lysse Nardin is proud to introduce its newest creation, a sleeping giant in the Executive collection: The Sparkling Free Wheel - a true work of art.

Diamonds, diamonds, and more diamonds adorn a watchmaking marvel raised to the level of visual brilliance. Like the drifts of snow that glisten in the morning sun, the Sparkling Free Wheel incites dreams, encourages imagination and paves the way to fearlessly follow your passion to the ends of the earth.

The diamond-setting technique used on this chef d’oeuvre, known as “snow setting”, is a complex process performed only by highly trained craftsmen. In a snow setting, the diamonds of different sizes are placed side by side to completely cover the surface, like a fresh blanket of Swiss snow. The craftsmen of Art Setting, a Geneva-based workshop, have been perfecting this process for over three decades.

Ulysse Nardin and its parent company, Kering, are dedicated to sustainability, endeavoring with each innovation to leave Earth a better place for future generations. “At Ulysse Nardin, we adhere to the Kimberly Process to ensure that all of our diamonds are ethically sourced,” said Patrick Pruniaux, CEO of Ulysse Nardin.

The 2’251 pavé stones on the Sparkling Free Wheel are rigorously selected and comprise a total of 5.90 carats. The diamond setting alone takes approximately 120 hours of meticulous work to complete. The stellar quality – all VVS or VS with an F/G rating for purity and color – is visible to the naked eye.

Diamonds are everywhere on this model, from the face of the gray gold dial to the horns and even the barrel cover. The carbon soft-touch, black alligator band features a clasp also set with diamonds using the snow setting technique.

“For over 30 years Art Setting has worked tirelessly to preserve the ancestral techniques of gem setting pioneered by our forbearers. We take pride in putting all of our knowledge and experience at the service of constant innovation”, said Claude Leblanc, Director of Art Setting.

The Free Wheel’s most astonishing features are the dial’s tourbillon bridges and the 7-day power reserve indicator at four o’clock, which are shaped like boomerangs and look like they are miraculously floating in the air. So too do the other components, the hour and minute indicators and the gorgeous gear trains.

The sapphire glass box housing these ‘flying’ elements is another standout achievement. The structure’s complexity and finish—especially the polishing of the box angles—were extremely difficult to achieve, requiring lengthy and painstaking experimentation. The case back is also sapphire, except there’s less to see inside, as, in a complete reversal of watchmaking convention, all the exquisite components are visible on the dial side.

The mechanical movement powering all this beauty is the UN-176, entirely developed in-house at the Ulysse Nardin manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Its flying tourbillon is the “Ulysse Anchor Escapement”, a pioneering technology that replaces the traditional Swiss lever escapement system and uses Ulysse Nardin’s signature low friction silicium instead of metal or synthetic rubies.

Price: CHF 225,000 (limited edition of eight pieces)

Ulysse Nardin and the sustainable development goals

Ulysse Nardin’s environmental commitment follows the guidelines of the United Nations and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) – set to be achieved by 2030. The watchmaker Ulysse Nardin, which has a natural interest in the marine world, has chosen to focus its efforts on SDG 14, which determines the priority actions to be carried out to ensure sustainable management of the ocean.

In concrete terms, by finding a new outlet for fishing nets and other plastic waste, and by supporting whistleblowing scientists, explorers, sailors and sportsmen and women, Ulysse Nardin is acting for two of the priorities of SDG 14: reducing marine pollution and increasing oceanographic knowledge. As the world enters the United Nations Decade of Ocean Sciences for Sustainable Development (2021-2030), this period focusing on the ocean is a window of opportunity for initiative and commitment.