Introducing the Ulysse Nardin Blast

With the launch of the Freak X and the Skeleton X last year, Ulysse Nardin has set a definitive trajectory for itself from which it means to build from. It is with this in mind that the manufacture is launching its newest addition to the X family, the Blast.

With the narrative of ice and fire set into motion with the launch of the Freak x Ice and Freak x Magma earlier in the year, the Blast now carries on the theme with two executions under the ice umbrella and another two under fire. The Blue Blast and White Blast make up for the Ice portion and then there is the Black and Rose Gold Blast, which form the Fire portion.

Themes and narratives aside, what is first and foremost impressive about the Blast is that it is a timepiece with a skeleton movement and case that were designed together to be integrated into one another. Meaning to say that the movement, the Caliber UN-172, was made for this case, and vice versa, from point zero of its development. It’s important to emphasize here that the movement for the watch wasn’t an existing movement that the manufacture took from its shelves and skeletonized. Rather that the UN-172 was designed to be a skeleton piece.

Given the name of the primary collection, the first thing that your eyes are drawn towards, when inspecting the Blast, is the X shaped bridge that seems to hold the entire movement in place. Next, of course, the 2.5 hertz flying tourbillon at 6 o’clock comes into focus, vividly showcasing Ulysse Nardin’s Silicium Technology, a knowhow they themselves pioneered with the original Freak alongside Mimotec and Sigatec. Specifically, for the UN-172, it is the escapement wheel, anchor, and balance spring, which are made from silicium. Important to point out here that the red balance wheel used in the Black Blast, is a first of its kind colored balance wheel for Ulysse Nardin.

The point of interest at 12 o’clock, thereafter, takes a while to spot. But what you’ll realize is that the UN-172 has a dial-side mounted micro rotor, which makes this an automatic calibre. The rotor is in platinum, in accounting for maximal winding mass.

Next we come to speak about the case, which save for the round face of the watch itself, is mostly made out of all sharp angles. Case in point here is the horns of the watch that are decorated in alternating matt and polished surfaces. The techniques used to achieve these finishes in the four executions thereafter depend on the various combinations of materials they are in. Take for instance the Rose Gold Blast, where the “brushed” effect is achieved by means of a satin-treatment using a laser. A finishing, which according to Ulysse Nardin, would not be possible by hand, given the sharp angles; a treatment that apparently took the manufacture a year’s worth of development to correct, given the aggressively angular case design.

Next we come to speak about the case, which save for the round face of the watch itself, is mostly made out of all sharp angles. Case in point here is the horns of the watch that are decorated in alternating matt and polished surfaces. The techniques used to achieve these finishes in the four executions thereafter depend on the various combinations of materials they are in. Take for instance the Rose Gold Blast, where the “brushed” effect is achieved by means of a satin-treatment using a laser. A finishing, which according to Ulysse Nardin, would not be possible by hand, given the sharp angles; a treatment that apparently took the manufacture a year’s worth of development to correct, given the aggressively angular case design.