The 17th Ceremony of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) was held at the Theatre du Léman, gathering hundreds of guests. The international jury of experts, collectors and watch editors honored Ulysse Nardin with the Sports Watch Prize for its Marine Regatta. It’s an honor for the whole Manufacture to receive this coveted award.
“The Marine Regatta is the result of many months of development, this new caliber UN-155 features performance, ease of use and perfectly designed display brightness,” said the newly appointed CEO Patrick Pruniaux.
This is precisely the purpose of this groundbreaking regatta chronograph – with a patent to prove it – equipped with a sweep countdown timer that can be set from 1 to 10 minutes. Victory comes down to those crucial minutes before the starting gun goes off while maneuvering to cross starting line with optimal positioning and perfect timing.
Following the countdown, the bi-directional seconds hand starts moving in a clockwise direction and begins timing the race. It did it for Artemis Racing Team during the last America’s Cup earlier this year.
Like the racers who study the body of water they are to sail, the winds and the effects of currents in advance, the kinematics have been carefully designed beforehand to ensure precision and reliability. By combining complex functions, this sophisticated mechanism has an inverter which enables the central seconds hand to turn in either direction (counterclockwise and clockwise) to track the countdown and then the race time with no further user action required apart from activating the countdown.
The ample 3-day power reserve, the two-way seconds’ hand that can be stopped to adjust the hour and the bi-directional date change complement its remarkable practicality.
With its distinctive appearance, the Regatta timepiece recalls the nautical roots of the company. Its heavy 44 mm diameter steel case, water-resistant to 100 meters, is completed by a fluted bezel with rubber inserts, a screw-down crown and two molded rubber pushers. Its faceted lugs perfectly integrate the rubber strap featuring titanium inserts and folding buckle. Turning to the dial, two variations are offered: the first features an ocean blue with bursts of signature Artemis Racing yellow and the second vivid sea foam.
Ulysse Nardin, a Swiss company, has been making high-quality, prestige timepieces since 1846. It has won over 4,300 awards, owns a large number of patents for mechanical watches, and employs 300 people at its Le Locle and La Chaux-de-Fonds sites in Switzerland. Ulysse Nardin is part of the Kering Group, a world leader in apparel and accessories which develops an ensemble of powerful Luxury and Sport & Lifestyle brands.
