True works of art, the timepieces feature the Swiss watchmaker’s legendary technical and aesthetic prowess (All photos: The Hour Glass)
Ulysse Nardin celebrates its exclusive partnership with luxury retailer The Hour Glass by unveiling two unique, limited editions: the Blast Free Wheel Malachite and the Blast Free Wheel Turquoise. True works of art, the timepieces — limited to eight pieces in each material — feature the Swiss watchmaker’s legendary technical and aesthetic prowess.
The Blast Free Wheel’s most astonishing features are the dial’s tourbillon bridge and seven-day power reserve indicator at four o’clock. These are shaped like boomerangs and designed to appear as if they are miraculously floating on air, as are the hour and minute indicators and the beautifully crafted gear trains. The sapphire glass box housing these “flying” elements is another standout achievement.
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The structure’s complexity and finish — especially the polished box angles — were extremely difficult to achieve, requiring lengthy and painstaking experimentation. The case back is also sapphire, but there is little to see inside. In a complete reversal of watchmaking convention, all the exquisite components are visible on the dial.
The mechanical movement powering all this beauty is the UN-176. Entirely developed in-house, its flying tourbillon features a pioneering technology that replaces the traditional Swiss lever escapement system and is crafted from Ulysse Nardin’s signature low-friction silicium instead of metal or synthetic rubies.
Celebrating an especially prosperous year, perhaps? The new Blast Free Wheel watches clock in at RM468,000 each. Contact The Hour Glass for viewings.
This article first appeared on Jan 9, 2022 in The Edge Malaysia.
