Thursday, February 5, 2015

Ulysse Nardin – Hannibal Minute Repeater Westminster Carillon Tourbillon Jaquemarts














Ulysse Nardin Exceptional Hannibal Minute Repeater Westminster Carillon Tourbillon Jaquemarts Limited Edition NEW

Ulysse Nardin Marches Forward in Watchmaking Innovation with the “Hannibal
Minute Repeater Westminster Carillon Tourbillon Jaquemarts

Feared and revered by the Romans, the great Carthaginian general Hannibal Barca knew how to outthink the competition. Considered one of the world’s greatest military commanders, Hannibal was the ultimate strategist who knew how to predict his enemies’ every move, devising innovative tactics to use to his advantage. In his quest to take Rome during the Second Punic War, Hannibal achieved a remarkable feat: He crossed the Pyrenees and Alps with an army of soldiers and his secret weapon – elephants, taking triumphant victory in Italy.

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Ulysse Nardin depicts this monumental journey in the Hannibal Minute Repeater. Presented worldwide as a limited edition of 30, the timepiece is crafted from platinum and genuine granite from the Alps. Of rare and exceptional artistry, the watch demonstrates Ulysse Nardin’s ability to push the envelope, yet again, in innovation in haute horology. From its use of original materials to precise engineering, the recent addition to this premier collection is as ingenious as its inspiration.

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The first – and most unforgettable – impression of this work of art is made when viewing its dial, set within a platinum case. Hannibal, straddling his horse, appears to be in swift action with one of his loyal elephants and regiment of warriors by his side. These main figures called Jaquemarts, as well as the mountainous backdrop and surrounding terrain, are all hand-carved from 18 carat white gold and are mounted on granite sourced from the very mountain chain Hannibal and his brigade crossed in the third century B.C. By making this material the foundational element of the watch’s design, Ulysse Nardin further illustrates its spirit of invention.

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Demonstrating an unparalleled level of skill and creativity in the piece, Ulysse Nardin delves deeper into its storyline by ensuring the detail is so realistic, wearers of the series will be transported back in history every time they, well, check the time. Hues of black, gold, bronze and silver shimmer with each cut, accentuating power and bold masculinity.

Water-resistant to 30 meters, its movement is a caliber UN-78 one-minute tourbillon, integrated and visible on the dial. Its bridge is created in the same shape as those used on the tourbillons James Pellaton produced for Ulysse Nardin at the beginning of the 20 th century. Each part of the movement is decorated, angled and hand-finished.

With its specialized movement comes very special sound. A connoisseur’s treasure, minute repeaters perfectly pair a watch’s ability to have time not only seen, but also heard.

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English clockmaker Daniel Quare patented the minute-repeating mechanism in the late 17 th century before the invention of electricity. With his minute repeater, Quare discovered a way that his clock could tell the time even after sunset. The first minute-repeating wristwatch was produced in the late 19 th century, and Ulysse Nardin was one of the earliest manufacturers to fuel its rebirth, making its creations finite and superb, its sound quality sublime.

The formation of the pure sound is an arduous process, with each minute repeater having to be individually tuned by a master watchmaker. Tone is often adjusted by removing a small amount of metal from the gongs, but each time this is done the movement must be re-cased since the sound can only be properly tested when the watch is complete. There is no way around this. Each completed and flawlessly tuned minute repeater that leaves Ulysse Nardin is reflective of a truly massive investment in human endeavor – and one that is assumed with vigor.

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The Hannibal Minute Repeater has four gongs, each with a different tone (Mi-Do-Re-Sol), sounding off on the hour when the repeater is activated. The hour sound is Sol and the minute sound is Mi.

All four gongs sound in three different sequences for the quarters:
1st quarter: Mi-Do-Re-Sol
2nd quarter: Mi-Do-Re-Sol/Sol-Re-Mi-Do
3rd quarter:  Mi-Do-Re-Sol/Sol-Re-Mi-Do/Mi-Do-Re-Sol

Further complementing the beautiful sound are the Jaquemarts on the dial. Uniquely, they are synchronized with the sound of the gongs and move to the minutes, quarters and hours, or to a combination of these units of time. In life-like form, the four JaquemartsHannibal on his horse, scenes of Hannibal in fighting stance, and Hannibal’s elephant and army – tell the narrative of Hannibal and his eminent achievement. Ulysse Nardin remains among the rare manufacturers in the world to use Jaquemarts on the dial of its wristwatch repeaters.

As Hannibal Barca was innovative in how he strategized to conquer Italy and other areas of southern Europe, Ulysse Nardin is pioneering in how it approaches haute horology. Determined and courageous, the manufacturer marches forward in revolutionizing the industry. It’s only fitting that Ulysse Nardin chose to commemorate such a progressive historical force.

