Anchor of a New Era: Ulysse Nardin Marine Chronometer Manufacture Limited Edition
The Marine Chronometer Manufacture Limited Edition is a watershed release for Le Locle, Switzerland-based Ulysse Nardin. As the vessel for the company’s first in-house movement, the watch is both a milestone and a showpiece. While the model represents a subtle refinement of the Marine collection’s much-admired aesthetic, the movement inside is a radical break from UN’s past practice of modifying Swatch Group ETA client movements.
Sometimes a name says it all: Marine Chronometer Manufacturer. The UN-118 movement, which debuted in this model in 2012, represented UN’s attempt to avoid the effects of future ETA supply constraints and blurred the company’s historically sharp lines between haute horlogerie and volume models. While past UN product lines drew a sharp distinction between mechanical marvels like the Trilogy of Time and cornerstone products like the Marine, the new in-house UN-118 marked the dawn of a more comprehensive UN product catalog. With Marine Chronometer Manufacturer, buyers can gain access to flagship technology at an affordable price.
The Chronometer Manufacture movement is a stunning showcase for material technology. Five years ago, silicon-based balance springs and diamond-based escapement components were the domain of concept watches with six-figure price tags. For many brands, the technology remains out of reach, but for UN, which first introduced silicon escapement technology in the landmark 2001 “Freak,” alternative materials have become a core competency.
The UN-118 Manufacture movement starts with the iconic silicon balance spring. It’s non-magnetic, shock-resistant, and virtually unaffected by temperature fluctuations. As the anchor (pun intended) of a marine chronometer’s engine, the silicon balance spring provides the optimal foundation for a watch that meets and exceeds COSC chronometer standards. But we’ve seen this technology before at UN; the UN-118 adds a proprietary technology called DIAMonSIL. The silicon escapement components are coated with a synthetic diamond deposit to enhance their resistance to wear, frictional losses, and impact damage. replica watches uk
The material is so resilient that the UN-118’s escapement assembly can operate without lubricants, a huge advantage that extends service intervals and reduces ownership costs. UN’s technological advantage is unique. Currently, Ulysse Nardin is one of only four watchmakers (Swatch, Rolex and Patek Philippe are the other three) to have proprietary silicon balance spring technology; only UN has the rights to DIAmonSIL. With no less than three major components – the escape wheel, the pallet lever and the balance spring – made from the special material, the Marine Chronometer Manufacture is bringing mainstream mechanical watchmaking into the 21st century. And the benefits are real; in an age of powerful speakers, computer components and static magnets in almost every office and home environment, the UN-118 laughs at the magnetic menace that has plagued watchmakers since AL Breguet learned to tell time…
Beyond its revolutionary escapement, the UN-118 movement is a study in elegance, thoughtfulness and the traditional Swiss “Watch Valley” finishing tradition. Unique to the Manufacture for this limited edition UN-118 marine chronometer, the rose gold winding rotor is engraved with the UN anchor icon and the PVD-engraved DIAMonSIL emblem. The bridges are embellished with circular Côtes de Genève; the chamfers on the plates and levers reflect the company’s determination to make a strong first impression with this historic movement. While dark PGM PVD softens the light on the main components, all wheels are textured and given a protective coating of shiny rhodium for a striking contrast. Powerful; UN’s combination of matte gunmetal bridges, dazzling white rhodium, rose gold and chemically blued screws is exactly the kind of beauty that metals can offer.
The technical details of the new movement are commensurate with its status as the standard-bearer of replica Ulysse Nardin’s savoir-faire. The exceptional power reserve of 60 hours exceeds the industry standard of 42-48 hours, and the circular power reserve indicator at 12 on the dial shows the release of the mainspring’s energy. UN has always been an industry leader in user-friendly setting systems, and here borrows elements from the perpetual calendar, providing marine chronometer manufacturers with a quick date setting that can be adjusted forwards and backwards without damaging the movement. Automatic winding via a bidirectional rotor provides a continuous flow of power to the 28,800 v/h escapement. Composed of 248 parts, the movement meets COSC Observatory standards and is entitled to bear the words “Certified Chronometer” on its dial.
