Ulysse Nardin Presents The Final UFO With a Limited Edition for The Hour Glass

The UFO, Ulysse Nardin’s marine chronometer of the future, makes one last hurrah, with a limited edition in champagne available only at The Hour Glass.

Transcending the boundaries of traditional timekeeping with its unconventional design, Ulysse Nardin’s UFO clock, first launched in 2021, marked the nonconformist Manufacture’s leap into the future. The final edition in champagne is available at The Hour Glass.

A Nautical Design that Breaks from Convention

The UFO captured attention from its launch, being a fascinating oval clock that seemed to defy gravity. In reality, the UFO is the result of two years of research and prototyping, carried out by Ulysse Nardin’s R&D teams with the clockmaking specialist L’Épée.

The artistic, technical, yet also playful UFO sways when nudged, before righting itself on its base. This feat is only possible because the UFO’s weight (7.2kg) and distribution in height (263mm) and diameter (159mm) gives it the properties of a roly-poly toy. A tungsten mass inside the half-spherical aluminium base gives the UFO an amplitude of 120 degrees in movement and allows it to return to an upright position. It’s an open invitation to play with this extraordinary clock, while also a nod to the underlying design inspiration – a marine chronometer of the future – as many of the original marine chronometers built in the 19^th century, including Ulysse Nardin, were often gimballed to keep them level while the ships were in motion on the seas.

Crowned by Ulysse Nardin’s emblematic anchor, the UFO has a distinctly maritime look with its nautical buoy inspired shape. The glass dome covering the movement, handblown in VQT’s workshop in Neuchâtel, is a feat of dexterity. Measuring in at 25cm tall and 15cm in diameter with a thickness of 3mm, the dimensions demand complete mastery of the shaping process, with the slightest flaw compromising the entire piece. Only of one in three of the bells produced achieve the required quality.

A Mechanical Tribute to Heritage

Ulysse Nardin’s history is inextricably tied to chronometry, the company being known in the late 19^th Century for its incredibly accurate and reliable ships’ watches and marine chronometers. The UFO is a celebration of the future, while staying true to the brand’s desire to make the best timekeepers. The mechanism, developed with  L’Épée, comprises of 663 components and shows the time of three different time zones at once, on three dials that can be seen from three different angles.

Regulating this is an extra-large balance wheel, that sits at the top of the mechanics. Measuring in at 49mm, it beats at a slow frequency of 0.5Hz. With power stored in 6 barrels, the UFO boasts a stunning power reserve of 365 days – yes, it only needs to be wound up once a year!

The Final Edition

Ulysse Nardin brings the UFO feat to a close with this final edition, with the champagne edition available at The Hour Glass. A limited-edition certificate as well as a winding and setting key accompany the individually numbered UFO clock, which comes in an aged wooden presentation box. This technical, artistic, and playful take on watchmaking will be treasured for years to come.

Discover the Ulysse Nardin UFO Final Edition at The Hour Glass today.