Astronomical complications can be quite intimidating to the casual collector with their myriad of indications that reproduce the comings and goings of the galaxy on a watch dial. The Ulysse Nardin Blast Moonstruck, however, turns the world of astronomy into child’s play.
So what does the Blast Moonstruck do?
In addition to the hours, minutes, and date, the Ulysse Nardin Blast Moonstruck indicates the position and the phases of the moon, the days of the lunar month, the tides, the movement of the sun (as seen from Earth), and the time in all 24 time zones around the world. That’s a lot of information to fit into a 45mm black ceramic and DLC-coated titanium case! And it is beautifully presented in a very logical fashion.
Where a moon-phase indication on a watch is quite a popular function, it is rare to see a timepiece that shows the positions of the moon, the sun, and the Earth together. On the dial of the Blast Moonstruck, a domed and engraved sapphire crystal globe is in the centre and the view is that of the Northern Hemisphere seen from the North Pole. With a simple glance, the wearer can see the positions of the moon and sun as they move around the Earth, offering a day/night function too. Obviously, it should be the Earth turning too, but this way is far more fun!
The moon also comes in a round aperture and indicates the phases of the moon as it travels around the dial, performing a double function here.
In addition to the celestial bodies, there is also a world timer with the cities displayed on a fixed disc that surrounds the dial. In the image here, the home time is set at 10h10 in Caracas, so when you look around the dial, you can see that it is 2 pm in London, 6 pm in Dubai and so forth. When travelling, all the user has to do is change the home time using the pushers on the left-hand side of the case. The top pusher advances the hours, while the bottom pusher moves the hour backwards.
The Creator: Ludwig Oechslin
This new timepiece follows the trilogy of astronomical watches created nearly forty years ago by master watchmaker Ludwig Oechslin. His mission was to set in motion the primordial elements of the visible celestial mechanisms so that everyone can gain a poetic understanding of the universe that surrounds us. “I am delighted that my watches and astronomical clocks enable people to think about their position in the universe and perhaps realize that we are not the centre of the world,” he shares.
Design Elements
Other details that will catch the watch afficionado’s eye are a beautiful gold ring around the sapphire globe that indicates the date with a luminescent triangle. Ulysse Nardin has also been generous with luminescence on the hour and minute hands so that they really stand out at night. Another nice touch is a background of black aventurine that is employed to depict the night sky. The watch is completed with a choice of a black alligator, velvet, or rubber strap and comes with its own winding box.
The Ulysse Nardin Blast Moonstruck is being launched today to mark the start of the lunar year, which is a nice touch for such an astronomical timepiece. We will be returning to this piece later, once we have had a chance to play with it, so stay tuned for more.
