FOR A ONE-OF-A-KIND DIVE
Go off the beaten tracks is what the manufacture invites us to do for this limited series boasting the only dive watch in the world today equipped with a skeletonized dial.
Last year, during the round-the-world non-stop solo yacht race, the Vendée Globe, Ulysse Nardin, the event’s timekeeper and sponsor, unveiled a diving trio called Diver, each sharing a same stylistic feature: an X which adorned their dial. This distinctive marking, which symbolizes the manufacture’s disruptive mindset, appeared back in 2019 in particular on the Skeleton X. This time round, the watchmaker from Le Locle chose to merge the two collections by introducing the Diver X Skeleton. In a nutshell, the letter of the alphabet becomes the openworked dial of this surprising 175-piece limited edition. This outstanding element is protected by a 44 mm-diameter titanium case, waterproof to a depth of 200 meters. A genuine underwater exploration instrument, it embraces a unidirectional rotating bezel topped with a blue Carbonium® disc and graduated scale. The random patterns of this material created out of recycled carbon from aircraft parts enhance the one-of-a-kind personality of each timepiece.
Inside the perfectly-sturdy, incredibly-light case, its surprising UN-372 caliber catches the eye. The ultra-large oscillator and balance-wheel, both crafted in silicon, are key players in this ethereal scenescape. This selfwinding movement delivers a comfortable power reserve of 96 hours.
Two rubber straps, one blue, the other orange, clasped by an ardillon buckle, are proposed. Whatever color the wearer chooses, the strap definitely boosts the sporty look of this aquatic creature.
Price: EUR19,300 www.ulysse-nardin.com
By Dan Diaconu