Ulysse Nardin

Dave G
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Some "time" with the Hourstriker...

The Hourstriker from Ulysse Nardin is one of those rarely seen pieces that in my view is a good illustration of the creative energy of the brand. 

I bought my first UN in the mid-90's in the form of the 38mm Marine model.  This was my first exposure to the brand.  Passing years and purchases transformed me into  a real fan with the purchase of a Freak in 2002 followed shortly by an Hourstriker.  A visit to Le Locle in 2005 was a highlight and seeing the passion behind the creative geniuses at work still keeps me interested in UN, although I think they have drifted somewhat of late from the creative production of earlier years.

The glory days of Rolf, Ludwig and Pierre may be past, but some of the DNA hopefully remains as seen in recent offerings like the Stranger and the new Grand Deck Marine Tourbillon.  This remains a brand with some interesting complications.  

Anyway, the Hourstriker caught my attention, and over 10 years ago,I was able to pick one up a new one from my AD in the USA.

As with a number of Ulysse Nardin pieces (like the Marine and Astronomical pieces) the Hourstriker has varied in size over the years from 40mm to 42mm, with round and square pushers, cases of various precious metals, strap or bracelet, varying dial materials and colors.  In recent times, even the striking automaton has transitioned from the traditional jacquemart to other creatures, most recently the "tiger" and "oil pump" versions.   There are a few erotic versions as well that have been profiled before on this site.

In truth, my favorite evolution is the platinum version with the deep black onyx dial and original Jacquemart, but at the time the price was more dear, and I was sold on the uniqueness of the blue lapis lazuli variant.  It appealed to my younger energy at the time, and still is quite striking (pun), but not really a daily wear kind of piece. 

So let me present a brief reveiw of my pink gold Hourstriker with lapis dial, UN Ref 756-88, Case No. 1

This version is 42mm in diameter and a bit more than 15mm thick with a case design that is quite heavy.  I haven't weighed it directly, but you can certainly feel it on the wrist.  I can only imagine it's platinum counterpart being a workout for the arm. The matching deployant clasp in gold adds to the heft.

The bezel has a concave shape, which is attractive and mitigates the case size a bit, and the slightly stepped lugs are substantial taking a 21mm wide strap.  In this case, it is a very high grade alligator band in a navy color that compliments both the case and the dial.  The deployant is the single folding variety that accompanied many UN pieces during the same years of production.

The large rectangular pushers are prominent and operation is precise.  Not smooth and silky like my Datograph (few watches are), but more like a decent chronograph with a bit more force required.  On reflection, I like some of the round pushers on older models, but I think they would need a bit more mass for the larger case.  Not as large as these square ones though. 

 The crown is inset with the blue enamel logo as shown and I find it a bit difficult to wind as the size is small and polished.

The movement in my watch is the UN-75 with 41 jewels beating at 28,000 bph.  It has a power reserve of 40 hours and the chime when on reduces this amount.  The base here I believe is an ETA variant, modified accordingly.  In this large case, it is slightly small as seen through the sapphire back. The visible 22 kt rotor bearing the UN name is well executed.  Early versions had a solid back, and I have seen at least one with the Lion of San Marco engraved. 

The Hourstriker will automatically chime on the hour the number of chimes as the current hour & a single strike on each half hour.  It does this "en passant" or passively without the need to activate a pusher or lever.  It can be called upon to strike at any time by pressing the bottom pusher, regardless of whether the chime is switched on or off.  The Hourstriker chime can be silenced using the on/off button (top pusher) and the current status of the chime is indicated by the small hand at the right side of the dial, if pointing to the hour-glass the chime is turned off and pointing to the dot when the chime is on.

The stone dial in lapis lazuli is quite dramatic with its gold flakes and applied gold Arabic numerals.  Of course the magic is in the jacquemart, where on the hour and half hour it comes to life to strike the bell when the feature is turned on.  To me, it is what makes the watch special.  Rolf apparently was inspired by the bronze jacquemarts on the clock tower in Venice, and the following article by our moderator Dr. Hanke is a good read on the history:

www.watchprosite.com

In summary, this watch is quite a conversation piece.  There is an elegant practicality to the chime.  It appeals to the kid in me.  It isn't perfect and with case sizes having moderated, it now feels a little big to me, but this is more a function of case design than diameter. 

Amongst a fairly large collection, it is good to have pieces that are completely different, and for me this is one that remains interesting every time it leaves the bank vault.

Dave