Home » Baselworld - World Watch and Jewellery Show » Ulysse Nardin Grand Deck Marine Tourbillon Watch
Ulysse Nardin Grand Deck Marine Tourbillon Watch that was introduced at this year’s Baselworld was among those timepieces which drew the biggest attention at the event and one of the most buzzed-about watches.
This extraordinary novelty from Ulysse Nardin got a lot of praise for an innovative and unique movement, as well as for its unique dial design.
The first thing that catches attention is the hand-made wood marquetry dial which is crafted from inlaid wood in a color and curved design intended to resemble the deck of a classic yacht. There are miniaturized elements of the deck of a classic racing yacht, such as a wood deck, lines, winches and a mainsail boom.
This quite interesting dial comprises a blued aluminum minute hand which represents the boom, the horizontal spar used to angle the mainsail on a racing boat. It swings down from the 12 o’clock position, sweeping across a retrograde minutes scale that extends from 3 to 6 o’clock position. The scale is made of a translucent blue crystal in order to provide the unobstructed view on the dial surface.
As you might see on the image below, the minute hand is pulled across the scale by strong high-tech fibers that wrap around two “rigging screws” and two pinions which resemble and function just like the winches on the deck of a racing yacht. These nanowires are thinner than a human hair, measuring 0.0357 mm in diameter. They are made of polyethylene Dyneema, a fiber used in a ship’s rigging that is many times stronger than steel and capable to withstand the traction of 1.41 kg without stretching.
It functions in the following way: when the boom reaches the 60-minute position, it jumps back to zero in approximately 4 seconds. This delay is calibrated with a special regulator that maintains the utmost precision of the minutes.
The hour is displayed as a jumping hour on two concentric disks which can be seen through the double window aperture in the center of the dial. The time can be adjusted via the corrector which is situated at the 2 o’clock position on the case side.
The conventional 60-second flying tourbillon is located at the 6 o’clock position and it reveals the inner beauty of the watch. The details of the tourbillon show the origin of the movement, particularly the v-shaped lower cage, as well as the “A” and “R” markings on the regulator index.
At the 12 o’clock position there is a signature Ulysse Nardin logo. The upper dial also comprises two nautical flags which are yet another maritime symbols presented on this gorgeous dial.
The beating heart of the Grand Deck Marine Tourbillon is the manufacturer’s manual-winding caliber UN-630 that offers 48 hours of power reserve. The impeccable movement consists of 469 individual components and has the beating rate of 21,600 alternations per hour (3 Hz). The first barrel supplies energy to movement, whilst the second barrel is devoted to provide power for the complicated display system of hours and minutes.
Ulysse Nardin Grand Deck Marine Tourbillon (ref. 6300-300/GD) is housed in an 18-karat white gold case measuring 44mm in diameter. The case incorporates a fluted bezel and a screw-down crown with blue rubber molding which matches with the nautical theme of the watch. The case is constructed to resist water pressure of 100 meters (330 feet). The new UN watch comes with a blue leather strap, fitted with a folding buckle. This amazing newcomer is produced in the limited series of only 18 pieces. It comes with the retail price of $280,000.
