Ulysse Nardin Classico Manufacture Grand Feu

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Announced as a Pre-SIHH 2018 novelty, this new timepiece celebrates the eternal glamour of an enamel dial, unique to Ulysse Nardin.

While the crafting of a white Grand Feu enamel dial is already a difficult process, producing one in intense black is even more complex. The selection of the enamel powder is crucial in determining the result: black can only be created by applying different and carefully chosen colored pigments to the substrate, giving the enamel opacity and depth.

Only the incredible skill of the master artisans at Donzé Cadrans can bring a black enamel dial to life. It is very challenging to control the quality of an enamel dial, and each of the successive high-temperature firings poses a risk to the outcome. Patience is a must: as black reveals the slightest imperfection, the craftsmen and women take great pains to smooth the surface of the enamel in between each trip to the kiln, knowing that at any time, the slightest flaw could ruin all their efforts. After the enamel dial is polished to a high sheen, it is ready for the final operation: applying the Roman numerals in a contrasting color that reveals the full splendor of the Grand Feu enamel dial.

Driven by the UN-320 manufacture movement, this timepiece allows for rapid date correction both forwards and backwards. The self-winding caliberis entirely designed and produced in-house at Ulysse Nardin’s Swiss workshop. It makes precision use of the famous Silicium hairspring and anchor escapement, another Ulysse Nardin watchmaking triumph. It was the Swiss watchmaker who first understood Silicium’s potential in mechanical watchmaking, as the material is lighter, more durable and resists environmental changes in magnetism or temperature.

Housed in the distinctive case of the Classic Collection, with its rounded shape and slim lugs, this timepiece possesses the Classic’s iconic leaf-shaped hands, which delicately point toRoman numerals. The black Grand Feu enamel dial has white markers and hands, while the white Grand Feu enamel dial has contrasting black hands and markers.

The Classico Manufacture Grand Feu timepiece comes with a Ulysse Nardin Certificate for the performance of its mechanism, power reserve and other functions.

Technical details

Reference
3203-136-2/E2
3203-136-2/E0-42

Movement
Caliber UN-320
In-house designed movement, with Ulysse Nardin certificate
Silicium hairspring and anchor escapement
Power-Reserve: approximately 48 h
Winding: self-winding

Functions
H/M/s/D
Small seconds-hand counter at 6 o’clock
Forward and backward date corrector

Case, dial and strap
Case: Stainless steel
Dial: White or black “Grand Feu” enamel with roman numerals
Diameter of the case: 40 mm
Water-resistance: 30 m
Crystal: Anti-reflective sapphire crystal
Case-back: Screwed open case back with sapphire crystal
Strap: Leather strap with a tang buckle

Price
€ 8’800.-, CHF 8’800.- (ref 3203-136-2/E2)
€ 8’800.-, CHF 8’800.- (ref 3203-136-2/E0-42)