World conqueror and historical legend Alexander the Great inspired renowned Swiss watchmaker, Ulysse Nardin, to make this unique, technologically superior watch. Ulysse Nardin’s Alexander the Great Westminster Carillon Tourbillon Jaquemarts Minute Repeater has been presented at the Baselworld 2011 Watch Show.
The timepiece, that represents best skills of Ulysse Nardin watchmakers, brings together high luxury and some of the rarest mechanical complications in the world of high horology.
Ulysse Nardin’s Alexander the Great watch is powered by top end hand-winding movement, with tourbillon integrated into the dial (aperture on watch face allows a clear look at this great complication). Completely decorated, angled and hand-finished mechanism comprises 36 jewels and has a superb power-reserve of 70 hours. What really makes this movement great and unique are the minute repeater and Jaquemarts.
The Minute Repeater is a very old technology, patented in 17th century, which uses both, hands and sound to mark time. It requires great efforts and the highest skills and only the best watchmakers can boast of this prestigious product.
The Westminster has four gongs and each goes with a different tone – Mi-Do-Re-Sol (Sol is for the hour sound and Mi is a sound of the minute gong). Different combinations of sounds mark each quarter – 1st quarter: Mi-Do-Re-Sol; 2nd quarter: Mi-Do-Re-Sol/Sol-Re-Mi-Do; 3rd quarter: Mi-Do-Re-Sol/Sol-Re-Mi-Do/Mi-Do-Re-Sol.
Jaquemarts and Alexander the Great
Ulysse Nardin is the one of rare watchmakers that still uses Jaquemarts on the dial of minute repeaters. These animated, mechanized figures show armor-clad Alexander the Great and four hand-crafted warriors in a battle. They make moves, synchronized with minute, quarter and hour gongs.
The 44 mm case is made of 18-karat white gold or rose gold 4N. That is just a part of luxury on the Ulysse Nardin Alexander the Great Westminster Carillon Tourbillon Jaquemarts Minute Repeater watch. Its dial is completely covered by man made decorative diamonds. Millions of small, faceted diamond crystals form a unique, sparkling, two-dimensional surface for an historic battle.
The story about Alexander the Great could be displayed on your wrist, if you hurry up and buy one of 100 pieces, from more than interesting luxury watch edition.
Great wristwach, it means a lot when they combine advanced technology with interesting dial. I don’t really like rose gold, but the one with white gold is wonderfull. you just have to be impressed with the minute repeater feature.