Launched in 2017, the Marine Torpilleur model encompasses the origins and history of Ulysse Nardin. It is the latest addition to the long line of prestigious timepieces in the Marine collection, which dates back to the 19th century, when explorers traveled the oceans with the help of their on-board chronometers. Today, the Marine Torpilleur is the watch that best symbolizes this innovative and cutting-edge style. This year, to celebrate its 175th anniversary, Ulysse Nardin has supplemented its Marine Torpilleur collection with two new movements, details, chronographs and enamel dials. But also a new Marine Megayacht in rose gold, to complement the 2019 platinum version.
 

Built in the same spirit as a luxury mega yacht, the new Marine Mega Yacht watch, crafted in pink gold in a special edition of only 30 pieces, is regulated by a flying tourbillon equipped with a cage modeled on a latest-generation ship’s propeller. Intimately linked to the concept of the mega yacht, this timepiece displays on its 3D “grand feu” enamel dial, reminiscent of a ship’s bow plowing its way through the ocean waves, not only the time, but also a precise representation of the Moon with an ultra-detailed surface, a sophisticated tide indicator across its width, together with an anchor raised by a chain attached to a windlass positioned at 12 o’clock indicating the power reserve.
 

With its diameter of 44 mm, this instrument displays on its dial the streamlined bows of a luxury vessel. Magnificently reproduced in 3D, it seems to surface from a pool of white gold as though it were emerging from the mist, and cuts through a sea of “Grand Feu” Enamel on a wave of foam portrayed with astonishing realism. To guarantee perfect timing, this construction is regulated by a flying tourbillon. To ensure the watch is firmly anchored in the nautical world, the cage of the flying tourbillon is decorated with a propeller with its blades specially honed to guarantee the highest level of performance for latest-generation yachts. And since every detail counts, the hands, with their design inspired by the venerable marine timepieces that the Manufacture has always supplied, move majestically above this scene, like the lamps of lighthouses or buoys floating on the horizon out at sea. This powerful beating heart of the watch has a diameter of 37 mm, features 504 components and is wound by hand. It guarantees a power reserve of 80 hours at a cruising speed of 21,600 vibrations per hour, with the tourbillon rotating at 60 rotations per hour (or one rotation every 60 seconds). Its first role is to provide an analog time display, giving a three- dimensional presentation of the phases of the Moon and containing a mechanism that displays the height of the tides in real time in relation to a specific location, in addition to indicating the seasonal coefficients, once the mechanism has been adjusted by the action of the winding-crown, the position of which is measured in a window opened up in the side of the watch-band in the same way as the screen of an exercise telegraph. Since watchmaking is above all an art form, the anchor, with its contemporary design fashioned in the form of a plowshare, linked to the chain by the anchor ring (and which itself passes through a mooring chock which might have been thought to be entirely decorative), moves in response to the movements of the winding-crown so as to indicate the power reserve. Keen to be as realistic as possible, Ulysse Nardin has perfected an authentic miniature windlass, visible at 12 o’clock.

Through the action of a set of conical wheels in contact with the winding mechanism of the barrel, the latter turns to simulate the raising of the anchor, even when the winding process has been fully completed, for the pleasure of any curious observers.

The display of the phases of the Moon is made with the aid of a precise 3D reduced-size representation of Earth’s satellite, and which, in order to make a special impact, presents a surface reminiscent of the Moon’s actual surface by reproducing it through the use of an ultra-precise engraving. It is made up of two half-spheres, one treated in blue PVD (for the period of the new Moon) and the other rhodiumized (to simulate the illuminating effect of the Sun). Its adjustment in relation to the annual calendar is undertaken through the winding-crown, once its indicator is in place on the telegraph window opened up in the side of the watch-band is placed on the corresponding indication (S: Set position for setting the hands/TM: Tide and Moon position/W: position for winding the movement). In the intermediate position, the Moon phase and tide volume indication is regulated by turning the crown counter-clockwise (one turn of the crown represents four days), while in the clockwise direction the operator regulates the level of the tide depending on his location (one turn of the crown represents a 0.25 turn of the disk, equivalent to 9.5 hours).

This watch is certainly the only one of its kind, and should offer its 30 future owners a way to follow the maneuvers made by the crew of their yacht, the name or motto of which may be engraved in the plaque positioned on the side of the watch- band so as to make it truly unique.