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Ulysse Nardin - New boutique in Miami Design District
This new boutique is ideally located in the heart of the Miami Design District, a mecca of art, design, and upscale shopping, at 140 NE 39th Street. The 1,000 square foot store features the entire scope of Ulysse Nardin's collection, from its signature Marine Chronometers, to the coveted FreakLab, and all the latest in haute horlogerie.
The Miami Design District is an obvious choice for Ulysse Nardin's newest outpost, enabling the brand to bring its unique blend of horology and design to a fresh group of international tourists and consumers.
"Miami immediately came to mind as the ideal location for our next Ulysse Nardin Boutique," says CEO Patrik Hoffmann. "The Design District is renowned internationally as a go - to destination for luxury shopping and creativity. We are excited to be a part of it and look forward to bringing our rich hi story of craftsmanship and heritage to Miami."
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Watch bands - The strongest link
Is the band an integral part of the watch… or an accessory? Ask ten people the same question and you'll receive five answers in one camp and five in the other. The first will be of the opinion that a watch can function perfectly without its band, which is therefore just an accessory. The others will reply that it is an integral part of the watch and sometimes highly technical - and is therefore in no way just a "simple" accessory, but inseparable from the timepiece. Witness the fact that a wristwatch without a strap or bracelet can no longer be worn!
A vain semantic quarrel? Not to the extent it might seem. A look at the recent investments made in 21st century bands gives some idea of their importance to customers - and thus to the brands themselves. This fundamental trend is part of a lineage that goes back three generations.
Generation I and II: the Pioneers
The number one trend, after leather and steel had asserted their supremacy, was to simply extend the main material used on the case. This saw the birth of bracelets made of titanium or ceramic. Rado, Chanel and more recently Ralph Lauren feature amongst the many representatives of ceramic used for bracelets.
Nevertheless, the jewellery companies had long anticipated this approach with the aim of extending the case material to the bracelet. Richly set feminine timepieces have always been interpreted in riviere-style models with bracelets that are equally set. The most frequent case is a diamond-encrusted case flowing into a bracelet set with the same stone. Recently, jeweller Graff revealed its aptly named "Fascination", a piece with a pear-shaped case and integrated bracelet, both entirely set. Chopard is also ahead of the curve in this regard with its "Heure du diamant" collection.
These companies make up the second generation of artisans of the modern bracelet. They are the ones that have abandoned traditional leather, steel and gold to offer alternative materials. But it is now well and truly a third generation that is currently emerging.
Generation III: the Conquerors
This freer and more creative wave consists of brands using cutting-edge technologies to create combinations of original materials. During the most recent SIHH, it was Roger Dubuis for example that stood out with the first bezel in gem-set rubber. This is a unique combination that one could expect soon to be extended to straps... This would bring a breath of new life to the "casual chic" straps that were born in the 1970s. At Baselworld 2015, the Manufacture Ulysse Nardin also launched its Marine Perpetual model equipped with a similar bezel. Gem-set rubber could thus become one of the next trends in watch bands.
Hysek has also just revealed an exciting new option. The Manufacture has developed insertions into rubber straps, with decorative inserts of steel, titanium and gold, picking up on the letter H for Hysek. A rotational axis is also added, along with swivelling lugs, at the far end of this H motif, in order to enable optimal adjustment on the wrist. This strap is part of the Abyss collection and is notably used on the new Abyss 44mm Chronograph.
In the same vein, Bell&Ross has developed a strap for its BR-X1 Tourbillon that is made of FKM (highly resistant, high-tech rubber) with three slanted buckle holes and a reinforcement on top, as well as alligator appliques stuck and sewn onto the rubber. A similar process was developed by Montblanc on the strap of its Timewalker Extreme DLC. Its black vulcarbonized rubber base provides extreme robustness and flexibility. The leather sewn on the upper rubber surface undergoes an impregnation treatment, which coats the leather and becomes inseparably bound to it, so as to increase its natural resistance. This leather treatment process results in very high-performance material that effectively protects the leather from scratches, water and fire.
From the chain bracelet to the two-in-one strap
It is nevertheless not necessary to be in the forefront of advanced technology to develop new combinations of material… or shapes. This is an area in which Richard Mille stood out at the most recent SIHH with an impressive 100% gold bracelet sculpted like a chain bracelet. This sturdy, imposing, incredibly 1980s - and therefore contemporary - model will be used exclusively for two ladies' watches: the RM 07-01 and RM 037.
