Popular extravagant watchmaker, Ulysse Nardin, has just unveiled a pair of relatively traditional looking dive watches.
Despite their looks, the two contain a full gamut of brand DNA, with innovative materials and killer specs.
The Ulysse Nardin Freak is one of the most interesting watches on the market. When it launched in 2001, it lived up to its name entirely, with just about everything you'd expect from a traditional wristwatch gone.
Recently, at Watches and Wonders 2024, I was lucky enough to get hands on with the very first Freak, as well as a couple of examples from the brand's modern offering. The craftsmanship and execution are second to none, and it's really not hard to see why – despite the unusual appearance – these are often considered among the best watches on the market.
Now, the brand has unveiled a new collection of dive watches. Dubbed the Ulysse Nardin OPS series, these watches are much more contemporary looking. Don't be fooled though – beyond the first sketch, these are just as innovative as the brand's namesake.
Let's start with the regular Diver Net OPS diver. That makes use of two innovative materials. The first, is called Nylo, and is used in parts of the sides and the case back. That's a polyamide, which is crafted from upcycled fishing nets.
Elsewhere, we find a material called Carbonium. That is crafted using off-cuts from the aircraft manufacturing industry, fusing exceptional strength with a lightweight nature. Both of these aid a sustainable aura about these pieces, which will make them popular with any watch collector with an eco-conscious outlook.
That doesn't come at the expense of some killer specs, though. You'll find 300m of water resistance on board. Inside, an in-house UN-118 calibre offers 60 hours of power reserve, with a brand signature silicon balance spring. Plus, the escapement is coated in a material called DiamondSil, which offers exceptional precision and durability.
Then, we have the Diver X Skeleton OPS. The brand themselves describe this as "an avant-garde reimagining of a dive watch as a piece of haute horlogerie". With a tagline like that, it's safe to expect something special.
Here, a giant X-shaped skeleton structure which forms pretty much the full extent of the dial. That leaves the other parts within the movement free to sneak out around the edges. This one is only water resistant down to 200m, features a 44mm case and packs in the in-house UN-372 movement.
It's fair to say this isn't your Grandpa's Rolex Submariner. Instead, these are a range of pieces which showcase the very cutting edge of modern materials and watchmaking.
