It seems as though at the very least, once a month Ulysse Nardin releases a new product, be it something avantgarde, ultra-modern, conceptual or otherwise a collection-expanding watch, if there’s three things guaranteed in life after death and taxes, it’s Ulysse Nardin releasing a new watch.
But unlike many other watchmakers who seem to inundate the market with new models seemingly on the daily, Ulysse Nardin have taken the tactful approach of quantity combined with quality. The latest pieces to embody the functional and deeply heritage-driven DNA of the Ulysse Nardin atelier belong to the Marine Torpilleur Military collection, one that has drawn clear inspiration from military timepieces of yesteryear.
Ulysse Nardin have released a bronze and a black PVD Marine Torpilleur Military model into the fray. Sized at 44mm in diameter and featuring either a black DLC stainless-steel case or a bronze case, both Marine Torpilleur Military models feature bold hour numerals, a sub-dial small-seconds register, elongated second and minute hands, along with an elaborate hour hand. The shortened lugs, riveted bezel and crown are very reminiscent of the functionality of a typical mechanical watch from a generation ago.
The black PVD model comes on a khaki coloured NATO strap, while the bronze version comes with a dark blue strap. Each piece is powered by the UN-118 automatic calibre, featuring a 60-hour power reserve and a patented inertial escapement with silicon hairspring. The movement is, of course, COSC certified, and creates a sort of harmony between ultra-modern mechanics with traditional aesthetics.
Françoise Bezzola, the Marketing & Communications Director of Ulysse Nardin quoted the following regarding the Marine Torpilleur Military:
“Military inspiration is a cyclical trend that has infiltrated our wardrobes since the end of the 19th century and which often signals its comeback in fashion week’s spring-summer collections. Why not on our wrists as well?”
He went on to state that “the military’s influence in fashion is so widespread that we barely even notice it anymore. Ulysse Nardin has long been one of the most coveted watchmakers of the 20th century among naval officers, and military style is part of our watches’ DNA. Adding references in khaki and bronze is a natural step in the collection’s evolution”.
So, tracking back to my initial statement of Ulysse Nardin regularly releasing watches, it seems that there is some method to this madness, as they say.
The Ulysse Nardin Marine Torpilleur Military in bronze costs $13,150 while the black PVD variant costs a touch less at $11,700.
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