Ulysse Nardin unveiled its Skeleton X collection in 2019, and its latest members, added this year, are aptly named the Skeleton X Sparkling, as both new models feature an array of diamonds on both their bezels and openworked dials. The first, in white titanium, has a mother-of-pearl decoration on the barrel and comes on a white alligator strap, while the second, a black 4N rose-gold variation that opts for a black PVD brass barrel cover, is on a black alligator strap. In addition to sharing the core Skeleton X design, both timepieces are adorned with 149 diamonds.
The 42-mm, titanium or rose-gold case echoes the style seen in previous Skeleton X models with the telltale tri-lug integration between the case and strap; rounded, elongated crown guards; and alternating satin and polished finishing throughout. Its push/pull signed crown sits alertly on its right side between the guards, signed with Ulysse Nardin’s “alternative” logo and assisting the watch in maintain a 50-m water resistance. Distinguishing these models from their predecessors, of course, are their namesake “sparkling” elements, the added diamonds, of which the bezel hosts 80.
Underneath the sapphire glass secured by the bezel is the skeletonized dial with a large “X” motif across its middle that also comprises four of its hour indices. From the outer edge, we find a solid ring, sans the addition of minute markers, instead punctuated at each hour with a different index: Roman numerals for 3 and 9 o’clock, the aforementioned elongated markers forming the X, and alternating small rectangles at each remaining position. All of the indices feature diamonds on their facets, bringing the total diamonds on the dial to 69.
The dial’s central rectangle intersects with each of the X indices, while within its borders various internal elements are on display, including the two partially skeletonized and lume-filled hands used to indicate the hour and minute. At the top of the dial we find the unusually positioned barrel, featuring either a mother-of-pearl or black PVD brass cover; at the bottom, an extra-wide, super-thin balance wheel, produced in silicon and featuring nickel flyweights and stabilizing micro-blades.
Visible through the front and back of the watch (via a sapphire exhibition caseback) is Ulysse Nardin’s caliber UN-371, a reworked version of the brand’s UN-171. The hand-wound movement is meticulously openworked to provide the signature transparent look of the dial, and as a result of the large barrel boasts a significant power reserve of 96 hours.
The titanium version of the Skeleton X Sparkling is set to retail for $29,900, while the rose-gold version is marked at $39,900. Both editions are available now through Ulysse Nardin and at authorized dealers on an ongoing basis.
To learn more and inquire for purchase, you can visit Ulysse Nardin’s website, here.
