Posted on: February 21, 2022 Posted by: mysun08481 Comments: 0

Ulysse Nardin Nautical Observatory Factory

The 2012 Marine Chronometer Manufacture houses the UN-118 movement in its beautiful case. However, it does not shy away from the traditional craftsmanship beloved by those seeking haute horology.

Founded in 1846, Ulysse Nardin has a long history of making marine chronometers.

Nautical chronometers were originally used to assist navigators on the seas. The advent of advanced navigational instruments and eventually GPS negated the importance of marine observatories.

But technology in the watchmaking industry has continued to improve over time, and Ulysse Nardin has followed suit.

The 2012 Marine Chronometer Manufacture houses the UN-118 movement in its beautiful case. However, it does not shy away from the traditional craftsmanship beloved by those seeking haute horology.

dial
The pure white enamel white disc is the result of the patience and craftsmanship of Donzé Cadrans, an expert in the field of enamel dials. Donzé Cadrans was recently acquired by best Ulysse Nardin, and its work has an unmistakable beauty to anyone who has looked closely at this watch.

Grand Feu enamel requires knowledge of powder; temperature and time. It takes years of hard work to truly master this skill and deliver consistent, flawless results. Roman numerals are used to indicate the hours. The chapter ring consists of a minute track marked with an inverted equilateral triangle every five integers.

Near noon, a slightly recessed subdial shows the power stored in the mainspring. When the mainspring is fully wound, it has a power reserve of 60 hours, indicated by the hands pointing to the words “haut” and “up”. When the spring is at its most relaxed, the hands move clockwise towards the text marked “bas” and “down” and into the red zone to further warn the wearer.

In the center of the dial arranged from 9 o’clock to 3 o’clock are the words “Ulysse Nardin”, interestingly “Le Locle” and “Suisse”. Le Locle has a proud watchmaking tradition. This pattern should boost the self-esteem of all inhabitants of this region of the Jura Mountains.

The subdial on the south side of the dial displays the seconds hand and has a date aperture at 6 o’clock. This date is slightly enlarged to help those of us who have lost our eyes as the years go by.

The hands are rendered in black. They have a curved profile, but the hour hand ends with a pointer and a white circle to help with interpretation. best watches

case
The larger case diameter of 45mm goes against the trend of smaller case diameters. It might be intimidating for short wearers, but for my above-average stature, it felt proportionate when I wore it on my wrist.

The bezel is grooved to capture light and provide an interesting aesthetic. On the strap side, this limited edition model features a plaque showing the unique number of the 350 models.

The strap is purposefully attached to the case. The traditional inside corners have been abandoned for a more secure fastening, which includes screws for safety. The crown is gold and screwed down. It features black knurled handles to aid in adjustment.

I often turn the watch over hoping to see the sapphire caseback. I will not be disappointed with this model. A charming manufactured movement sits proudly in the case. It made me very happy when I scrutinized the watch at Baselworld.

sports
Ulysse Nardin has built a beautiful movement with the UN-118 movement. The self-winding rotor has a complex profile with brand nomenclature. It has two anchors, the company logo and the DIAMonSIL brand name on a black disc.

DIAMonSIL is Ulysse Nardin’s exclusive diamond and silicon alloy that has been used in the patented escapement. The mechanism hairspring is made of silicon. This state-of-the-art metallurgy is only used by a few high-end brands.

The movement consists of 248 parts. That’s a high number for a watch that only displays hours, minutes, seconds, date, and power reserve. It is this high number that speaks to the depth of the works and the quality of the construction.

Finissage is something I admire very much, luxury Ulysse Nardin is always striving for perfection and the fine finishes on the movement are evident. The bridge has Geneva ripples. Perlage can be seen on the plate. Skilled angles and blued steel screws reinforce the excellence of the craftsman’s work.

Another neat feature is the date corrector that offers forward and backward adjustment. Those who are temporarily distracted while adjusting their dates will appreciate this time-saving benefit. COSC certification independently verifies the accuracy of the watch.

I am sometimes accused of being very nice to the brands and models I write about. However, I’ve only written about models that I admire and that I can identify with.

Some Ulysse Nardin models have not always appealed to me in the past for aesthetic reasons, although I can appreciate the quality of the proposition. http://www.cheapestwrist.co

After seeing this model at Baselworld, I told the owner of Ulysse Nardin that I wanted to write an article about the manufacture of the marine observatory. With my deep Lancaster tone, I said with conviction, “I got this watch”.

The manufacture movement blends state-of-the-art innovations with traditional craftsmanship, and the results are stunning.

However, as much as I appreciate the mechanical integrity of this model, what I wholeheartedly fall for is the visual appeal of this watch.

The dial is spectacular.

Helen, the mythical figure of Troy, may have launched 1,000 ships. I think the beauty of this watch might lead a fleet of watch lovers to sail the seven seas to a landlocked state in the Jura Mountains.

Technical Specifications
Model: Ulysse Nardin Marine Chronometer Manufacture
Reference: 1186-122
Case: 18 karat rose gold; diameter 45.00 mm; height 13.55 mm; water-resistant to 20 bar (200 m); sapphire crystal front and back.
Functions: hours; minutes; auxiliary seconds; date; power reserve indicator.
Movement: Caliber UN-118; automatic winding; frequency 28,800 vph; 50 jewels; power reserve 60 hours.
Strap: Rose gold unfolding black leather strap

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