Ulysse Nardin Marine Torpilleur Moonphase
Founded in 1846, Ulysse Nardin has always been synonymous with marine chronometers. This overriding obsession with chronometry continues, evident with the new Ulysse Nardin Marine Torpilleur Moonphase. Mark McArthur-Christie explores this marine-inspired watch that is also perfectly suited to life on land.
One tends not to think of a watch with Roman numerals, ‘poires Roskopf’ hands and a power reserve indicator as primarily functional. A ‘dress’ watch perhaps, or one for important meetings at the office – remember those? Yet an eighteenth or nineteenth century marine chronometer, with those numbers, hands and reserve, was THE functional watch of its day. Had hipsters been around in the days of breeches and captains with single-epaulettes, they’d have doubtless referred to it as a ‘tool watch, man’.
In fact, a chronometer was far more than just a tool; it was downright essential to navigation at sea. Without one, accurately calculating your longitude was a brain-bendingly arduous task. Even a nailed-on genius like Nevil Maskelyne took nearly four hours to run through the pages of intricate lunar calculations needed – and he had the advantage of being a Cambridge graduate and the Astronomer Royal. As mathematically talented as most naval officers were, a busy, stressed lieutenant could easily get a calculation off by a few degrees halfway down page two and end up running aground.
Ulysse Nardin has form where marine chronometers are concerned. They’ve been making them since 1846 after all, and their watches ended up on the decks of more than 50 navies, used by several geodesic institutes and inside a few observatories too. And, given the previous reliance on lunar calculations at sea, it’s rather fitting that its Marine Torpilleur range of watches should now get a moonphase complication.
The Maison from Le Locle has been making its Marine Torpilleur collection since 2017 and this newest watch sits alongside classic three-handers, chronographs, a tourbillon and even an annual chronograph. As you can see, the Ulysse Nardin Marine Torpilleur Moonphase is (almost) a classic marine chronometer in design, with only the moonphase complication marking it out as different.
That classic white dial is varnished and, despite having two extra complications in the moonphase and power indicators, it’s a cinch to read. The moonphase itself sits just above the six o’clock sub-dial. It uses a PVD disc, coated in blue with a scattering of applied stars, and even shows the moon’s surface with its seas and continents. Just below twelve is the power reserve, showing how much of the 60 hours of mainspring time you have left before you need to get that appropriately anchor-shaped winding weight spinning again.
Like most of its Torpilleur fellows, the Moonphase is 42mm in diameter, cased in stainless steel and features a sapphire display back that’s held on with six screws (rather than the usual screw-in back). It’s depth-rated to 50m, so you won’t need to baby it too much around water, albeit it is unlikely you would take it swimming. The bezel is coin-edged and there’s a winding crown with the UN logo on its face. There’s also a tiny plate fixed to the side of the case showing the watch’s sequential number in the limited issue series of 300.
Inside the case is the cal. UN-119; an in-house engine with elements developed alongside silicon specialists Sigatec. This firm does some very clever stuff with silicon movement parts, such as combining silicon with man-made diamond to form hybrid DiamonSil. This navigates around the somewhat fragile nature of silicon by lending it strength, so you still get the lubrication-free properties of the material but in a form that’s a lot stronger and longer-lasting. The UN-119 features their technology with a Silicium balance spring, silicon balance wheel and a DiamonSil escapement running at 28,800bph (4Hz). It’s a fine-looking movement too, with the two UN anchors on the winding weight, Geneva striping and plenty of anglage.
Fittingly, the cal. UN-119 gets a COSC rating. Wouldn’t be much of a marine chronometer without being, well, a chronometer, would it? So even if you’re doing nothing more navigationally challenging than plotting the longitude of your bathtime yacht, you’ll be just fine.
In case you haven’t already looked it up, ‘Torpilleur’ means ‘torpedo boat’. It’s an interesting name for a watch that clearly draws its inspiration from the days of wind propulsion rather than diesel. Perhaps it’s intended to emphasise that the Torpilleur series watches aren’t quite as posh as their Marine range cousins. If this is the case, there’s little evidence of any differences in quality, design or watchmaking, so you can help yourself to one of the 300 Moonphases in the knowledge you’re picking up a bit of a bargain.
Further reading
https://www.ulysse-nardin.com/
Technical specifications
- Model: Ulysse Nardin Marine Torpilleur Moonphase
- Reference: 1193-310LE-0A-175/1B
- Case: Stainless steel; diameter 42mm; height 11.13mm; water resistance 5ATM (50 metres); sapphire crystal to front and exhibition case back.
- Functions: Hours; minutes; small seconds; moonphase; power-reserve indicator
- Movement: Calibre UN-119; automatic movement; frequency 28,800 VpH (4Hz); 45 jewels; power reserve 60 hours
- Strap: Blue alligator leather paired with a steel deployant buckle
- Price: £8,260 including VAT (RRP 5.11.2021)
- Limited Edition: 300 pieces (also available with a blue dial)