IntroducingThe Ulysse Nardin Blast Free Wheel Maillechort

Ulysse Nardin is at its best when it's at its most extreme, which is frankly most of the time, to be fair. But the brand often goes up and down the spectrum from utilitarian to precious, and the new Blast Free Wheel Maillechort is decidedly the latter. The newest tourbillon-regulated, 7-day power reserve release from Ulysse Nardin features a white gold case with inward-faceted angles and a warm silvery dial crafted from Maillechort, a traditional alloy of copper, zinc, and nickel.

Those materials, combined with a striking open-dialed design where many of the movements seem to float above the dial, disconnected from each other, serve as a complement to the technical work that was first established by the brand's 2015 GPHG Tourbillon Prize-winning tourbillon featuring a "Ulysse anchor" constant force escapement. The anchor and balance spring are made of silicon (UN was one of the first brands to use the material in watchmaking). The escapement features a circular frame with a pallet fork fixed at its center, supported in space by two blade springs. Mounted perpendicular to each other, these are subjected to a bending force that curves and maintains them. Due to the use of silicon, the brand has significantly reduced the need for jewels in the escapement.

The handset features Super-LumiNova, but the watch otherwise lacks indices, instead focusing on details such as the unusual power reserve placed at 4:30 on the dial, a decorated winding wheel for the keyless works, and other finishing touches. This is no small watch, measuring 45mm by 12.4mm, although the domed glass (also visible through the side of the case) does alter the profile and viewing experience. The watch is limited to 50 pieces and is priced at $126,600.

Brands like Ulysse Nardin and Girard-Perregaux do a great job of pushing the horological bounds, even though it often results in something very expensive (like we see here). Without their push, it's possible we wouldn't see brands like Patek Philippe experimenting with silicon materials in their watches (something that UN started with in 2001 and Patek followed in 2005). The frosted finish, drawn from the Maillechort dial and carried out across the watch, is also really captivating, creating a great blend of beauty and watchmaking.

Brand: Ulysse Nardin
Model: BLAST [Free Wheel Maillechort]
Reference Number: 1760-401LE-4A-MAIL/3A

Diameter: 45mm
Thickness: 12.4mm
Case Material: White gold satin-finished and polished case, white gold open sapphire case-back with Maillechort plate
Dial Color: Maillechort dial
Indexes: None
Lume: Grey hands with white Super-LumiNova®
Water Resistance: 30m
Strap/Bracelet: Waterproof blue velvet effect rubber strap with white gold deployant buckle

Caliber: UN-176 Manufacture
Functions: Hours, minutes, power reserve indicator at 4 o'clock
Power Reserve: 7 days
Winding: Manual
Frequency: 2.5 Hz
Jewels: 23
Chronometer Certified: No
Additional Details: Escapement-wheel, anchor & balance spring in Silicon

Price: $126,600
Availability: Now
Limited Edition: 50 pieces

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