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SPECIAL FEATURE
Métiers d’Art Master
Ulysse Nardin’s Blast Free Wheel Marquetry turns the high-tech
material of silicon into an art medium, resulting in a watch that
scores big in looks and innovation
Anyone who is even mildly familiar with Ulysse Nardin knows that this independent
and integrated manufacture based in Le Locle, Switzerland, does not shy away
from controversy. If it did, it might not have given us the Freak, a timepiece that broke
new ground with a movement that rotated to tell the time. The timepiece also featured
escapement wheels made of silicon, a material now used by some of the world’s biggest
watch brands for its performance-enhancing properties. However, it was erroneously
dismissed as just another novelty when it first appeared in 2001.
Thankfully, Ulysse Nardin is not a brand that is easily dissuaded. It pushed through the
scepticism and focused on developing its expertise in silicon. In 2006, the watchmaker
co-founded Sigatec, a manufacturing company that specialises in silicon micromechanical
components. Attaining newfound heights with the material, Ulysse Nardin turned the ultra-technical into an art form that is showcased impeccably by its Blast Free Wheel Marquetry
timepiece.
Over 100 slivers of silicon are used to create the timepiece’s marquetry dial
First launched in 2018, Ulysse Nardin’s Free Wheel turned heads for its fresh take on the
mystery watch (which seems to function as if by magic, without the need for a movement).
Instead of the usual see-through concept done so many times before, the Free Wheel’s
optical illusion lay in raising some of its watch components above its dial, where they
seemed to float miraculously in place with no visible attachment.
Several Free Wheel timepieces have been introduced since then, with different dial
executions setting the stage for this visual spectacle — aventurine glass, osmium,
Carbonium, slate and a perforated honeycomb pattern included. The start of this year
also saw two limited editions in malachite and turquoise launched in celebration of Ulysse
Nardin’s exclusive partnership with The Hour Glass. Yet, it could be argued that this latest
Blast and its métiers d’art dial best encapsulates the watchmaker’s heritage, especially in
light of its unique relationship and history with silicon.
A bezel-less glass-box sapphire crystal provides unobstructed views of the movement
Art Masterclass
The Blast Free Wheel Marquetry is a study in blue, thanks to the cool-toned silicon slivers that grace its marquetry dial. Over 100 such slivers have been used to complete this artwork of micro-precision, with each mosaic dial requiring numerous hours of meticulous assembling by Ulysse Nardin’s artisans. It’s a painstaking task that calls for prodigious dexterity in order not to mark or break the fragile slivers that are just 0.30mm and 0.35mm thick.
Further adding to the dial’s beauty are the slivers’ micron-precise matt and mirror-polished
surfaces that reflect the light differently with the wrist’s every move. Turn the watch around
and you’ll see the homage completed with a blue silicon plate adorning the caseback — a
first for the brand.
THE DIAL’S ARTWORK CALLS FOR
PRODIGIOUS DEXTERITY IN ORDER
NOT TO MARK OR BREAK THE SLIVERS
THAT ARE JUST 0.30MM THICK.
The watch’s caseback is completed with a blue silicon plate
The artistry continues with the watch’s distinctive Blast white gold case. Though generously
sized at 45mm, the watch’s steeply angled integrated lugs help counter its width for a
comfortable fit on the wrist. Polished and brushed finishes accentuate the case’s faceted
nature (achieved through a complex laser method). At the same time, a bezel-less, glass-box sapphire crystal at the front provides unimpeded views of the movement’s animated
magic. It makes up more than half the case band’s 12.04mm height, and allows light to
stream through the timepiece’s sides for an unrivalled showcase of the Blast Free Wheel
Marquetry’s stunning dial and movement. And what a showcase it is.
Like its precursors, the Blast Free Wheel Marquetry is equipped with the UN-176 calibre that
gives the timepiece its unique look. Entirely designed by the integrated manufacture, the
manual-wind movement elevates its wheels, flying tourbillon (at the six o’clock position),
double-barrel (12 o’clock) and seven-day power reserve display (between four and five
o’clock) in full view for all to see. The rest of the movement is hidden beneath the dial,
resulting in components that seem to function independently with no connection to the rest
of the calibre.
The UN-176 calibre’s architecture allows it to elevate some of its components above its dial
The UN-176 is a marvellous technical feat, and it’s crowned with Ulysse Nardin’s
revolutionary flying tourbillon that took the brand’s technical and movement production site
at La Chaux-de-Fonds two years to perfect. The hard work paid off: The Flying Tourbillon
with Ulysse Anchor Constant Escapement was awarded the Tourbillon Prize at the Grand
Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève in 2015.
Blending art and technology, Ulysse Nardin astounds once more with a timepiece that not
only honours its rich heritage with silicon, but also showcases its savoir-faire and absolute
flair for disruption.
The Hour Glass is the exclusive retailer of Ulysse Nardin in Singapore.
Photos: Ulysse Nardin
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