Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. The Race-Ready Ulysse Nardin Diver Net Vendée Globe
UN produces its most sustainable watch ever to celebrate its timekeeping role in the legendary, solo, non-stop, round-the-world Vendée Globe sailing race.
Ulysse Nardin has legitimate, historical maritime credentials, supplying more than 50 navies and merchant marine companies with precision marine deck chronometers in the 1870s. Proud of its seafaring past, Ulysse Nardin is back in the official timekeeping helm of the legendary Vendée Globe single-handed, non-stop, non-assisted round-the-world sailing race. To celebrate its second partnership with the race, Ulysse Nardin releases the most sustainable version of its Diver Net.
Often referred to as the ‘Everest of the Seas’, the Vendée Globe is renowned as the most gruelling solo, around-the-world race and is contested every four years. On Sunday, the 10th of November, forty skippers will brave the high seas in 18-metre-long IMOCA monohulls as they set off from Les Sables-d’Olonne in Vendée to sail 45,000 km around the globe, negotiating the legendary capes of Good Hope, Leeuwin and Cape Horn. In addition to the thrills and spills of the race, the skippers will be first-hand witnesses of the state of our oceans in the wake of global warming.
The operative word behind the Diver Net is sustainability. Following the direction set by the Diver Net concept watch of 2020 made from recycled fishing nets and the Ocean Race Diver, the Diver Net Vendée Globe uses recycled CarbonFoil and NyloFoil.
The 300m water-resistant case, measuring 44mm across and 14.81mm thick, has a 95% recycled steel container. Identical in build and layout to other Diver Nets, this watch references the famous sailing race with its lugs, caseback and case flanks made from recycled fishing nets sourced from Les Sables d’Olonne and mixed with carbon fibre. The notched unidirectional rotating dive bezel is made from CarbonFoil extracted from excess carbon fibres used to manufacture the foils of monohull race boats.
The signature X in the centre of the grey sandblasted dial, the power reserve indicator at noon and the running seconds at 6 o’clock are picked out in red and blue, which are the official colours of the race. In the centre of the running seconds counter is a reference to the 10th edition of the Vendée Globe and a circular date window with blue numerals and a red number 10. The indices and hour and minute hands are treated with Super-LumiNova (blue emission), which matches that on the bezel.
A laser etching of the sailing course appears on the grey-tinted sapphire caseback, revealing some of the components of the UN-118 automatic manufacture movement. With a DiamonSil escapement and a silicium hairspring, the movement beats at 28,800vph and provides 60 hours of power reserve.
Presented with a red fabric strap made partly from recycled fishing nets, the watch is also available with a grey fabric strap made from 100% recycled fishing nets, both with a Velcro-style closing. This limited edition of 300 numbered pieces retails for CHF 13,500, EUR 14,400, USD 14,200 or GBP 12,540 (all prices incl. tax). For more information, please consult ulysse-nardin.com.
