Ulysse Nardin has unveiled the Blast [Sparkling Rainbow]. It combines Ulysse Nardin’s Blast Tourbillon with 211 rainbow-coloured sapphires in an invisible setting totalling 13.33 carats.
“In keeping with Ulysse Nardin’s perpetual pursuit of excellence, the Blast [Sparkling Rainbow]’s sapphires were rigorously selected to ensure that each stone would merge seamlessly into the next with sublime insouciance, creating a graceful but spectacular gradient rainbow effect that runs through 360 degrees around the watch’s case, bezel, crown and dial. The result is so effective that the journey through the rainbow colour spectrum becomes almost imperceptible. What appears simple and natural is realised only through a painstaking, highly disciplined search for the right stones. Throughout, the stones appear to be set randomly, a look achieved by using 85 different, unique cuts.”
“Furthermore, each stone is invisibly set by hand into the watch, using a rare métiers d’art technique known as “mystery setting” that requires a special cut to create the magical impression that the sapphires are floating. The stones are held in place from below by a hidden structure so that no white gold is visible from above. At the same time, the setting allows more light to pass through the stones so that the watch shines and shimmers with beguiling brilliance.”
Key Features
Image: Silicon technology meets high jewellery. Notice the winding and time-setting mechanism at 3 o’clock, the flying tourbillon at 6 o’clock, and the platinum automatic winding micro rotor at 12 o’clock.
Functions
Hours and minutes.
Flying tourbillon at 6 o’clock.
Dial, Case and Strap
Skeletonised dial displaying the manufacture skeleton calibre UN-172.
Hour and minute hands are coated with Super-LumiNova.
Dial is set with 48 rainbow-coloured sapphires in an invisible setting. Total 2.46 carats.
Case is made from 18K white gold.
Diameter: 45 mm. Thickness: 13.35 mm. Dial and caseback feature a sapphire crystal. Water resistant up to 50 metres.
Case is set with 77 rainbow-coloured sapphires in an invisible setting. Total 5.82 carats.
Bezel is set with 64 rainbow-coloured sapphires in an invisible setting. Total 3.92 carats.
Crown – made from 18K white gold – is set with 8 rainbow-coloured sapphires in an invisible setting. Total 0.2 carats.
Integrated white rubber strap. It is fitted to a 18K white gold deployant buckle set with 14 rainbow-coloured sapphires in an invisible setting. Total 0.93 carats.
Movement
Powered by UN-172, a manufacture skeleton automatic movement that drives the hours, minutes and flying tourbillon.
Diameter: 37 mm. Parts: 137. Jewels: 25. Frequency: 18,000 vph or 2.5 Hz. Power reserve: 72 hours.
The escapement wheel, anchor, and balance spring are made from silicon. The automatic winding micro rotor at 12 o’clock is made from platinum.
Our Thoughts
Image: A showcase of Ulysse Nardin’s horological and metiers d’art abilities.
The Blast [Sparkling Rainbow] is Ulysse Nardin’s interpretation of a rainbow. Watches set with sapphires in a rainbow-coloured pattern are often sought after and ultra-rare, especially those from Audemars Piguet and Rolex. Omega, Patek Philippe and others have also attempted their versions of a rainbow. These watches are typically allocated to their respective brands’ most loyal customers.
Only 8 pieces of the Blast [Sparkling Rainbow] are planned, possibly because sourcing the coloured sapphires and the process of cutting and setting them in a rainbow pattern is a herculean task. It is a jeweller’s equivalent of a watchmaker creating a grand complication movement. Its price of CHF 451,700 catapults it into grand complication territory of A. Lange & Söhne, Audemars Piguet, Breguet, Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin and few others.
There is a lot is going on in the watch, which to my eyes is not classically beautiful. Classic beauty is not the point of this watch. Rather, it is a statement from the brand where they showcase their horological and metiers d’art abilities. A flying tourbillon (a grand complication), use of silicon components (the brand was the first to pioneer the use of silicon in watch movements) AND a dazzling rainbow set with coloured sapphires.
The Blast [Sparkling Rainbow] can create huge aspirational value for both existing and new customers of the brand, which already has impressive watches such as the recently launched Freak [X Gold Enamel] and DIVER [AIR].
Additional Details
Name: Blast [Sparkling Rainbow]
Reference: 1720-400B1LE-9A-RAIN/3
Limited to 8 pieces
Price: Swiss Franc (CHF) 451,700 (8.1% VAT included)
Warranty: 5 years
Please visit the brand’s website and Instagram page for more information.
Please read here to read about the Blast [Amoureuxpeintre], another watch from the brand’s Blast collection.
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