Richard Cantley
With a penchant for the avant-garde, Ulysse Nardin is a tricky customer to pin down stylistically. They're most famous for their marine chronometers, but they also produce simple, lean pieces that embody elegance. They also dabble in the upper echelons of haute-horology with their famous Freak as well as models with painstakingly elaborate hand-painted dials. The modern and ultra-lightweight Executive Skeleton Tourbillon (which has been pre-selected for this year's GPHG awards in the Tourbillon category) shows off another side of Ulysse Nardin.With its bold 45mm titanium case topped with a ceramic bezel, this featherweight piece won't weigh your wrist down, despite its size. Through the sapphire crystal, the hands and oversized Roman numerals appear to float on the dial barely obscuring the view of the movementIn order to achieve minimum weight the movement, which is the?the manual winding Calibre UN-171 Manufacture, has been skeletonised to further reduce any unnecessary heft, while still offering an ample power reserve of 170 hours. The black, rectangular bridge is a nice modern touch that frames the movement.?At Baselworld this year, Ulysse Nardin made waves with their Grand Deck Marine Tourbillon. That piece employed some nifty tricks that involved using a series of ‘nanowires’ to help tell the time. Though this tourbillon is less intricate, it’s still crafted using?silicium, resulting in a high-functioning, classic complication that is right at home with the stripped-down?style of the watch.As part of their contemporarily styled Executive Collection, the Skeleton Tourbillon comes off as industrious with the darker, metallic shades dominating. Paired with a smart leather strap with carbon fibre finish and ceramic hardware, the Ulysse Nardin Executive Skeleton Tourbillon is a strong addition to the brand’s already varied line-up.Ulysse Nardin Executive Tourbillon Australian pricingThe Ulysee Nardin Executive Skeleton Tourbillon, $54,200.
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