Wear it and you'll see its true potential! A review of the Ulysse Nardin Marine Torpilleur

This is a wearable review of the Ulysse Nardin Marine Torpilleur. Ulysse Nardin has made a name for itself in the watch market with its innovative mechanisms and designs. Compared to the brand's Freak and Blast models, this watch may seem like an ordinary watch, but it boasts exceptional capabilities.

Ulysse Nardin Marine Torpilleur Review

　The history of Ulysse Nardin began in 1846 when a watchmaker of the same name established a workshop in Le Locle, Switzerland. At the time of its founding, the company began manufacturing marine chronometers to meet growing demand for navigational equipment, and has since supplied high-precision products to navies around the world. Ulysse Nardin products were also installed on the battleship Mikasa, which served as flagship of the Imperial Japanese Navy's Combined Fleet during the Russo-Japanese War. Ulysse Nardin, which has made outstanding achievements through the manufacture of marine chronometers, still uses an anchor as its brand logo today.

　As a collection symbolizing this history, the Marine series has been developed, inheriting the design of the marine chronometers that the brand previously produced. In 2017, the Marine series was given a modern makeover and released as the Marine Torpilleur. Its particularly smaller, thinner packaging makes it a Marine for a new era.

　Torpilleur is French for destroyer. Ulysse Nardin has positioned this collection as "a lightweight, contemporary timepiece for indomitable sailors." Named "torpilleur" for its small size and high speed, this agile timepiece is an outstanding practical watch, offering the performance and functionality required in modern times in a compact package. At the same time, the design is based on the marine chronometer, the origin of Ulysse Nardin, making it a watch that allows you to enjoy both Ulysse Nardin's tradition and innovation.

　This historical concept and outstanding design are enough to stimulate the desire to own one. However, when I looked at the Ulysse Nardin website, the Freak and Blast models were prominently featured, and the Marine Torpilleur was hard to notice, so to be honest I hadn't really looked into it (especially compared to the impact of the Freak, it gives the impression of being a "normal" watch). However, after actually putting this watch on my wrist and wearing it for 10 days, I was impressed by its high performance.

A comfortable fit that makes you forget it's a 42mm watch

　When I first thought about wearing the Marine Torpilleur, I expected it to be too big for my wrist, which is 14.7cm. This is because the case diameter of this model is 42mm. Although the thickness is kept to about 11mm, it didn't feel "optimal" for my not-so-thick wrist, and it was an unfamiliar size experience.

　However, when I actually put it on my wrist, it fit perfectly, and I was surprised at how comfortable it was to wear. Of course, with a diameter of 42mm, there are times when the crown touches the back of my hand. However, because the lugs are short and the overall length is kept to a minimum, it doesn't protrude too much from the wrist. The curved case also increases the contact area with the wrist, reducing the amount of lift, which likely contributes to the excellent wearing comfort.

　It's also worth noting that the bracelet and buckle are designed to be thin. If these parts were thick, I would find myself wanting to take the watch off while working, especially since I do a lot of desk work. Although each link is large, the amount of play is just right, making it comfortable. I barely felt any discomfort during the 10 days I reviewed it, roughly 14 hours a day, and it's a watch I'd like to wear every day.

A design that can be said to be the origin of Ulysse Nardin

　One of the charms of this piece is its design, which evokes Ulysse Nardin's history as a master of marine chronometers.

　The design, including the power reserve indicator at 12 o'clock, the large small seconds at 6 o'clock, the Roman numeral indexes, and the cathedral-shaped hands, is reminiscent of the classic marine chronometers that Ulysse Nardin produced. However, it is not too classic, and the deep blue dial with a sunray finish adds a touch of sophistication to this watch. Combined with the power reserve indicator and the red "1846" printed in the center of the dial as accents, it also has a modern impression.

　In addition to the large case, the thin bezel and wide dial make for excellent legibility. On sunny days outdoors, the polished silver hands sometimes became buried in the dial, but this didn't bother me because I could easily see the time by tilting the watch.

　The case has a polished side and satin-finished lug surfaces. The bracelet also has a satin-finished center link and a polished side. Because it was a loan model, scratches on the coin edge decoration on the side of the bezel were a bit of a concern. If I owned one myself, I would be careful about dents and other damage (although personally, I do grow attached to watches that have been well-used and have scratches...).

Use it and you'll understand the high performance of Cal.UN-118!

　The movement is the automatic Cal. UN-118, developed by Ulysse Nardin. It features a silicon balance spring and a diamond-coated silicon escapement. This is a movement developed in-house, and Ulysse Nardin is proud of this, having been one of the first to adopt silicon in watch movements and has since perfected its know-how.

　This movement enhances the watch's practicality and adds to the satisfaction of ownership. The mainspring wound well while wearing the watch, and the power reserve indicator barely dropped. I didn't wear it for a while on Saturday, and it did drop a little, but it wound up again when I wore it again. The large crown makes manual winding easy, but I rarely needed to do it manually during my review.

　Another notable feature of this movement is that the date can be set backwards, so even if you accidentally set the date forward by one day, it can be quickly reset with minimal effort.

　It's unlikely you'll have the opportunity to actually use it for a period of time before purchasing, but experiencing its practicality and functionality will help you appreciate the charm of this watch even more and appreciate the essence of Ulysse Nardin watchmaking.

First, try putting it on your wrist

　I reviewed the Ulysse Nardin Marine Torpilleur. As mentioned in this article, Ulysse Nardin is known for its unique mechanisms and designs, which are typical of its Freak collections, and in fact, these products are often featured prominently in promotional campaigns. As a result, the Marine Torpilleur may give off a subdued impression. However, this watch allows you to enjoy both Ulysse Nardin's tradition and innovation, and also offers excellent practicality, such as a comfortable fit and a high-performance movement. It is a watch that allows you to fully experience the brand's 178 years of watchmaking expertise.