Introducing: The Ulysse Nardin Diver Air
We’re used to outlandish creations from Ulysse Nardin, but today’s Diver Air may be the most extreme yet. The brand set out to create the world’s lightest mechanical dive watch and has gloriously succeeded. Intriguingly, several collaborators were brought on board, including materials companies that normally work on automobiles.
Ulysse Nardin takes me back to my earliest days of looking at high-end mechanical watches. Pieces like the Planetarium Copernicus and Astrolabium Galileo Galilei were audacious and expensive. Lately, the brand has focused on skeletonized watches made from advanced materials. Today’s Diver Air continues this theme but takes it to the extreme.
The Ulysse Nardin Diver Air
A glance at the new Ulysse Nardin Diver Air might result in thinking that this is a highly skeletonized version of the Diver X. The 44mm by 50mm case is familiar, as is the X-shaped set of bridges on the transparent dial. Similarly, the 60-minute external dive bezel is a calling card for the brand’s deepwater watches. However, moving on so quickly would be a mistake because there’s a lot more — well, a lot less — than initially meets the eye.
The lightest mechanical diver on record
With the new Diver Air, Ulysse Nardin sought to create the lightest mechanical dive watch. To do this, painstaking processes were used to remove material from the movement while maintaining all the robustness expected from a diver. Additionally, the plan was to use as many sustainable materials as possible. For the latter portion, Ulysse Nardin enlisted the help of technical materials partners.
The Diver Air has an impressive case that focuses on circularity
To help “add lightness,” as Colin Chapman once said, Ulysse Nardin turned to TiFast and Thyssenkrupp to create the titanium mid-case. TiFast sourced material from the biomedical industry in Switzerland, and Thyssenkrupp refined the material in Florence, Italy. The result is a lightweight case made of 90% recycled material.
The case flanks of the Diver Air are also innovative and made from 60% nylon and 40% carbon fiber. Here, Ulysse Nardin worked with Fil & Fab, a French recycler of fishing nets, to supply the nylon. The carbon fiber is sourced by Extracthive, a company that refines carbon fiber from the hulls of racing sailboats. Lavoisier Composites then combines the two materials to create the unique Nylo-Foil with its distinctive, marbled surface finish.
A new caliber, the UN-374
The Diver Air has an automatic movement that weighs just seven grams! Ulysse Nardin began with the UN-372 and removed material, forming the bridges into triangles to increase strength. Amazingly, the movement can withstand shocks equivalent to 5,000 g, despite its lightness. An impressively thin rotor ensures that the watch meets ISO standards. Spec-wise, it has a 21,600vph frequency and an impressive power reserve of 90 hours. It also contains an upcycled silicon escapement made by Sigatec from upcycled wafers.
Additional details on the Diver Air
The Diver Air is meant to be practical. To facilitate this, it has a 200m depth rating. Also, the hands and indexes are filled with white Super-LumiNova, prioritizing legibility in darkness. From a comfort perspective, the watch comes with orange and white elastic straps with Velcro closures. The weight of each strap is less than six grams, bringing the total watch weight to just shy of 52 grams! Impressive!
Overall thoughts, availability, and pricing
Surprisingly, Ulysse Nardin is not listing the new Diver Air as a limited edition. I would’ve expected this due to the complex processing of the various materials, but it’s not the case. Regarding pricing, the watch is listed at €38,400, which reflects its exotic nature. Is this a specialized watch? Absolutely, but it’s a neat statement piece and, more so, a feat of engineering.
