SWC × Ulysse Nardin

Classico Manufacture 'Grand Feu'

The First SWC Edition

In 2017 Ulysse Nardin and SWC announced an exclusive Special Edition timepiece, celebrating the club’s second anniversary. This monumental timepiece was SWC’s first special edition watch was created in cooperation with The Hour Glass — one of Asia’s premier luxury watch retail groups, and the world’s leading cultural retail enterprise; pioneering the promotion and appreciation of contemporary luxury and horological culture.

Ulysse Nardin

Ulysse Nardin was founded in Le Locle, Switzerland in 1846. The manufacturer has a strong, distinctive identity based on expertise in marine chronometers and complication timepieces. The brand is renowned for cutting-edge technologies and state-of-the-art materials, including silicium. Ulysse Nardin is one of the few Swiss watchmakers to have in-house production capacity for high-precision movement components, particularly regulating organs.

"This monumental timepiece was SWC’s first special edition watch was created in cooperation with The Hour Glass."

Manufacture Calibre, No Date

Based on the Classico Manufacture announced in 2015, the SWC Special Edition features the same in-house calibre UN-320, but modified to exclude the date complication. The automatic movement boasts a silicon hairspring and Ulysse Nardin’s hallmark anchor escapement, with a power reserve of 48 hours.

Black 'Grand Feu' Enamel Dial

The dial is produced by Donzé Cadrans, the renowned producer of grand feu enamel dials, a subsidiary of Ulysse Nardin after being acquired in 2011. It is made by applying enamel powder over a metal base and firing in a kiln to 800-1200°C, resulting in a deep black effect which never fades.

Double-Signed

The small seconds subdial features a subtle signature where the date window used to be, identifying the timepiece as the Singapore Watch Club Special Edition. The timepiece features a set of spade and whip hands, unique to the leaf hands found on the existing variants. Spade and whip hands are deeply intertwined with traditional watchmaking, especially synonymous with antique marine chronometers, a tribute to Ulysse Nardin’s historical expertise in such instruments.

"The dial is made by applying enamel powder over a metal base and firing in a kiln to 800-1200°C, resulting in a deep black effect which never fades."

'Red Twelve' With A Twist

In the early 20th century, when timepieces were rapidly moving from pockets to wrists, some watchmakers painted the number ‘12’ for swift identification of the watch’s orientation. The timepiece honours this horological tradition, with a meaningful twist. The red ‘II’ and white ‘X’ references the colours of the Singapore flag: red for universal brotherhood and equality of man and white symbolising pervading and everlasting purity and virtue. The red ‘II’ also marks the second anniversary of the club.