Back in June, Ulysse Nardin and one of its most avid fans — legendary all-star baseball pitcher Randy Johnson, aka the Big Unit — announced a partnership that would result in, among other initiatives, the development of a special, limited-edition Ulysse Nardin watch, which would be named, naturally, “The Big Unit.” Last night at New York’s 40/40 Club, a swanky sports bar/nightclub co-owned by hip-hop mogul and watch enthusiast Jay-Z, I was among a handful of media types who had the opportunity to meet and interview Johnson and Ulysse Nardin CEO Patrik Hoffmanand to witness the unveiling of the watch. (Photos below.) The Ulysse Nardin Big Unit is a limited edition of 100 pieces. It is a chronograph with a 45.8-mm case made of stainless steel coated with black rubber. The baseball-inspired design touches are suitably subtle: a tiny baseball as the counterweight of the central seconds hand, and Johnson’s number “51″ replacing the typical “50″ minute marker on the bezel. Each watch will be delivered with a baseball autographed by the World Series champ and multiple Cy Young winner. It will be priced at $15,500 and available at retail in late 2012 to early 2013. Check out WatchTime.com next week for a full-length article in which Johnson and Hoffman reveal how the watch came about and the role that the pitcher played in its development.
Your humble editor with Randy Johnson — a longtime watch collector whose first Ulysse Nardin was the original Freak — at the 40/40 Club.
Each Big Unit watch comes with a baseball autographed by Johnson.
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Looks great and really special. What about us regular folks?