FFounded in 1846, the Swiss watch manufacturer Ulysse Nardin has built its reputation by producing marine chronometers offering extreme precision. Indeed, in the 19th century, the quality of these maritime instruments proved essential for the officers responsible for calculating their position on the open sea. Making the oceans its privileged territory of expression, Ulysse Nardin was able to seduce many naval forces around the world. who chose to equip their boats with it. This historic link with the marine world has led the brand to become a partner of choice and the official timekeeper of the Vendée Globe. Nicknamed “the Everest of the Seas”, this solo sailing race which takes place every four years is celebrating its tenth edition this year.
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It starts this Sunday, November 10, 2024 with a start which will be given in Les Sables-d'Olonne. In total, 40 skippers will take to the sea aboard their Imoca-type boat, the 18.28 meter long (60 feet) monohull category. The objective? Travel 45,000 kilometers (or 24,300 miles) non-stop and without assistance as quickly as possible in order to beat the record held since 2017 by Armel Le Cléac'h who completed his world tour in 74 days, 3 hours, 35 minutes and 46 seconds, or almost two and a half months.
A summary of upcycled and recycled materials
For the occasion, Ulysse Nardin unveils its new ocean beast: the Diver Net Vendée Globe. An avant-garde diver water-resistant to 300 meters and limited to 300 pieces (it is available exclusively from the retailer Bucherer) which is currently the most durable watch ever produced by the manufacture, each trim element having been designed with its durability in mind in order to be as respectful as possible of the environment. It will notably be on the wrist of Frenchman Guirec Soudée for his first solo round-the-world trip, a skipper well known to Internet users for his challenges at sea with his only companion, his hen named Monique.
Here we find a solid 44 mm diameter case made of 95% recycled steel from production scraps recovered as part of a partnership with an Austrian foundry. Ulysse Nardin has taken it a step further by dressing the sides of the frame, the lugs and the case back in upcycled carbon fibers as well as NyloFoil. In other words, a material made from recycled fishing nets produced by Fil & Fab, a French company founded by young Breton designers who set up the first fishing net reuse sector in France.
To Discover
Kangaroo of the day
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Everything is completed with a unidirectional diving bezel made from CarbonFoil, a material upcycled by the CDK Technologies shipyard, a world expert in the construction of Imoca boats, made from carbon scraps used in the manufacture of monohull foils. On the sandblasted gray dial decorated with an “X” in the colors of the Vendée Globe, a power reserve indicator (60 hours) is displayed at 12 o'clock as well as the small seconds counter at 6 o'clock. The latter also includes the date window of which only the number 10 is in red to mark the tenth anniversary of the race. On the mechanical side, this Diver Net is powered by the in-house caliber UN-118, an automatic movement whose escapement is made of DIAMonSIL, that is to say it was made from an upcycled silicon wafer , a true technical feat. Finally, we find a tinted sapphire glass caseback adorned with a map illustrating the Vendée Globe route, thus allowing purists to observe the workings of the watch in action, which is delivered with a red or gray fabric strap made from recycled fishing nets.
