It isn’t every day that a watch brand announces its newest brand ambassador is a shark. In fact, it probably never happens. Except with Swiss watch brand Ulysse Nardin, which typically thinks outside of the proverbial box. It was last August that, after a multi-day sea expedition off the coast of Massachusetts with Ocearch to study and tag great white sharks, that Ulysse Nardin named the female shark that was tested and tags and declared it the brand’s new ambassador. Now, Andromach (named for the female hero in the Iliad and the Odyssey) has been spotted off the North Carolina coast. The tracking of her there coincided with Ulysse Nardin’s unveiling of the new Diver Lemon Shark limited edition watch, and the brand’s continued work with Ocearch and the Medina Aquarius project with Florida International University (FIU).
The Ulysse Nardin Diver Lemon Shark
Before we delve deeper (yes, I used that pun) into Ulysse Nardin’s long-standing relationship with the seas, sharks and conservation efforts, let’s take a quick look at the brand’s newest limited edition dive watch that honors the Lemon Shark. Generally considered a gentle giant, the lemon shark gives birth to live young and are able to form social bonds. The largest lemon shark recorded measured just over 11 feet in length and weighed just over 400 pounds. Designed to honor and celebrate the Lemon Shark, which primarily lives in the waters of the Florida Keys (where the Aquarius underwater lab resides), the Diver Lemon Shark watch has all the earmarks of a typical Ulysse Nardin professional watch, and more.
The 42mm Lemon Shark watch is crafted in black DLC steel and features a black dial and a black inverted concave unidirectional bezel. The sandblasted dial boasts lemon yellow markers and seconds hand as a nod to the Lemon Shark, which is nicely camouflaged in the oceans thanks to its coloration that blends in with the sand beneath it. Water resistant to 300 meters, it is powered by the Ulysse Nardin caliber UN-816 mechanical self-winding movement with silicium components. Three lemon sharks are engraved on the case back and the watch is finished with Ulysse Nardin’s black R-Strap, made entirely from recycled fishing nets. Just 300 pieces will be made, each retailing for $7,300.
In the Florida Keys With Ulysse Nardin
During a trip to the Florida Keys with Ulysse Nardin, select journalists got to go hands-on with the watch, which made its official debut on World Oceans Day (June 8, 2021). Some (including me) even got to do a little snorkeling with the watch on their wrist – swimming with the barracudas in the waters above FIU’s Medina Aquarius sea lab. It was an interesting event, as we were treated to an immersive behind-the-scenes experience not only with Ulysse Nardin, but also with Ocearch and FIU.
Ulysse Nardin teamed up with Ocearch in mid 2020 because, according to Francois-Xavier Hotier, President of Ulysse Nardin in the Americas, the values and goals of the somewhat disruptive non-profit organization was a nice fit with Ulysse Nardin’s style and goals. This is the brand that showcases sharks swimming amongst the New York skyscrapers, after all. Sharks are essential to marine ecosystems and are often the most misunderstood creatures of the sea.
Ocearch works to capture the great white shark, take samples from its teeth, tongue and body for testing (all the while keeping water flowing through the shark’s gills) and then tags and releases the animal back into the wild – all within 15 minutes. The research conducted by more than two dozen multi-disciplinary scientists helps understand the sharks better as we make an effort to protect them so they can protect the ecosystem. Additionally, the hope is that some of the bacteria from the sharks can lead to antibiotics and other medical benefits for humans. Ocearch also developed a Shark Tracker App that allows scientists and the general public the ability to track the sharks it has tagged.
New to Ulysse Nardin’s cooperative efforts for ocean research and conservation is the FIU Institute of Environments’ Medina Aquarius Program. The heart of the school’s scientific work is the Aquarius Reef Base, the world’s only underwater research lab that lies 60 feet below the surface of the water in a specific spot in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. This is where the snorkeling took place – a spot that is generally off limits to the public. FIU is currently working to develop a new underwater lab that can replace the decades-old one that is currently in place. The goal is to have even better state-of-the-art facilities for research and education under the ocean. Currently, the space is used by outside companies, including NASA that uses it for certain simulation experiments.
As all of these ocean-conscious companies continue to work together for the good of the marine ecosystem, they hope to not only enact change, but also inspire new generations of sea lovers and protectors.
