Ulysse Nardin

Devialet is a french company which makes loudspeakers. You will understand the link between such a company and the Hour Striker quite easily. 

The main problem of a striking watch is to offer a sufficient level of sound of  good quality ( pitch / richness ).

Some Manufactures found an original solution for that, such as Jaeger Lecoultre and the gongs welded in the sapphire glass. 

Here, Ulysse Nardin opted for another technical solution: 

The air generated by the timbre vibrations find its way outside the watch through a thin membrane whose diameter is large, located in the case back, offering, consequently, a large surface of air... Which explains the unusual level of sound: 85 Db. 

Here is the case back showing the membrane through the 8 holes.


On the recto, you have an original dial. The small dot at 3 o' clock is the on / of indicator of the " sonnerie à la demande ". Indeed, the Hour Striker is a watch which chimes the hour and half hour. It is not a minute repeater, but it has the quality of the sound of a minute repeater. 

The novelty with this version is that the Hour Striker was, till then, also an automaton watch... And here, the automaton disappeared, which is something I personally regret, a lot, as the automaton was an important part of this watch DNA. 


You will also notice the design of the hour markers, a bit disorientating... But isn't that a trademark from this brand? 



The case is in polished titanium, 43 mm big. The use of polished titanium is interesting, too. It is water resistant to 30 meters.



The movement is in house, automatic, Cal UN 610, offering a power reserve of 42 hours. I would have liked to see some pictures of it, too. 

A last word on the number of watches made in this limited edition: 85. 

I am very curious to see this Hour Striker in the metal, and, most of all, to hear it! 

Best,

Nicolas

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