Ulysse Nardin holds a prestigious place in the world of horology, renowned for their exceptional craftsmanship and innovative technology. Founded in 1846, the brand has a rich history rooted in marine chronometry, originally producing precise timepieces for navigation at sea. One more time, Ulysse Nardin shows their commitment to innovation, this time with the new Royal Sapphire Flying Tourbillon Blue and the Royal Sapphire Flying Tourbillon Ruby.

Consistently pushing the boundaries of watchmaking and pioneering the use of silicium in movements, the new Royal Sapphire Tourbillon reflects a blend of elegance and sportiness incorporating a fully transparent case —measuring 44 mm in diameter— that reveals a mesmerizing transparent movement, where both the bridges and main plates are meticulously crafted from spinel. This innovative design allows the flying tourbillon to appear as though it floats above the movement, creating a truly captivating experience.

The royal sapphire has no dial and the whole movement is visible with bridges in colored spinel. The fixed flange has a specific function, which is to hold together the three gears linked to the mysterious winding system by the crown. The flying tourbillon features a bridge in spinel in either blue or ruby color.

A fully transparent 44 mm case —11.99 mm thick— housing a transparent movement where bridges and main plates are crafted in spinel, making the flying tourbillon float on top of the movement. The winding crown is also made of sapphire. The procedure to obtain a completely transparent case is complex. An entire block of sapphire is machined and then polished. This is a long and costly process and the risk of breaking the block of sapphire during the process is very high. A rhodium-plated brass ring holds the movement in the sapphire case. The watches are water resistant to 30 meters.

The Royal Sapphire has no dial, the whole movement is visible with bridges in colored spinel. The fixed flange has a specific function which is to hold together the three gears linked to the mysterious winding system by the crown. On the lower part of the sapphire main plate, the Ulysse Nardin logo appears visible from the front and the back of the watch.

Powering the new Ulysse Nardin Royal Sapphire Flying Tourbillon Blue and Ruby is the manual wound UN-79 calibre equipped with a flying tourbillon. The gears are skeletonized, and the barrel is open leaving the mainspring visible from above and below. The main plate is in sapphire and the bridges are in blue or ruby-colored spinel enhancing the transparency of the masterpiece. This movement composed of 209 parts and 36 jewels, provides a power reserve of 96 hours when fully wound while beating at a frequency of 21,600 vph.

The Royal Sapphire Flying Tourbillon Blue is delivered on a blue alligator strap with a titanium deployment clasp and the Royal Sapphire Flying Tourbillon Ruby is delivered on a black alligator strap also with a titanium deployment clasp.

The Royal Sapphire Flying Tourbillon Blue ref. 793-300 is available in a limited edition of 18 pieces, while the Royal Sapphire Flying Tourbillon Ruby ref. 793-300LE-7A-RUBY/1A is available in an even more exclusive limited edition of only 8 pieces.

Sticker Price USD 328,300. More info on Ulysse Nardin here.