Review Archives - Revolution Watch

Introducing the Ulysse Nardin Diver Starry Night and Marine Torpilleur

Rob Nudds — Thu, 26 Oct 2023 09:03:29 +0000

Introducing the Ulysse Nardin Diver Starry Night and Marine Torpilleur

Thanks to its early marine chronometers, Ulysse Nardin is often associated with the ocean. These watches pay homage to this with dials that evoke the heavens that once guided intrepid seafarers to port.

News

By Rob Nudds

Oct 26, 2023

It is rare for a brand to be so many things at once. Ulysse Nardin is simultaneously a staunchly traditional and avant-garde brand. It is known for two separate wings of its history. On the one hand, it is an esteemed producer of marine chronometers. Its timepieces were renowned for shepherding bold sailors from harbor to home and back again. Few names in our industry illicit the same level of respect in this field as UN, and yet, in modern times, it is for something quite wild (one might go as far as to say freakish) and far from the high seas for which the brand is best known.

While the brand’s early chronometers were concerned with the survival of the mariners who relied upon them, the release of the Ulysse Nardin Freak platform in the early 2000s busied itself with the survival of the industry.

Setting the stage

At that time, at the turn of the century, watchmaking was at an inflection point. The mechanical craft had risen from the grave, buoyed by a complete reevaluation of what a watch was and why one should be worn. Watches were suddenly collectible. The industry was thriving but seemed perplexed by its own existence. How long could this continue? For how much longer could these old brands keep on making old watches and hope to survive? Somebody needed to do something. Something needed to change. Somehow, the industry needed to reinvent itself once more.

Just twenty years after it looked like the quartz crisis had put the final nail in the coffin of traditional watchmaking only for it to be saved by a quartz-regulated phenomenon (Swatch), traditional watchmaking was once again rescued by an unlikely hero — a legacy watchmaking brand that abruptly decided to focus on thoroughly non-traditional watchmaking.

The Freak was born. The gloves came off. Modern watchmaking became an exciting place to be because, at long last, it was finally modern. Ulysse Nardin continued to develop and diversify its Freak line but, despite always being revered and even beloved, the brand did not perhaps receive its due.

A shifting wind

Finally, that is changing. Under the watchful eye of Jean-Christoph Sabatier, Chief Product Officer of Ulysse Nardin for the past seven (almost eight) years, the brand has firmly found its feet in this era. The catalog is sorted into distinct collections: the Freak, the Blast, the Classico, the Marine, and the Diver. There is something for everyone in the current lineup. The Freak, the Blast, and the Classico represent the more experimental lines of the brand, while the heritage of UN is perpetuated by the Marine family and the adventurous, hands-on spirit is exemplified by the Diver models.

Ulysse Nardin Diver Starry Night

Ulysse Nardin Marine Torpilleur Moonphase Aventurine

Today, we’re treated to new additions for the Marine and Diver lines. In an unexpected twist, aventurine has been used for both dial displays. Initially, it perhaps feels more at home on the Marine (a dressier, more traditionally styled watch to begin with), but, for me, as an avid fan of the Ulysse Nardin Diver collection, seeing one of my favorite dial materials deployed on one of my favorite dive watch platforms is both exhilarating and bizarre. Does it make sense from a practical perspective? Maybe just about as much as the forty diamonds studding the uni-directional bezel do, but the aim of this piece is clear from the get-go: this is a testament to the brand’s abilities, not a dive watch intended to be used at the maximum depths its robust construction can endure.

IMHO

It’s a funny thing to countenance as a designer. To look at a watch and know that by all teachable metrics, the piece in question should not work, only to find yourself admitting (even if a small amount of duress is required to elicit such an admission) that it’s so beautiful you just don’t care.

That’s where I am with the Diver Starry Night. It is not a tool watch. Or, rather, it was a tool watch, but since the aventurine dial and diamonds crashed the party, it ceased to be. What it is, is something other. It is a celebration. It’s arguably the most dinner-ready desk diver in the history of watchmaking. This watch knows it isn’t seeing a drop of the drink, and it’s fine with it. Perhaps it could bring itself to make it as far as the beach, but actually SCUBA diving? I doubt it.

Ulysse Nardin Diver Starry Night

However, despite its thematically incongruous design, it succeeds in dressing the Diver in its finest frock yet. Consequently, it may be one of the better watches intended for women on the market today.

