Faces of Change

Ulysse Nardin explores four vastly different dial materials for its latest takes on the Executive Tourbillon Free Wheel

- TAN WEI LIN

There is no doubt that the Ulysse Nardin Executive Tourbillon Free Wheel is a creation of mechanical mastery and certainly a marvel to behold. But can it get any more interesting than it already is? Evidently so, as the watchmaker shows us new versions of the timepiece that bear four distinctively different twists, demonstrating its full potential for aesthetic versatility.

As it is, the complex gears and bridges that seem to “float” under its clear sapphire crystal are already a stunning sight. What else can be done to raise our visual appreciation of the timepiece to a higher level? A change of dial colour would be the most straightforward approach, but a watch like this deserves a surface treatment that is as impressive as the components underneath it. That is why the watchmaker has introduced four limited editions of the Executive Tourbillon Free Wheel with unusual materials and interesting finishes used on its dial and barrel cover.

Here, we list five features of these new executions— only 18 pieces of each are available—that make them remarkable high horology creations and true collectibles for the watch connoisseur.

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