Home » Baselworld - World Watch and Jewellery Show » Baselworld 2013 Preview – Ulysse Nardin Classico Serpent Watch
For the upcoming Baselworld 2013, Ulysse Nardin has prepared a beautiful timepiece named Classico Serpent. This exceptional watch is distinguished by its gorgeous enamel dial with a snake motif which celebrates the Chinese Year of the Snake.
The snake, or Serpent, is one of the most intuiting mythological symbols. The snake ranks as the sixth of all the animals in the Chinese zodiac, and it is the symbol of wisdom, intelligence and ambition. As the appetite for luxury goods in China fastens, many luxury brands have incorporated snake shapes and motifs into their latest collections, including jewelry, watches and vehicles manufacturers. Ulysse Nardin is one of them.
Enameling is a centuries-old and widely-adopted technology which was mainly used in jewelry and decorative art, for most of its history. Over time, enameling entered the watchmaking industry.
In 2011, Ulysse Nardin announced that it had acquired the specialist of luxury watch Manufacture dial enamelling, Donzé Cadrans. The acquisition provides the Swiss manufacturer with additional cloisonné and grand-feu enamel expertise, while cultivating its passion for uniquely beautiful timepieces.
Since it was founded in 1846, Ulysse Nardin has been one of the most distinguished names in watch designs. Being the first to use new materials and bring forth fresh design sensibility, Ulysse Nardine has been using enamel prominently in its collections for the past 25 years.
Ulysse Nardin showcases the snake by using the champlevé enamel method. The cells are carved with a chisel directly on the dial and then filled with enamel in a variety of colors (created from different metallic oxides). The result is a stunning image of a snake that rises from a bed of ginko leaves. I must say it looks very impressive!
The Ulysse Nardin Classico Serpent is crafted from the 18-karats rose gold. The case measures 40mm in diameter. The watch is powered with in-house manufactured Caliber UN-815 which comes with COSC certification. The self-winding movement provides full 42 hours of power reserve when fully wound.
Its case is shielded on both sides with anti-reflective sapphire crystals and provides water resistance up to 50 meters (165 feet). The transparent case back of the watch provides a glance at movement’s cleverly finished components.
The Ulysse Nardin Classico Serpent is issued in the limited quantity of 88 specimens, each teamed with a black alligator leather strap. The referent number of the new Ulysse Nardin’s timepiece is 8156-111-2/SNAKE.