I don’t want to speak for female watch fans, but it is pleasing to see a watch concept that was previously targeted at men, treated so sympathetically. It is smaller than the standard model, but not by much. The Diver Starry Night measures 39 mm in diameter versus the 42 mm of the standard line. So too is the automatic caliber retained. Yes, there are diamonds on the bezel, but they don’t feel as condescending as they would on a miniaturized quartz-regulated version of the same watch. And perhaps the addition of aventurine, a material that manages to straddle the gender divide, almost softens the diamonds’ presence. It feels more thought-out, more considered, more serious a watch than many targeted at women (even today).

But what is aventurine? Well, truth be told, it can be one of two things. There is a stone called aventurine that is also used in watchmaking on occasion (it has a very similar appearance), but more common is aventurine glass (or “avventurina”, which literally means “accident” in Italian). That’s what we see here on both the Diver and Marine Torpilleur models.

Ulysse Nardin Marine Torpilleur Moonphase Aventurine

The story goes that sometime during the eighteenth century on the island of Murano in Venice (famous for its fineglassware), a glass-maker accidentally knocked a pot of copper filings into a cauldron of molten glass. The resulting material with its metallic inclusions became highly desirable. The goal, of course, is to create aventurine glass with a uniform distribution of metallic flecks and free from any bubbles or impurities. Achieving that is not easy. The results, however, as we can see with these two stand-out pieces, make the effort worthwhile.

There is something even more special about the Diver model’s dial, however. Amazingly, a thin layer of aventurine glass has been placed over a thin layer of Mother of Pearl, which has created this swirling, cloud-like, nebula-esque effect on the dial. It is, in a word, stunning.

For the Marine Torpilleur, the aventurine dial is a departure from the norm. This exclusive 300-piece limited edition is presented in a 42 mm stainless steel case and boasts a double-counter display with the moon phase and small seconds indication at 6 o’clock and the watch’s 60-hour power reserve (thanks to the in-house UN-119) displayed at 12.

Ulysse Nardin Marine Torpilleur Moonphase Aventurine

It is truly a fusion of the brand’s heritage and its hopes for the future. The styling recalls the classic marine chronometers, the dial extols the brand’s investment in keeping artisanal crafts alive, and the movement, with its ultramodern escapement (comprising a silicon balance spring as well as a DIAMonSIL escapement wheel and anchor), is a glowing advocate for innovation.

In my humble opinion, Ulysse Nardin is heading in the right direction, and I for one couldn’t be happier that one of the most storied brands of our craft has such a rosy road ahead of it.

Tech Specs

Ulysse Nardin Diver Starry Night

Reference: 8163-182B1-3A/3A (rubber strap), 8163-182B1-3A/1A (alligator strap)
Movement: Automatic caliber UN-816
Functions: Time and date
Case: 39 mm wide stainless steel case set with 40 diamonds (0.8 carats), water-resistant to 300 m
Dial: Aventurine
Strap: Blue structured rubber strap or white alligator leather strap, with stainless steel tang buckle
Price: USD 14,700 excluding taxes

Ulysse Nardin Marine Torpilleur Moonphase Aventurine

Reference: 193-310LE-3A-AVE/1A
Movement: Automatic UN-119 Manufacture caliber with DIAMonSIL escapement wheel and anchor
Functions: Moonphase. Hours, minutes, small seconds.
Case: 42 mm wide stainless steel case, water-resistant to 50M
Dial: Aventurine with double counter: power reserve indicator at 12 o’clock, small seconds and moon phase disc at 6 o’clock
Strap: Blue alligator strap, leather strap
Price and availability: Limited to 300 pieces, USD 13,600 excluding taxes

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FROM THE SHOP

Unimatic

Unimatic x Revolution U1 Milsub "Blue"

$1,220.00

TECH SPECS

Movement	Self-winding caliber SW200-1b; 41-hour power reserve
Functions	Hours, minutes and seconds
Case	41.5mm; 316 steel with Cerulean blue stonewashed Cerakote coating, matte vintage navy aluminium bezel insert; water resistant to 300m
Dial	Matte vintage navy; hour markers outlined in Super-LumiNova
Strap	Vintage navy TPU-coated nylon; additional vintage navy nylon with fabric keepers
Limited Edition	Limited Edition of 200 pieces

The post Introducing the Ulysse Nardin Diver Starry Night and Marine Torpilleur appeared first on Revolution Watch.