Finally, Jeanrichard has come up with a very successful - and ingenious - initiative. The most recent edition of its Terrascope collection which has just been launched at Baselworld features a reversible vulcanised rubber strap. One side features a black alligator print, and the other a sporty striped motif. The idea of "two-in-one straps" is both appealing and persuasive. The only reservation is that it lacks a quick-change system which allows the owner to choose which side to wear uppermost. Currently, a trip to the watchmaker is required, which bly limits the possibility of playing at whim with this nonetheless very clever reversibility.
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Ulysse Nardin - Black Sea Chronograph
As authoritative as a steel-colored sea during a storm, the new Ulysse Nardin Black Sea Chronograph offers a commanding presence and the unfaltering reliability expected from master diver watchmakers. Below the water's surface or on solid ground, this timepiece guides its wearers with exacting precision and endurance.
Steering divers to depths of 200 meters and sporting a rubberized screw crown for added water-resistance, the Black Sea Chronograph features Superluminova on the dial for sharp, luminescent visibility in the darkest of places. Another beneficial component is the unidirectional turning bezel.
Enhancing its ability to withstand the most challenging environments are the materials from which it is constructed. Its 45.8 mm diameter case is made from stainless steel coated with rubber and finished with a sapphire glass case back. Its buckle, as well as other segments of the watch, is crafted from ceramic, while its rubber strap brings comfort and flexibility.
Black Sea Chronograph also presents a special personalized chronograph seconds hand adorned with the iconic Ulysse Nardin anchor. The permanent seconds indicator is at the 3 o'clock position, while 9 o'clock marks the 30 minutes counter. The date is located at 4 o'clock, and 6 o'clock indicates a 12-hour counter detailed with a red and blue hand. Rubberized pushers offer ease when a hurried start or stop function is necessary.
Complementing its functionality and strength is its styling. Monochromatic in rich black with accents of blue and red, Black Sea Chronograph is masculine, as it is elegant. It is the ideal timepiece to accompany the bespoke and diving suit, alike. Black Sea Chronograph is for the man who counts the hours before he can return to the sea.
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Enameling - Rare Beauty
IW Magazine - 14 December 2011
Enameling is an art that had become increasingly rare in the early days of the mechanical renaissance; during this time, the hand-worked aspects of watchmaking had all but died out. Now, more than twenty years later, work being done by hand is emphasized by many, if not all, high-end mechanical watch companies as both a return to past values and to underscore the preciousness and nobleness of the high-quality, high-priced products they create.
In this age of mass-produced wares, the handmade mechanical watch with its artisan elements also emphasizes its uniqueness. A hand-painted dial will always be a one-of-a-kind creation because a painter paints the same motif slightly differently each time. Given its extreme level of difficulty and decorative aspect, a traditionally hand-enameled dial is always sought-after.
Technique
One thing that makes enameling so hard to master is the fact that the artist must mix his or her powder agents in just the right way so that they fire evenly in the kiln without splattering, which will happen when too much water has been added to the powder and it begins to boil. If the paste is too dry, it will not stay on the surface for which it was intended. Enamel must be fired many times to achieve its incredible richness and depth.
After the quartz crisis, miniature enameling had all but died out in Swiss watchmaking, so that almost every complicated hand-enameled dial of this modern age had been done up to just a few years ago by one artist with unmistakable talent: Anita Porchet.
In the last two decades, Porchet has created beautiful enameled dials for Ulysse Nardin, Patek Philippe, Van Cleef & Arpels, Roger Dubuis, Vacheron Constantin, Piaget, Jaquet Droz, Hublot and Milus. She created many of these dials in the difficult cloisonne technique, which involves separating the colored fields—practically tracing the outlines of a scene's figures—with miniscule gold threads smaller in diameter than a hair.
Porchet and her colleagues, which notably includes Dominique Baron, also master other techniques. Champleve is the art of putting the enamel into prepared grooves, while paillonnee sees gold specks fired within the enamel to give it an extra, glittery quality.
Despite the rarity of this craft, some far-sighted companies have decided for themselves that enameling is so important to them that they have hired and trained in-house enamellers. These companies couldn't be more different from each other and include Ulysse Nardin, Piaget, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Cartier, Vacheron Constantin and DeLaneau.
Takeover
Ulysse Nardin is widely known for the progressive steps it has taken underneath the dial. But this brand, headquartered in Le Locle, has also been a huge proponent of the art of enameling since the day that Rolf Schnyder took it over in 1982. From its Jacquemarts model to various repeaters and, naturally, the Trilogy of Time, Ulysse Nardin collaborated in the earliest days of its modern era with artisans such as Michel Vermot to create wondrously aesthetic dials.