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Technical Specifications
Reference: 789-00
Model:  Exceptional “Hannibal” Minute Repeater Westminster Carillon Tourbillon Jaquemarts
Limited Edition to 30 pieces 

Movement:
Caliber
UN-78
In-house designed movement
36 jewels
Power-Reserve:  Approx. 70 h
Winding:  Manual winding
Functions:
Westminster Carillon Tourbillon at 6 o’clock
Jaquemarts Minute Repeater
Striking of hours, quarters and minutes
Four different chimes (Mi-Do-Re-Sol)
Case:
Platinum
Dial:
Genuine granite dial
Diameter: 44 mm
Bezel: Unidirectional rotating bezel
Crown: Screw-down security crown covered with rubber
Water-resistance: 30 m
Crystal: Anti-reflective sapphire crystal
Case-back: Open case back with sapphire crystal
Strap:
Leather strap, with folding buckle

Limited Edition to 30 pieces


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Ulysse Nardin SA
Marketing Department
Rue du Jardin 3
2400 Le Locle
Switzerland
T :+4132 930 74 00
F :+4132 930 74 21


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www.facebook.com - Ulysse Nardin

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www.Ulysse-Nardin.ch

ARNOLD & SON – Royal TEC1 Black Dial Tourbillon Chronograph Palladium

















ARNOLD & SON Royal Collection TEC1 Palladium Black Dial Tourbillon Chronograph Limited Edition NEW

Royal Collection – TEC1
Pre-BASELWORLD 2015


Arnold & Son Unveils a New Reference of the Royal TEC1

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Globally renowned for its rich British heritage and inimitable excellence in watchmaking, Arnold & Son unveils a new reference of the TEC1 with a palladium case and a black guilloché dial. The TEC1 wristwatch is at once both alluring and intriguing. It masterfully integrates three complexities never before combined by the brand in such an elegant rendition. A tourbillon, a column wheel chronograph and an automatic winding system deftly blend in a superb avant-garde yet classic timepiece. The TEC1 is part of the sophisticated Royal Collection, which is inspired by the timepieces created in the early part of John Arnold’s life for King George III and members of the royal court.

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George III of the United Kingdom

The sophisticated TEC1 is a worthy example of Arnold & Son’s innovative spirit, technical prowess and artistic achievement. The A&S8305 calibre is an exclusive mechanical self- winding movement that offers hours, minutes, tourbillon and chronograph. The challenge for Arnold & Son’s Research and Development team in creating this timepiece was the integration of a high-frequency tourbillon, a chronograph and an automatic winding system in a way that is elegant and technically advanced. As such, the traditional layout of a movement with these functions has been totally discarded and all-new engineering was required for the new calibre.

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The tourbillon escapement majestically occupies the entire top portion of the dial from 10 o’clock to 2 o’clock with an oversized aperture that offers an incredible three-dimensional effect as the tourbillon cage rotates. With a sapphire crystal and case back, the aperture allows for a view that is totally unencumbered and breathtaking. The TEC1 is the brand’s first high-frequency tourbillon, with 28,800 vibrations per hour and with a generous power reserve of 55 hours.

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The lower portion of the dial features the chronograph function, with the 60 minutes counter strategically located at 6 o’clock for harmonious balance. The seconds counter is offered via a central seconds hand. Making the watch even more technologically savvy is the fact that it is built with a column wheel chronograph – whose large column wheel is visible via the transparent sapphire case back. Implementing an integrated automatic winding system that winds in both directions further highlights the haute horological finesse of the brand.

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In typical Arnold & Son tradition, the 255-part, 30-jewel A&S8305 calibre is meticulously finished. Each palladium treated movement boasts manually chamfered bridges with polished edges, fine circular graining and Côtes de Genève rayonnantes. The chronograph levers are satin-finished with hand-chamfered, polished edges and screws are blued with bevelled and mirror polished heads.

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The highlight of the watch is a 22-carat red gold skeletonised rotor that is breathtakingly beautiful thanks to hand-engraved craftsmanship, its brushed surfaces and chamfered polished edges. The magnificent movement is housed in a superb 45 mm palladium case. This new reference of the TEC1 featuring a black guilloché dial is a limited edition of 125 timepieces.

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Technical characteristics:

Reference: 1CTAG.U02A.C113G 

Calibre: A&S8305
Exclusive Arnold & Son mechanical movement, 

self-winding, ceramic ball bearing, 
30 jewels, diameter 35.00 mm, thickness 8.83 mm, 
power reserve 55 h, 28,800 vibrations/h
Functions: Hours, minutes, tourbillon, chronograph
Movement decoration: 

Palladium treated with Haute Horlogerie finishing: hand-chamfered bridges with polished edges,
fine circular graining and Côtes de Genève rayonnantes,
all chronograph levers are satin-finished with hand-chamfered and polished edges,
circular satin-finished wheels, blued screws with bevelled and mirror-polished heads..
Tourbillon: 
Stainless steel tourbillon-barrette, 
satin-finished with hand-chamfered and polished edges. 
Hand-chamfered tourbillon cage with mirror-polished top bridge.
Oscillating weight: 
Hand-engraved 22-carat red gold, 
skeletonised with brushed surfaces and chamfered polished edges
Dial: Black guilloché
Case: 

Palladium 950, diameter 45 mm,
cambered sapphire with anti-reflective coating on both sides,
see-through sapphire case back,
Water-resistant: 30 m
Strap: 

Hand-stitched black or brown alligator leathe

Limited Edition of 150 Pieces

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Press release
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 ARNOLD & SON SA
Marketing & Sales
Boulevard des Eplatures 38
CH – 2300 La Chaux-de-Fonds
Switzerland
 

info@arnoldandson.com
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 www.ArnoldandSon.com - Media
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