Starstruck By The Ulysse Nardin Executive Moonstruck Worldtimer
It sounds like a cute wordplay: starstruck by the moonstruck, and while it of course is, it also has a lot of truth in it. The Ulysse Nardin Executive Moonstruck Worldtimer is one of those watches to leave any watch enthusiast in awe, especially when they are into astronomical complications.
Ulysse Nardin has a firm footing in this realm, as the brand has created some of the most mesmerizing astronomical complications together with the master watchmaker, and all around genius, Ludwig Oechslin. The current Executive Moonstruck Worldtimer is therefore also the next step in the evolution of the original Moonstruck, which was introduced in 2009.
What makes this watch so special is that it displays the tides in locations around the world, all at the same time. It does so by displaying the two heavenly bodies that influence the tides here on earth: the moon and the sun. Each has their own ocean blue segment on the dial, and combined with the cities index on the edge of the dial; you can fairly easy read the current state of the tide in the different places. It would have been cool if Ulysse Nardin chooses cities in the different time zones that are located where they actually experience the tides, and not as far inland as for example Denver, Colorado. On the other side, that might force them to resort to lesser-known cities, which makes reading the world time complication that is also included in this watch more difficult.
Despite providing you with a tremendous amount of information, the Ulysse Nardin Executive Moonstruck Worldtimer has a very well composed dial. It is not only visually pleasing but also easy to read. This is also due to some clever solutions Ulysse Nardin utilized throughout the watch. The center of the watch shows the earth as seen from the North Pole. This gives not only a point of reference for the moon and the sun, but also adds a lot of depth to the watch. It covers part of the hands, which actually makes them easier to read. Special credit goes to the integration of the date function, which is easy to read and totally integrated into the overall design. The display of the moon also shows the current moon phase, by use of a disc, adding yet another layer of complexity to this watch.
With the Executive Moonstruck Worldtimer, Ulysse Nardin continues their legacy of making beautiful watches with mesmerizing astronomical complications. It is a very well executed watch, which combines intriguing mechanics with a very good design. So it is okay to be a bit starstruck by this Moonstruck!
