DIRECTION: THE WHITE CONTINENT
With this limited series, the brand invites us to join the trail of the seafarers who headed off to brave the ice sheets of raging oceans and extreme temperatures.
Antarctica, the favorite playground for many an explorer, has still many secrets to unveil. Ulysse Nardin, which has been accompanying explorers for over 170 years across all the world’s oceans, sets sail with its watch compass for this immaculate realm with its Diver X Antarctica. This timepiece’s design, echoing the stylistic codes of the manufacture’s dive watch, stands out with its adornments which conjure up the icy scenescapes of the South Pole. On the sand-blasted gray dial, the indexes are hovered over by a duo of hour and minute hands. All these elements are covered with white luminescent material. At 12 o’clock, a power reserve indicator is symmetrically poised with the small seconds and date aperture set at 6 o’clock. Both are set off with a dash of ice blue as is the 0 of the scale engraved on the unidirectional rotating bezel. The caseback is, incidentally, stamped with the southernmost Antarctic point – located at a 90° south latitude, without any longitude. We also discover the current Vendée Globe round-the-world single-handed yacht race for which Ulysse Nardin is official sponsor.
The 44mm-diameter titanium case, waterproof to depths of 300 meters, hosts the UN-118 caliber. This selfwinding movement delivers a power reserve of at least 60 hours to the watch.
This 300-piece limited series, which is perfect on land and at sea, is complemented by a rubber strap clasped by an ardillon buckle.
Price: CHF8,900 www.ulysse-nardin.com
By Dan Diaconu