Introducing the Citizen AQ4100-65W

Rob Nudds — Wed, 25 Oct 2023 06:01:09 +0000

Introducing the Citizen AQ4100-65W

There was a time when color ruled the watch world, but today is not that day. Textures are more important than ever as discerning watch collectors look to add variety rather than vivaciousness to their watch boxes. The Tosa washi paper dialed Citizen AQ4100-65W does just that.

News

By Rob Nudds

Oct 25, 2023

For longer than anyone probably cares to mention, Grand Seiko has been regarded as the duke of decoration, the prince of patterns, and the untouchable titan of texture. Lovers of luxury watchmaking have long had their eyes turned east by the seemingly peerless dial designs of the Japanese juggernaut. And yet, that might be changing. Grand Seiko is far from alone in its homeland. Smaller independent brands like Minase, Hajime Asaoka, and Asaoka’s more accessible side-brand Kurono Tokyo are upping their efforts to be acknowledged abroad, and their success seems to be inspiring the somewhat slumbering giant that is Citizen to wake up and make a move for the top spot it could fairly claim it deserves.

Initial thoughts

The brand of Citizen is very active in certain ways. Its highly functional and affordable watches are distributed globally and represent one of the most trusted products on the market. It dominates high street windows the world over. It even invests heavily in the creation of extremely accurate quartz pieces (such as the Caliber 0100, planet Earth’s most accurate light-powered quartz watch with a staggering annual accuracy of +/- one second). And yet, when it comes to finishing, the skill for which Japanese watchmaking is perhaps most lauded internationally, Citizen’s name is seldom mentioned among the greats.

Well, that might be about to change with the further extension of the brand’s beguiling Tosa washi paper range, which sees the Citizen AQ4100-65W join its ranks. This limited edition model is powered by an extremely precise light-powered Eco-Drive caliber boasting timekeeping stats five times worse than the C0100, but many times better than almost anything else on the market. For those of us more used to mechanical timepieces being feted for chronometric performance defined as a daily rate between +6 and -4 seconds, the +/- five seconds per year performance is truly stunning.

Citizen AQ4100-65W

But the real charm of the AQ4100-65W is in its dial design. This time, Tosa washi paper has been embellished by the use of powdered platinum leaf. This pulverized precious metal is applied using the ancient Japanese decorative technique known as Sunago-maki. Each piece is lovingly brought to life by skilled artisans to “evoke the image of freshly fallen snow.”

Citizen AQ4100-65W

If that reminds you of another famous Japanese watch from GS, you’re not alone. However, this model is markedly different from Grand Seiko’s famous Snowflake model in its creation process and perhaps even more stunning to behold because of it.

The Sunago-maki technique requires an artisan to place flakes of material (platinum is used here but other materials such as gold have been used in the past) in a bamboo tube and then sprinkle them over a base surface to create this dazzling effect. For this model, Tosa washi paper forms the base surface. It has been used for generations in the construction of traditional Japanese houses to allow light to flood interior spaces, making it the perfect medium to employ on the dial of a light-powered timepiece.

The crisp, almost angelic colorway of the dial is further enhanced by the case. Here, Citizen’s Super Titanium*2 material (approximately 40% lighter than stainless steel and five times harder), which, for this model, has been treated with Duratect*3 Platinum, is deployed with great effect, giving a brighter and whiter appearance to the watch.

Citizen AQ4100-65W

This is particularly notable because of regular platinum’s softness (which comes in somewhere between 50-110 Hv). The Duratect technology improves the Vickers hardness of platinum to 1,000 Hv, which makes it extremely durable and suitable for the daily rigors of life on the wrist.

One slightly under-the-radar fact about all of Citizen’s highly accurate calibers is that they also feature an automatic perpetual calendar, which will ensure this watch displays the correct date from now until February 28, 2100, assuming the capacitor (which takes the place of a traditional battery) is replaced as and when is necessary).

The dial is signed by the brand’s name and its eagle motif, which represents the dual ideals of Citizen, described as “foresight and dedication to the pursuit of ideals as well as the enduring connection between watch and wearer.”

