Hourstriker has existed for years in the Ulysse Nardin collection. This in-passing striking mechanism has always been an exception within this limited genre. The horological complication consisting of chiming once per hour on the hour (and not on demand as in a repeater) is already rare in itself. But here, the movement is also capable of striking half-hours. Nonetheless, the Hourstriker required a technical and aesthetic update. It was the partnership with the French wireless loudspeaker manufacturer Devialet that provided the framework for the new version. One of its founders is a descendant of Ulysses Nardin and bears the same name, which helped facilitate the association. The brand also has extensive experience in acoustics, an area in which the room showed room for improvement. The Hourstriker Phantom (named after a Devialet loudspeaker) has thus benefited from cross-disciplinary research, which led to the introduction of a vibratory membrane between the movement mainplate and the caseback. It is physically connected to the movement by an arm. It redirects the sound waves so as to align them with the surfaces of the watch, which therefore act as a… loudspeaker.

Ulysse Nardin Hourstriker Phantom

CASE : polished titanium, sculpted titanium caseback, transparent sapphire crystal, water-resistant to 30m (3 bar) DIMENSIONS : 43mm in diameter MOVEMENT : selfwinding mechanical, UN-610 caliber with 42h power reserve FUNCTIONS : hours, minutes, chiming the hours and halfhours in passing DIAL : gray with Devialet pattern grid, golden Arabic numerals, hollow-tipped hands STRAP : black alligator with gold stitching, secured by a titanium folding clasp LIMITED EDITION : 85 pieces