Unique Ulysse Nardin Marine Diver to be auctioned for KiKa – Kids without Cancer Foundation

KiKa is a Dutch foundation that wants to increase the cure rate of kids with cancer to 95% in 2025. To reach that massively important goal, they need money for the necessary research. The good news is that the specialists involved are convinced that new treatments can be developed. Ulysse Nardin makes a unique Marine Diver available for an auction to be held during the KiKa gala event on 26 March. May I invite you to (virtually) raise your paddle and bid!

It was on the second day of this year, that I received an email from Frits Hirschstein, founder of KiKa, asking if I could give him a call. So I did, and Mr. Hirschstein told me about his foundation, KiKa’s goal, and the annual gala event with an auction that helps to reach that goal. He was looking for a watch brand to participate in the auction, and since this year’s auction has a nautical theme, the link to Ulysse Nardin was quickly made. Long story short, Ulysse Nardin generously agreed to sponsor KiKa’s auction with a unique Marine Diver with “KiKa” engraved onto the metal part of the rubber strap.

The Ulysse Nardin Marine Diver is power by Ulysse Nardin’s in-house caliber UN-26. This self-winding movement has 28 jewels and apporx. 42 hours of power reserve (when fully wound.) An indicator at the 12 o’clock position tells you how much power is still  in the main spring, and at 6 o’clock is a small red second hand and an aperture for the date. Typical for a brand with such strong nautical ties, the dial is adorned by a wave pattern. This ‘pièce unique’ is the new Marine Diver 2014, which was introduced last year (what’s in a name). It has a blue dial – with wave pattern – features the brand’s name and logo applied on the right hand side, and on the left side is the depth rating (300m). All applied hour marker feature a red stripe, and do the hour and minute hand, all adding to the nautical theme.

I could go on about the watch’ specifications, however I’m pretty sure that you know the brand and the watch; the new 2014 edition has a fully revamped design featuring very nice stepped lugs, among others. However, what this is all about, is that you can bid on this watch, help the KiKa foundation, and in the end own a very nice timepiece. So let me explain how you can bid on it. First you need to know that the retail value of a normal Ulysse Nardin Marine Diver 2014 is € 7,900 euros (including tax), and I hope that, with your bids, the price reached will be a plurality of the actual retail price.

How to bid?

There’s a good chance that you won’t be at the KiKa gala event on the 26th of March, and that means you won’t be able to bid by raising your hand (with or without that paddle.) So we asked the good folks of KiKa for a solution and heer it is. You can bid on this unique Marine Diver for KiKa:

• send an email to mr. Hirschstein with your bid
• or you can mail him your phone number and you will be able to bid by phone, live during the action

THE AUCTION HAS ENDED

Here’s a link to the KiKa foundation website.

Ulysse Nardin’s Marine Diver collection comprises almost every imaginable color combination, however the new Marine Diver 2014 comes in either stainless steel or 18K rose gold, and only with two choices of dials: blue or black. The 44mm large dive watch can submerge to depths of 300m, however it will look good on your wrist when you’r just visiting the local harbour club.

Some specs:

• Case: stainless steel, 44mm in diameter, uni-directional rotating diver’s bezel, screw down crown, depth rating 300m, sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating
• Movement: Ulysse Nardin in-house movement, caliber UN-26, self-winding, 42 hours power reserve, small second hand and date at 6 o’clock power reserve indicator at 12 o’clock
• Strap: blue rubber strap, steel links on either side, one link engraved with “KiKa’ logo, steel clasp