Calibers visible from the dial side of the watch are hardly new, but rarely is it done with the level of style and panache that we see on the Ulysse Nardin Blast Free Wheel Maillechort. Typically, when we see this sort of technique, we’re looking at a conventional calibre with the dial removed and some prettying up of the bridges and surfaces, but here Ulysse Nardin has pushed the realms of the possible to create a time-telling experience that is both mysterious and technically stunning.

The most striking part of this watch is how each element, from the exposed double mainspring barrels at the top of the dial, to the main wheels and most definitely the flying tourbillon (with the brand’s signature Ulysse Anchor Constant Escapement) appears separate and discrete. These floating mechanisms provide a technical challenge, as well as a remarkable aesthetic that strips the watch back to its fundamental elements, while also providing a futuristic aesthetic that has been Ulysse Nardin’s stock in trade since the brand debuted the Freak in 2001.

The 45mm white gold case features negative angle facets designed using a complex laser method

The geometric lines feature a unique ultra-glass box in sapphire crystal that offers an open view of the mysterious movement, which is also visible through the sides

Just because the Blast Free Wheel Maillechort has placed its most functional elements on the front of the watch doesn’t mean that there’s no dial. In fact, the brand has gone to great efforts to create a unified clean look to this watch — making ample use of Maillechort, an alloy of copper, zinc, and nickel also called Nickel silver or German silver. The material has a rich history in watchmaking, thanks to its unique, warm silvery tones and durability, as well as the distinctive patina it develops over time. It’s a more challenging material to work with than traditional brass dials, but it’s clearly well worth the effort. Ulysse Nardin has made extensive use of Maillechort, which has been given a textured, almost hammered look — they’ve decorated the mainspring barrel with a Maillechort disc, and also used a Maillechort plate on the back of the case.

While the Maillechort is a nod to watchmaking’s past, everything else about the design of the Blast Free Wheel seems to be from the near future. The 45mm white golf case is angular, with aggressive facets holding onto a single block of sapphire, which serves as the front-facing crystal, as well as the sides of the case, for an unparalleled glassbox effect.

The case is open, featuring a sapphire glass and a Maillechort plate

What Ulysse Nardin has achieved with the Blast Free Wheel Maillechort is a watch that somehow manages to honour and adhere to the conventions of classical watchmaking, but does so in the most futuristic way possible. It’s remarkable.

Tech Specs: Ulysse Nardin Blast Free Wheel Maillechort

Reference: 1760-401LE-4A-MAIL/3A
Movement: Manual-winding UN-176 Manufacture caliber; 7-day power reserve
Functions: Hours and minutes; flying tourbillon; power reserve indicator
Case: 45mm × 12.4mm; 18K white gold; water-resistant to 30m
Dial: Maillechort dial
Strap: Waterproof blue velvet effect rubber strap with white gold deployant buckle
Availability: Limited to 50 pieces
Price: CHF 120,000 (incl. VAT) / USD 126,600 (excl. VAT)