Ulysse Nardin: Marine Mega Yacht Watch

An extension of the Marine Grand Deck Tourbillon watch launched in 2016, the new Ulysse Nardin Marine Mega Yacht Watch is built in the same spirit as a luxury mega yacht. While the earlier model celebrated the world of sailboats and luxury liners, this new creation is dedicated to the owners of these prestigious, contemporary vessels who can rediscover some of the most characteristic features of their boats.

Crafted in platinum in a special edition of only 30 pieces, the new Marine Mega Yacht Watch shows up in a 44 mm case with a 3D grand feu enamel dial, reminiscent of a ship’s bow plowing its way through the ocean waves. To guarantee perfect timing, the movement is regulated by a flying tourbillon equipped with a cage modeled on a latest-generation ship’s propeller, its blades specially honed to guarantee the highest level of performance for latest-generation yachts. And since every detail counts, the hands move above this scene like the lamps of lighthouses or buoys.

Through the transparent case-back is possible to admire the hand-wound movement UN-631 realized by Ulysse Nardin in collaboration with the Christophe Claret manufacture. Totally innovative, the Calibre is designed to resemble the engines found in a vessel’s engine room. This powerful beating heart of the watch has a diameter of 37 mm, features 504 components, and is wound by hand. It guarantees a power reserve of 80 hours at a cruising speed of 21,600 vibrations per hour, with the tourbillon moving at 60 rotations per hour. Its first role is to provide an analog time display, giving a three-dimensional presentation of the phases of the Moon. It contains a mechanism that displays the height of the tides in real time in relation to a specific location, in addition to indicating the seasonal coefficients.

Once the mechanism has been adjusted by the action of the crown, the position of this is measured in a window opened up in the side of the watch-band in the same way as the screen of a Chadburn Telegraph. Because watchmaking is above all an art form, the anchor features a contemporary design fashioned in the form of a plowshare, and is linked to the chain by an anchor ring. Although this may appear to be entirely decorative, the anchor chain actually moves in response to the movements of the winding-crown so as to indicate the power reserve. Keen to be as realistic as possible, Ulysse Nardin has perfected an authentic miniature windlass, visible at 12 o’clock.

Through the action of a set of wheels in contact with the winding mechanism, the windlass turns to simulate the raising of the anchor, even when the winding process has been fully completed.

Since the use of GPS systems and other navigation aids dispenses with the need to calculate longitude at sea with a sextant and a marine chronometer, Ulysse Nardin’s team of researchers focused on what was needed for the modern Mega Yacht owner instead. In the case of this model, the answer was to include a display of the phases of the Moon with the aid of a precise 3D reduced-size representation of Earth’s satellite. In order to make a special impact, the surface is reminiscent of the Moon’s actual surface, reproduced using an ultra-precise engraving. It is made up of two half-spheres: one treated in blue PVD (for the period of the new moon) and the other rhodiumized (to simulate the illuminating effect of the Sun).

Its adjustment in relation to the annual calendar is undertaken through the winding-crown. A telegraph window opened in the side of the watch-band indicates its position (S: Set position for setting the hands/TM: Tide and Moon position/W: position for winding the movement). In the intermediate position, the Moon phase and tide volume indication is regulated by turning the crown counter-clockwise (one turn of the crown represents four days), while in the clockwise direction the operator regulates the level of the tide depending on his location (one turn of the crown represents a 0.25 turn of the disk, equivalent to 9.5 hours).

This watch is certainly the only one of its kind and should offer its 30 future owners a way to follow the maneuvers made by the crew of their yacht, the name or motto of which may be engraved in the plaque positioned on the side of the watch-band to make it truly unique. (Price €.310.000)