The first Ulysse Nardin Executive Tourbillon Free Wheel came out in 2018 and it proved to be a massive hit from day one. Since then, the renowned Swiss watchmaker hasn’t stopped developing the idea and today we’ve got a new Executive Free Wheel with brand new dials made from aventurine, osmium, Carbonium gold and probably the most interesting, straw marquetry.
The new versions of the Executive Tourbillon Free Wheel come in a limited edition of 18 pieces each. They’re encased in a superb 44 mm case, identical to the 2018 versions. The arrangement of the components on the dial is also similar, but the way the new dials present themselves is a lot more interesting.
Osmium is the world’s heaviest metal and one of the rarest, but also one of the most beautiful materials, with its light blue sparkle and gritty texture. On the dial of the new Ulysse Nardin timepiece it looks like out of space. Straw marquetry is also an interesting way to decorate a watch’s dials, and Ulysse Nardin has managed to do a very good job through the use of tiny bits of shiny straw behind the floating elements of the dial and on the cover of the barrel.
Meanwhile, the aventurine stone makes the dial look like a night sky full of stars. That’s possible due to the natural phenomenon of aventurescence – the glittering of stone when light hits its metallic inclusions. Finally, the Carbonium Gold adds a superb gray, black and gold marble like texture to the dial.
On the technical side of things, the new Ulysse Nardin Executive Free Wheel comes with the UN-176 caliber, with an impressive 7 days of power reserve. Each of these gorgeous watches will come with blue or black alligator leather straps. The price tags rise to $112,600 for the Osmium version and $109,300 for the Straw Marquetry, Aventurine and Carbonium Gold versions.
