Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. The Ulysse Nardin Diver [AIR] Ahmed Seddiqi 75th Anniversary Edition
A limited edition of the world’s lightest diver decked out with vibrant blue accents to celebrate the retailer's anniversary.
Celebrating 75 years of the United Arab Emirates’ leading watch and jewellery retailer and founder of Dubai Watch Week, Ulysse Nardin releases a special version of its Diver Air for Ahmed Seddiqi. Touted as the world’s lightest mechanical dive watch, the Diver [AIR] surfaces in blue attire to mark the retailer’s anniversary. Introduced earlier this year, the Diver [AIR] defies the standard bulk and beefy build of dive watches with its radically skeletonised movement and lightweight high-tech materials. Decked out with vibrant blue accents, the watch is a limited edition of 30 pieces.
While Ulysse Nardin’s headquarters in Le Locle are 1,000 metres above sea level and landlocked, the brand made a name for itself with its precision marine chronometers in the late 19th century. Proud of its marine heritage, Ulysse Nardin produced its first waterproof instrument in 1893, its first dive watch in 1964 and a perpetual calendar watch with a 200m depth rating in 2001. With two collections inspired by the brand’s nautical heritage, the Marine is home to classic editions, while the Diver features avant-garde underwater companions.
Designed to fathom depths of 200 metres, the Diver [AIR] weighs just 52 grams, which is 50% less than its Diver X Skeleton siblings. The 44mm case, with a height of 14.7mm, has a modular construction and is built from recycled titanium and low-density carbon; the latter contributes to the marbled, mottled effect visible on the notched dive bezel. The problem with carbon, though, is that it is not waterproof, and the movement is protected by a titanium case middle. The case flanks are made from NyloFoil, composed of recycled fishing nets and upcycled carbon fibres.
Skeletonised movements are not usually selected for dive watches for obvious reasons, but Ulysse Nardin went an extra mile, shaving weight from the UN-372 calibre to create the UN-374, featuring hollowed-out titanium bridges and the signature X shape. Fully exposed, the mainspring barrel still delivers its impressive 90-hour power reserve. Naturally, as the precursor of silicium technology, the escapement is made from silicon.
The vibrant blue accents found on the crown guards, the indices on the rotating bezel, the flange suspended over the dial and the elastic strap mark it as a Seddiqi anniversary watch. In tune with the colour scheme, the Super-LumiNova applied to the indices and hands emits a bright blue glow. The mineral glass caseback features a 75th Seddiqi anniversary transfer.
The Ulysse Nardin Diver [AIR] Seddiqi 75th Anniversary is delivered with a blue elastic strap with a scratch closing, and a white rubber strap with a black ceramic and black PVD-coated titanium folding clasp. The price is upon request from Seddiqi but should be similar to the non-limited edition, which costs CHF 36,000. More information at seddiqi.com.
