A New Shark in Town: Introducing the Ulysse Nardin Diver Chronograph 44mm Limited Edition “Great White”


Ulysse Nardin has been quite busy in its 175th-anniversary year in terms of new releases, and that trend continues with the recent launch of the Diver Chronograph 44mm Limited Edition “Great White,” a creative take on a divers’ chronograph, executed in titanium and featuring an unusual white-and-gray colorway. The watch celebrates the Swiss brand’s latest “ambassador,” a 12-feet male Great White Shark named Ulysses, who is currently being studied by one of UN’s long-term ocean research partners, OCEARCH, whose research team is particularly devoted to studying sharks.

As noted above, the “Great White” follows an eclectic assortment of timepieces released by Ulysse Nardin this year, including the expansion of the Marine Torpilleur collection this past August and the introduction of the Freak X Marquetry and Freak X Razzle Dazzle before that. It represents a further expansion of the maritime-rooted manufacturer’s Diver family, which has yielded another shark-inspired design this year in the Diver Lemon Shark, which celebrated World Ocean Day, and the unconventional (and GPHG-nominated) Diver X Skeleton.

The watch’s 44-mm case is 16.1 mm thick, water-resistant to 300 meters, and robust yet light on the wrist thanks to its titanium construction. Sandblasting and satin finishing is used throughout the case, with white rubber accents found in the screw-down chronograph pushers and concave bezel insert, harmonizing with a white rubber strap marked with a Super-LumiNova silhouette of great white shark.

The watch’s domed sapphire crystal reveals a sandblasted gray dial whose colorway and texture sets it apart from previous Ulysse Nardin dive watches. Also distinguishing the model are the white and blue accents on the chronograph subdials at the 3, 6, and 9 o’clock positions. Wide, lume-filled hands are used on these registers in addition to the larger ones for the central hours and minutes, all matching the shapes of the thick, applied hour markers along the edge of the dial. Overall, the focus appears to be sporty appeal and legibility, along with everyday usefulness as indicated by the 6 o’clock date window.

Inside the “Great White” is the Ulysse Nardin Caliber UN-150, an automatic movement with a 48-hour power reserve that beats at a frequency of 28,800 vph. The movement notably features an escapement wheel, anchor, and balance spring that are all executed in silicon, which the brand refers to by its French name of silicium.

The Ulysse Nardin Diver Chronograph 44mm Limited Edition “Great White” will be available for pre-order this month, limited to 300 pieces and priced at $13,300.

To learn more about the limited edition, visit Ulysse Nardin, here.

To learn more about OCEARCH, visit their website here.

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