Ulysse Nardin Blast Tourbillon Dragon
The watch is powered by the Calibre UN-172, a skeleton tourbillon movement with automatic winding, featuring a platinum micro-rotor and up to three days of power reserve. Share
Ulysse Nardin embarks on a captivating journey into the Year of the Dragon, channeling a surge of creative energy, thrilling craftsmanship, and horological prowess. Since its introduction in 2020, the Blast Tourbillon has become a beacon of Ulysse Nardin’s unconventional expertise and avant-garde design philosophy. With its angular, disruptive style, high-tech movement, and iconic X structure, it stands as a testament to the brand’s forward-thinking spirit.
To commemorate the Lunar New Year, Ulysse Nardin has ingeniously intertwined the ancient allure of Chinese folklore into this cutting-edge timepiece, marrying the majestic imagery of the Dragon with the symbolic purity of the Pearl. In traditional Chinese culture, the year 2024 heralds the auspicious Year of the Dragon, a creature revered for its might, power, and the promise of good fortune. Dragons are often depicted alongside pearls, which symbolize purity, wisdom, and wealth, creating a potent emblem of power, providence, and prosperity.
This intricate cultural narrative is brought to life in the Ulysse Nardin Blast Tourbillon Dragon. A meticulously hand-sculpted dragon in 5N rose gold weaves its way through the skeletonized X structure, emerging as if from the movement itself. Clutching the mythical pearl between its five-clawed hands atop the flying tourbillon’s cage, the dragon symbolizes imperial strength and prestige, with five-clawed dragons historically representing the zenith of power and authority.
Reflecting on the past, Ulysse Nardin’s venture into the dragon theme isn’t new. In 2012, the last Year of the Dragon, the brand unveiled the Classico Enamel Champlevé Dragon, limited to 88 pieces, showcasing exquisite dragon artwork in enamel. Fast forward to 2024, and the dragon once again takes center stage, this time in a dynamic three-dimensional form that challenges the boundaries of traditional watch design and craftsmanship.
Crafting the Blast Tourbillon Dragon required overcoming significant technical and artistic hurdles. The development process spanned over two years, involving intricate design modifications to the Blast Tourbillon’s case, bezel, and crystal to accommodate the spectacular three-dimensional dragon. The creation of this rose gold dragon, with its detailed engraving and micro-painting, demanded an exceptional level of artistry, requiring four days of meticulous work – three for engraving and one for applying the gradated shades of red, orange, and yellow that bring the mythical creature to life with breathtaking detail.
The Ulysse Nardin Blast Tourbillon’s movement, the Calibre UN-172, represents a marvel of modern horology. Launched in 2020 as Ulysse Nardin’s first skeleton tourbillon calibre with automatic winding, it features a platinum micro-rotor at 12 o’clock, ensuring up to three days of power reserve. The incorporation of silicon components in the escapement wheel, pallet fork, and balance spring—a material first used by Ulysse Nardin in the revolutionary Freak in 2001—underscores the brand’s ongoing commitment to leveraging cutting-edge materials for enhanced performance and durability.
The Blast Tourbillon Dragon’s design is a harmonious fusion of ancient mythology and contemporary horological science. The upper case, crafted in rose gold with a mix of satin-brushed and polished finishes, contrasts strikingly with the DLC-blackened titanium of the bezel and case middle. This majestic ensemble is completed with an integrated black alligator strap, secured with a 5N rose gold and black PVD titanium folding clasp.
