Purveyor of fine watchmaking, Ulysse Nardin, has just unveiled its latest design.
The Blast [Sparkling Rainbow] is bold, brilliant and will definitely be hard to get hold of.
When it comes to the best watches on the market, Ulysse Nardin simply have to be in the conversation. The brand is consistently putting out pieces of immense quality, while also pushing the boundary for the industry at large.
It's best known for its Freak model, which utilises a unique movement where the hour hand forms part of the dial, which rotates as a whole piece. More recently, at Watches and Wonders 2025, the brand unveiled its Diver [AIR] model, which broke the record for the lightest mechanical dive watch ever produced.
Now, the brand is back with a piece that is certain to catch some attention. The Blast [Sparkling Rainbow] makes use of rainbow-coloured gemstones set over the case, bezel, dial and crown for a seriously zany look.
The watch itself is formed from white gold, with the case sitting 45mm across. That's covered with rainbow-coloured gemstones, which are colour-matched for a seamless look.
You'll find a total of 211 sapphires across the piece, with a total weight of 13.33 carats. That's pretty impressive, and feels reminiscent of both the Zenith Chronomaster Sport Rainbow we saw earlier this year, and the Rolex Daytona which went before it.
The Caliber UN-172 movement sits at the heart of this piece, offering a beautifully skeletonised design. That includes a flying tourbillon, a platinum micro-rotor and 72 hours of power reserve.
Of course, the skeletonised dial doesn't leave much to play with, but the designers at Ulysse Nardin have made the most of it. More of the same gemstones have been laid into the bridgework and used as indices, marking a striking juxtaposition with the stripped-back movement.
Limited to just eight pieces worldwide, and costing an gut-busting £419,270 / €482,000 / US$476,500 (pre-tax for USA pricing), this certainly won't be the kind of piece you see all too often.
Still, for the right wrist – and for those with deep enough pockets – this is a perfect complement.