Citizen AQ4100-65W

What we think

There’s a lot to like about this elevated collection from Citizen. We recently covered Citizen’s previous release in this line (the Citizen Eco-Drive Black Washi Paper Dial Limited Edition, reference AQ4103-16E), which came in a Duratect Gold case with gold hands, a black dial, and gold maki decoration. I commented at the time that my preference would have been a slight luxurification of reference AQ4091-56A, a white dialed-variant that I felt might have benefitted from a gold handset, a la the Grand Seiko SBGA059, but this model has made me rethink those musings.

To me, this is easily the best iteration of the washi paper/Sunago-maki concept. The platinum elevates this proposition to an entirely new level and the Duratect Platinum-coated bracelet is a massive upgrade on the black leather strap that came with reference AQ4103-16E. Better still, the price increase is just USD 500, with this piece sitting at $4,300 in comparison to the $3,800 of the AQ4103-16E. Lastly, there will be 500 units of AQ4100-65W made available worldwide, a significant and sensible uptick on the 350 pieces of the AQ4103-16E made available.

Citizen AQ4100-65W

All in all, this is the most exciting Citizen watch I’ve ever encountered. I was, like most of the watch industry, wowed by the technical brilliance of Caliber C0100, but was personally left cold by the design (and hot under the collar by the five-figure price tag).

Here, I think we have a finely balanced offering that sits below 5K, utilizes traditional Japanese materials and techniques, and melds that seamlessly with a reliable and resilient EcoDrive movement. It is most certainly a piece capable of melting the Grand Seiko Snowflake’s mystique with a huge amount of differentiation in a contemporarily sized package.

Tech Specs

Citizen Eco-Drive Tosa Washi Paper Dial Limited Edition

Reference: AQ4100-65W
Movement: Cal.A060 with an annual variation of ±5 seconds
Functions: Time (hours, minutes, and seconds) and date
Case: 38.3 mm × 12.2 mm, hardened Super Titanium coated with Duratect Platinum, water-resistant to 100 m
Dial: White Tosa washi paper with platinum leaf maki
Strap: Super Titanium bracelet coated with Duratect Platinum
Price: USD 4,300
Availability: Available November 2023 and limited to 500 pieces worldwide.

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Sep 26, 2023

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Aug 30, 2023

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Jun 16, 2023

FROM THE SHOP

Unimatic

Unimatic x Revolution U1 Milsub "Blue"

$1,220.00

TECH SPECS

Movement	Self-winding caliber SW200-1b; 41-hour power reserve
Functions	Hours, minutes and seconds
Case	41.5mm; 316 steel with Cerulean blue stonewashed Cerakote coating, matte vintage navy aluminium bezel insert; water resistant to 300m
Dial	Matte vintage navy; hour markers outlined in Super-LumiNova
Strap	Vintage navy TPU-coated nylon; additional vintage navy nylon with fabric keepers
Limited Edition	Limited Edition of 200 pieces

The post Introducing the Citizen AQ4100-65W appeared first on Revolution Watch.

The outrageous Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Ceramic Carbon Beige Camo

Rob Nudds — Tue, 24 Oct 2023 11:47:20 +0000

The outrageous Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Ceramic Carbon Beige Camo

Hublot continues to expand its Spirit of Big Bang collection with the release of the 30-piece limited edition Ceramic Carbon Beige Camo, a perfect ambassador for the brand’s enduring mission to uncover the potential aesthetic advantages of unexpected material pairings.

News

By Rob Nudds

Oct 24, 2023

For this latest showcase of material fusion, Hublot tops a micro-blasted black ceramic case middle with an unusual frosted carbon bezel in beige. The mottled pattern of forged carbon is, itself, similar to the deliberately random and organic camouflage print that earned its reputation as a military uniform but has since become an oft-repeated motif in fashion. By introducing a beige tone to the otherwise black and gray surface, the swirling tangle of colors becomes something quite unusual for a watchmaking audience.

The camo pattern continues onto the sapphire dial. Despite its arresting nature, legibility is at least someway maintained by the addition of raised, faceted, and brushed hour indices, and a matching handset. While it certainly isn’t the clearest display in Hublot’s catalog, it is by no means the least. Crucially, however, this piece’s raison d’être is hardly to tell the time — it is quite patently a curio designed to shock and awe (a remit it fulfills handily).