And it’s impossible to ignore that dial. Ulysse Nardin is one of only a handful of watchmakers in the world to perform in-house enamel dial production. Almost as uncommon as silicon balance spring technology, the art of enamelling involves exposing a base metal calan coated with enamel paint to a 1,500-degree furnace fire multiple times. At any point in the process, the enamel surface can warp, crack, scorch or explode, and even the best enamelling experts must endure a very high scrap rate. In short, it’s an old-world artisan delicacy that has no place in the modern world of mass production. Fortunately, like the mechanical watch itself, the craft of enamelling endures for the emotion it inspires and the enduring beauty of the final product. While metal, lacquered and synthetic dials will age, fade, corrode and deform, a finished enamel dial will retain its porcelain luster indefinitely.
The depth, lustre and vibrant colours of the Marine Chronometer Manufacture’s enamel dials are mesmerising. They are arresting. The black Roman numeral hour markers combined with the “railway” minute track are reminiscent of vintage Ulysse Nardin marine chronometers that inspired this collection. Modified cathedral hands with deposited luminous material and black shafts further distinguish this limited-production model from the mass-produced Marine models. The power reserve indicator at 12 o’clock, the small seconds “sector track” subdial at 6 o’clock and the date window at the bottom of the subdial give the whole construction a striking bilateral and vertical symmetry. Small touches of crimson burst from the otherwise two-tone enamel, bringing the whole watch to life.
While the dial is the undisputed aesthetic highlight of this watch, the case, crown and strap system reflect the overall effort that fake Ulysse Nardin puts into each watch. The case is an evolution of the unique and acclaimed first generation marine chronometers. The UN continues to feature lateral stamping and a fixed bezel with a narrow cross-section. Despite the 45mm case diameter, the combination of a large dial and minimal bezel width creates the impression of a very imposing timepiece; it easily matches visually with serious heavy metal watches such as the Hublot Big Bang King Power and the 44mm Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore. As a true marine instrument, the Marine Chronometer Manufacture has a water resistance rating of 100 meters (330 feet).
Attention to detail abounds. A large rectangular shoulder protects the screw-down crown and extends the visual span of the case. The crown itself is large, and the UN design team thoughtfully thought that it should be coated with soft rubber to allow for easy use when wearing gloves or working with wet hands. The lugs are solid, full-width units that add extra presence to this majestic timepiece. The extra care taken by the designers is evident in the screw-on lug interface of the strap. While a spring bar is more convenient, the set screw increases the security of the watch in adverse conditions, and the large flat-head screws complement the vintage design philosophy of the marine chronometer.
This Ulysse Nardin Marine Chronometer is presented on a dark brown alligator strap that pairs perfectly with the rose gold case, while the watch is also compatible with a range of rubber, leather and metal bracelets produced by Ulysse Nardin. The exceptional double deployment clasp with friction fold retention ensures ease of use. While many competitors continue to offer single folding clasps that can catch wrist hairs and complicate wearing on smaller wrists, UN’s two click closure extension system makes putting this watch on and off a ‘do-done’. On the wrist, the Ulysse Nardin Marine Chronometer Manufacture gives the physical impression of a smaller timepiece while retaining the presence of a larger one. The key to this ergonomic trick is the short, arched lugs that keep the case in a central position on the flat surface of the forearm.
As one of the special editions of the UN-118 movement launched in the Marine collection, this watch is a unique piece with a lasting connection to the history of watchmaking in general and Ulysse Nardin in particular. Connoisseurs of the brand and technology enthusiasts will find this marine chronometer not only a piece of watchmaking history, but also a model of contemporary men’s style. Whether at home, in the office or at sea, the marine chronometer embodies the most advanced technology and the art of traditional fine watchmaking.