The Osmium dial watch is for $112,500 and the rest are for $109,250.
