Recently at the SIHH 2019 exhibition, Ulysse Nardin unveiled some pretty significant new timepieces. While the Classico Erotic watches with a mermaid theme designed by Italian erotic comic-book designer Milo Manara were naturally the talk of the show, other Ulysse Nardin watches also enjoyed heightened attention. Among the other standouts: the new Freak X self-winding watch, the Executive Skeleton X (a stunner for sure), the new 42mm dive collection.
You joined Ulysse Nardin in late 2017, so not too long ago. Are you where you want to be at this point in time?
We have a lot going on and it is all very positive. From the brand platform, the message and the product. We have continued in what Patrick (Hoffmann), my predecessor, started, so a refreshing and revamping of lines and core collections. We worked first on the Marine watches and now we are refreshing the Diver. I think the new Diver watches at 42mm are very wearable and I am very excited about them, especially the special pieces. So essentially, we are in Phase 2 of the design and we are also refreshing and extending – in a limited number of references – other parts of the brand, including the Freak and the Executive with the X theme for this year.”
You released the Freak X and the Skeleton X this year at a very special price, how has the reaction been?
The Freak X is very exciting because it is a mix of Freak and modernism but it is still true to what the brand stands for. It is very different from the Freak Vision but you can still see immediately that it is the Freak, and we are getting great feedback on the look and especially the price. The Skeleton X is a continuation of one of our best sellers, the Skeleton Executive Tourbillon. But it is so much cooler now. It is slightly smaller by about two millimeters and it is offered in titanium and carbonium, which is used in the aerospace field for jet fighters and is very lightweight. It is highly wearable and easy to read and yet still captures the Ulysse Nardin spirit. Also, it is priced between 15,000 and 30,000 Swiss francs, so this is great. I would love to be modest about this Executive Skeleton X, but I can’t; it is just that cool. So, between these two X products, we have introduced this year two new manufacture movements.
Is there anything else on the horizon for 2019 in terms of product or news?
Yes, we have some new animations of the Torpilleur and some stories coming in the realm of high horology where we are pushing a few references. But this is all still secret and I can’t talk about it.
