Ulysse Nardin Turns Tourbillon Free Wheel Into Diamond Delight

Few watches are as mesmerizing as the Tourbillon Free Wheel by Ulysse Nardin. With its parts seemingly at random scattered over the dial, with sometimes not even a visible connection between them, is it almost a mystery how it functions. That has also been precisely the aim of Ulysse Nardin, which thrives by creating watches like this. They are not only technically innovative but also feature an avant-garde design. With a diameter of 44mm is the watch large, but the creative shape of the lugs ensures excellent wearing comfort, even on smaller wrists.

From a technical point of view, does the Tourbillon Free Wheel’s sophistication go far beyond its ‘mystery’ setup. The fact that it remains unclear how exactly all parts interconnect is fun, but each individual organ of the movement also brings something additional. The mainspring barrel, dominating the twelve o’clock position, holds a single spring offering a power reserve of an impressive seven days. The flying tourbillon, placed opposite of the mainspring barrel, is unique in its kind. To achieve optimum precision, the escapement is not only made entirely from silicon, but Ulysse Nardin also integrated a constant force mechanism in it. This means that the tourbillon always gets the same amount and strength of power regardless of how far the mainspring is wound or unwound.

How can Ulysse Nardin ever top such a stunning creation, like the Tourbillon Free Wheel? The answer to that is rather simple; add diamonds. The execution of that idea is quite a bit more difficult, as the brand opted for the complex ‘snow-setting.’ To achieve this, brilliant-cut diamonds of various sizes are placed seemingly at random so that they give the impression of freshly fallen snow. The Sparkling Free Wheel features 2,251 diamonds, a total of 5.90 carats, and setting them alone takes 120 hours. The result is absolutely breathtaking. As the Tourbillon Free Wheel features a box-shaped sapphire crystal, a lot of light can enter the dial, which makes the diamonds radiate even more. As nearly no metal is visible, the watch’s mysterious look and how it works are even further amplified and highlighted by the stones’ scintillation. With that, the Sparkling Free Wheel also achieves what was thought to be impossible, and that is to elevate this innovative and highly complex watch to an even higher level.

To explore the Ulysse Nardin Free Wheel collection further, and/or to purchase one, please click here