Schnyder passed away earlier this year, but his life's work continues to live on: this fall, the innovative little brand announced it had acquired Donze Cadrans SA, a dial company specialized in enamel. After many years leading this supplier company, Francine and Michel Vermot decided to retire and sold 100 percent of the business to Ulysse Nardin—the company that played a major role in their growth for the last twenty years.
The acquisition provides Ulysse Nardin with additional cloisonne and grand feu enamel expertise, while simultaneously cultivating its passion for uniquely beautiful watches.
"We are very excited about this move as Ulysse Nardin has been instrumental in the revival of enamel and cloisonne craftsmanship," said CEO Patrik Hoffmann. "Not only do we now have enamel and cloisonne techniques in-house, for the past few years we have also had our own dial painting department in which two women paint our own Moonstruck and many more special dials."
In-house
Jaeger-LeCoultre employs about 1,000 in its factory in Le Sentier. Up to just a few years ago, however, none of them had been enamellers. Historically, Jaeger-LeCoultre has famously placed enameled miniatures on the flip side of the Reverso case, uniquely done upon request for a given timepiece's new owner. For the past few years, this artwork has been taken over by self-taught master enameller Miklos Merczel, who creates these miniature masterpieces with a fine brush comprising one single marten hair.
In 2006, Jaeger-LeCoultre even offered a small series of Reverso models, called the Reverso a eclipses, with paintings enameled on 18-karat gold dials under metal shutters in honor of the Reverso's 75th anniversary. Merczel is meanwhile aided by apprentice Sophie Quenaan in embellishing the manufacture's Reverso models and special series.
Creating a department within its Geneva workshop just for enameling in 2004, DeLaneau has since re-introduced this magnificent art to the feminine world of high-quality watchmaking.
"Being a brand solely dedicated to bringing the patrimony of watchmaking to the woman of today, we do not believe that the arts and crafts developed through the centuries should only be geared toward men's watches," previous owner and designer Cristina Thevenaz explained.
"Handmade pieces in exclusive and often patented designs cannot, of course, be produced in great quantities. The high-fire (grand feu) enamel miniature paintings alone can take up to two months of very delicate and risk-taking craft. Only a small number of pieces leave our Geneva workshops each year."
DeLaneau
DeLaneau's enamellers relish delving into the secrets of this craft. Colored powders, comprising silicium and metallic oxides, are applied by steady hands and then fired in a kiln at the high temperature of 800° C. DeLaneau uses enameling powders from India, known for their vibrancy and purity of color and composition.
Thevenaz explained, "A great enameller must be not only an artist, but also a bit of an alchemist, as each color has special characteristics that demand that the enameller judge in advance what will happen under the extreme conditions of the kiln. Too much heat and the created color mixture becomes worthless; too little, and it will not achieve perfect flow and translucency."
Some colors are so difficult that they demand separate firings, while others can only be fired in certain combinations. To create visual depth, as many as fifteen individual layers of enamel are required, each fired separately, increasing risk of damage, and often followed by a polishing stage.
Once the actual painting is done, the piece is still far from finished. The Geneva technique utilized by DeLaneau requires a transparent coating—called the fondant de finition—be applied in another ten to fifteen layers, adding an unparalleled brilliance and depth to the painting located underneath it and giving the composition a glass-like finish.
Vacheron Constantin, too, can now boast in-house enameling at its Plan-les-Ouates facility inaugurated in 2004. Sylvia Callovera, who learned the unique art from Anita Porchet along with Dominique Baron, is in charge of beautifying the venerable Geneva manufacture's Metier d'Art pieces.
Whatever you Fancy
Van Cleef & Arpels is also a well-known proponent of enameled art, particularly when it comes to the firm's Poetic Complications line. The concept became popular not only for its easily understood mechanics, but also for the fact that its enamel dials allow for cultivated aesthetics making each model unique.
"In effect, it is the dial that is the determining factor at Van Cleef & Arpels," explains Dominique Baron, the gifted master enameller that Van Cleef & Arpels collaborates with on the Poetic Complications. "The creations by Van Cleef & Arpels effectively give another dimension to time because its representation across the Poetic Complication watches is above all an aesthetic one approaching more of an artistic oeuvre telling a story that one wears on the wrist rather than a watch."
Van Cleef & Arpels also has a unique program called Art on a Dial, which allows clients to meet with the artisans and designers in Paris and Geneva to create their own extraordinary bespoke dials using a variety of mixed metiers, including enamel. The artisans then translate those ideas and inspirations into renderings: Van Cleef & Arpels suggests the best use of mixed metiers, bringing in specialists in enamel, stone-setting and metalworking to create a unique dial that meets the level of standards of this reputed company.
