A Comprehensive Retrospective Looking Back On 10 Years Of Ulysse Nardin’s Pioneering InnoVision Technology
Ulysse Nardin is the watch world’s pioneer in “new” technologies.
Though it might seem anachronistic that a 163-year-old company famed for its marine chronometers would be the one to start a revolution of this type in mechanical watchmaking, that is just what Ulysse Nardin did by leading the search for the perfect materials and advanced geometery to aid in cutting lubrication and improving watch efficiency.
Here we take a look back at the technologies leading up to the introduction of 2007’s InnoVision and why that particular concept watch was so notable.
Editor’s Note: In this, the second instalment of our IWC microstory, Christian and Evelyn don driving gear, load up the Mercedes (living the dream right there, folks) and race off to the mysterious party of the title. Where will it be? Does anyone else get the impression Christian isn’t exactly looking forward to it? And what watch is that on his wrist? You’ll have to wait until the final instalment for the answers for those first two questions, though the last is a little easier – he’s wearing a Portugieser Chronograph Classic. 
It’s no real surprise that Rolex – the world’s most reputable brand – is a class act. For me this was proven when I saw the beautiful new green-dialled Day-Date 40 on the first day of this year’s Baselworld fair. That class factor was cemented when I discovered the watch was available in stores on the very same day of its release. Not many brands could pull off a move that smooth. On the surface, this is a new variant of last year’s Day-Date 40 (a watch we’ve already covered in some depth) with a dial Rolex is calling ‘olive green’. But it’s more than that. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Day-Date’s introduction – six decades over which it’s become synonymous with leadership and success – so this new iteration is something special. It’s available in Everose gold and white gold versions, and we suspect that the wait list will be lengthy. As far as the watch goes, it has all the grace, charm and impeccable pedigree of the regular Day-Date 40. The silky smooth jubilee bracelet, the eternally faceted fluted bezel, 40mm Oyster case and of course the next-generation, Superlative Chronometer certified 3255 movement. And while both metals feel wonderful…
Editor’s Note: Welcome to ‘The Party’, a micro-trilogy that revolves around IWC’s Portugieser collection. And while this illustrated story is a little different from our typical fare of reviews and write-ups, in a way it’s exactly the sort of thing Time+Tide was started to do – to tell a story of watches, wearers and their journeys. The only difference here is that this story is fictional. And even though Christian, Evelyn and their gorgeous house might not exist in real life, that doesn’t mean we can’t dream – right?
The story in a second: Montblanc’s 2016 Heritage Chronométrie highlight is a complicated number, packed with value. Jerome Lambert descended, whirlwind-like, on Montblanc in 2013. His presence was felt immediately, as the global luxury giant began turning out increasingly impressive timepieces, many with a complicated, heritage bent. Then, as suddenly as he had arrived he was gone, elevated to the rank of Richemont Group Head of Operations in a recent reshuffle. And while he may be running out the clock as Montblanc CEO (replaced by former Head of Sales Nicolas Baretzki), his short tenure will leave a long legacy – a revitalised brand, a serious watchmaker, releasing some of the most competitive, compelling pieces on the market. The Heritage Chronométrie Annual Calendar Chronograph is a prime example of that – bundling fan favourite complete calendar and chronograph complications into a classically styled package, all for under $15,000 in steel (there’s also a gold version). The dial One glance at the Annual Calendar Chronograph and it’s immediately clear that it’s a whole lot of watch. With four subdials, 10 hands and numbers everywhere, you’d be forgiven for taking a few seconds to orient yourself. Having said that, Montblanc has done a good job…
There are a few things everyone in the Time+Tide office can get behind 100 per cent: coffee, classic ’70s rock and blue watches. In fact, we spent a good portion of 2015 quietly losing it over how stunning Blancpain’s Bathyscaphe Ocean Commitment was, with its lustrous blue dial and grey ceramic case. So when we heard earlier this year that the brand would release a follow-up watch, we were honestly sceptical as to how it could be topped. As it turns out, all it took was for Blancpain to flip it. The dial is now a slate grey sunburst and the case is an incredible blue brushed ceramic. It’s a simple change, but the result is a startlingly different watch, more understated than last year’s effort, which is somewhat surprising given the remarkable case. What hasn’t changed is the tangible good that buying this watch does for the world. At the Australian launch, VP and head of marketing Alain Delamuraz revealed that Blancpain has been donating one million Euro a year to marine conservation for the past seven years, resulting in three million square kilometres of ocean being protected. In addition, one thousand Euro from the sale of each and every Ocean…
This cool, calm and collected new Yacht-Master almost slipped past me. I was too busy falling in love (again) with the gold and chocolate Rolesor Yacht-Master, which was distracting me and dazzling my senses, but then out of the corner of my eye I spotted a flash of almost-iridescent blue, and my curiosity was piqued. I’m so glad it was, because this steel and platinum Yacht-Master with its dark rhodium dial and blue highlights is an absolute stunner, even though it’s a much more restrained affair than its Everose-embellished siblings (in both Rolesor and Oysterflex variants). This is partly down to the dark dial, but it’s also the bi-directional platinum bezel, which might sound weird given the material, but with a predominantly sand-blasted finish, it’s actually far less in-your-face than ceramic. Not that it’s plain, by any stretch. The shimmering dial, polished bezel elements and centre bracelet links mean it pops where it counts, and the overall effect of metallic grey on metallic grey adds up to a truly luxurious watch on the wrist. Then there’s the blue. It’s funny how that single line of text and sweeping second hand – a comparatively small amount of real estate – can have such massive impact…
Once again, Tudor has surprised and tempted us with a brand new release just before Christmas – the Tudor Pelagos LHD. On the whole it’s the same Pelagos we know and love, with just a few tweaks – but these small changes combine to show the watch in a completely new light. First of all, the case. It’s the same 42mm titanium case we’re used to, with one not-so-minor difference – the crown is on the left, a feature that gives the watch its left-hand drive sobriquet. The inspiration for this unusual configuration comes from the brand’s past. In the 1970s, the Tudor Submariner was the watch of choice for French Naval divers. Some of these were delivered in a left-handed format – perhaps for divers who wore the watch on their right hand, or perhaps simply so the prominent crown wouldn’t catch or dig into the wrist. Bear in mind, of course, that just because this is intended to be worn on the right doesn’t mean you can’t wear it on your left hand – I did, and quite enjoyed the lack of interfering crown. An interesting side note is that because the crown is on the left, COSC tested the MT5612-LHD movement in different…
If, at the start of 2016, you’d have told me my favourite Omega of the year would be a two-tone Speedmaster (yellow gold no less!) with a green bezel, I’d have enjoyed a good laugh at your expense. I like a Speedy as much as the next guy, but I like them in the straight-up classical format, a la NASA. Well, fast forward a few months and you’ll have to excuse me as I wipe egg off my face, because here it is, my pick of the Omega 2016 litter – the Speedmaster Co-Axial Master Chronometer Moonphase Chronograph in steel and yellow gold. For me, the real lesson here is to never truly judge a watch until it’s on your wrist. The crush I had on this watch was instant, and real. Earlier this year, I’d seen blue and black versions of the model that were the Baselworld centrepieces, and I liked them. But this was different. There was an immediate, almost visceral reaction as I strapped it to my wrist. The grey sunburst dial, emerald green bezel insert, and yellow gold crown, pushers and bezel all work amazingly well together, adding up to a hefty dose of flash on the wrist, without being…