Jean Dunand, though not specialized in the art of enamel, also dabbles in it in order to top off the masterful movement of the Tourbillon Orbital—and make it into a unique, one-of-a-kind timepiece that perfectly suits its owner.
"Only many years of experience can bring perfect results to this craft," Thevenaz sums up. "Even then, the finesse required is so delicate that pieces are often ruined because of conditions outside of the enameller's control, such as small differences in the composition of the metal oxides, making the perfect pieces all the more valuable."
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Ulysse Nardin - Private Watch Collectors Dinner
Ulysse Nardin hosted a private watch collectors evening on May 20th with The Hour Glass at the Gourmet restaurant "le Saint Julien" located in the Fullerton Water Boat House. Mr. Rolf Schnyder and Mr. Michael Tay invited connoisseurs and watch collectors to view the exceptional Planet Earth brought to Singapore for the first time. Guests could also admire the revolutionary astronomical timepiece the Moonstruck along with the new Perpetual Calendar GMT+- El Toro and other 2010 novelties.
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Trend - Watchmaking and mobile telephony
GMT- Printemps-Ete 2010
Usefulness is no longer enough, and nor are high-tech features. Design has entered the scene, noble materials have made their appearance, and now mechanics is weaving a path amid the waves. All these emotional parameters contribute to enhancing the added value of these masculine accessories capable of reflecting social success in an even more striking manner than a beautiful watch. Some watchmakers have certainly grasped this and have decided to go beyond merely creating an iPhone app. In parallel, watchmaking is the source of inspiration for Le DIX by Celsius, the self-winding cell phone.
Not content with making a Monaco V4 available to tens of millions of iPhone owners via the Apple Store, Jean-Christophe Babin last year launched not a line of mere cell phones, but instead "communication instruments" issued in limited series. TAG Heuer being synonymous with both design and motor racing, these two themes naturally pervade the Meridiist in steel and black PVD-coated titanium, inspired by the legendary Lamborghini Murcielago and thus produced in a limited edition of 1963 (the year the car-making firm was founded). With its 400 hand-assembled mechanical parts, the Meridiist is distinguished by its 28-day operating autonomy (7 hours in conversation mode). Incoming calls are shown on an OLED display on the top of the phone's body which can also show a 1/100th of a second countdown. This 155-gram high-tech gem also features an MP3 player and a 2 mega-pixel camera, and owners have a broad choice of leather cases and diamond setting options, including a 7.42-carat version set with 1,232 diamonds.
Symbolically launched at Baselworld 2009, the Chairman phone by Ulysse Nardin features an even more distinctly "horological" DNA. Also hand-assembled and endowed with a 30-day power reserve (8 days' autonomy in conversation mode), this steel or rose gold cell phone is equipped with a crown and an oscillating weight on the back of the case serving to recharge its batteries. The birth date of Ulysse Nardin also serves to define the size of the limited editions: 1846 per material. Produced in partnership with SCI Innovations Ltd (USA), the Chairman is intended to be in the vanguard of technology, featuring fingerprint recognition, high-definition video, an 8 mega-pixel camera, the Google Android telecommunications platform, a full-screen digital keypad, along with a range of pre-installed applications.
Unveiled at Baselworld 2010 (in an area specially designed for smart phones!) by Celsius X VI II*, the ultra limited-edition Le DIX with a flying tourbillon caused a sensation among fine watchmaking connoisseurs. Its birth has been accompanied by some well-known names in the industry, including Richard Mille on the Board of Directors, Edouard Meylan (son of former Audemars Piguet CEO George-Henri) in charge of marketing, and specialised consultant Hugues-Olivier Bores (former marketing director of Patek Philippe). After four years of research and development, this horological cell phone is as much a work of art as a technical feat. Perhaps it should indeed be called a pocket-watch phone? Generously revealed for watchmaking devotees who are often frustrated by not being able to admire the mechanism on the back of the watch they are wearing, the exclusive mechanical movement was developed in partnership with BNB. The flying tourbillon is fitted with extremely effective tiny shock-absorbers. The 120 hour power reserve is automatically replenished by three hours each time the grade 5 titanium case is opened, thanks to its cleverly named "Papillon" patented micromechanical winding system. Other micromechanical features include a mechanical battery-ejection system, a main connector protected by a mechanical-locking flap, and screen-flap closing cushioned by a set of spring-mounted ball bearings. Its 547 mechanical components are all meticulously hand-finished and housed in an equally complex case crafted in grade 5 titanium subtly enriched with inserts in ebony (for the 18-piece limited edition) or carbon fibre (28-piece edition).
[Rating: 5 / 5 stars]
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