Jorge116.039 shares his excitement for the Ulysse Nardin Black Toro, a perpetual calendar GMT that challenges traditional luxury watch perceptions. His post highlights the watch's innovative features and robust design, offering a fresh perspective on what a high-complication timepiece can be for daily wear.
ULYSSE NARDIN BLACK TORO : Finally on my wrist
The first perpetual calendar created by Ulysse Nardin was shown to the public in 1996 when Ludwig Oechslin invented a mechanism which allowed to set the date forward and backward. Back then, most of the perpetual calendars available used a lever system which wasn’t allowing any mistakes. If you made the mistake to go backward only once, the watch had to be returned to the manufacturer. This time the perpetual calendar mechanism is driven by gears and wheels. The Black Toro is definitely a post-modern watch in contrary to the Marine Chronometer collection for instance.
The name Black Toro says it all, the timepiece is very masculine with a great mix between the black ceramic bezel and 18 ct rose gold 43mm case. The dial, finished with black Geneva Stripes is kind of semi open-worked. What you are able to see are the wheels for the year and the month. The hours and minutes are available on the center, with rose gold hands. The double digit date is available at 1 o’clock behind a nice rose gold aperture. A small seconds is available at 9 o’clock and on the center of dial you will also observe the current day, month and the year just below.
But this Black Toro isn’t just a complicated perpetual calendar, it comes with a GMT function and quick-set buttons. The main problem with perpetual calendar is that they are so hard to set, you can only have your reference date available at any time. The main problem is that when you are traveling you want to know what time it is at home but you only care about the time and the date of your destination. This is exactly when this watches come in handy : you can quick-set the date forward and backward depending on your destination. For instance if you take a flight from Geneva at 6 pm to Tokyo, you will have to set your watch at 1 a.m the next day! The perpetual calendar GMT from Ulysse Nardin made this possible, you will have to press the quick-set button at 8 o’clock a few times and when the hours hand passes midnight the date will change. But the real beauty of this happens when you go backwards, with the pusher located at 4 o’clock, you will go back before midnight and the whole date will also go back (even on new year eve!).
Could you ask for more? Of course! The caliber UN-32, self wounded, is C.O.S.C approved meaning that the average daily rate is -4 / +6 seconds. Water resistant down to 100 meters, with a transparent caseback, and a leather strap with a folding buckle (the rubber strap with a titanium/ceramic deployant clasp has been order as well) I can’t find any excuse to not like this timepiece !!
The essay above was written by Marc for Independent Watchmakers, I had planned to do it myself but this was so well written that decided to use this instead.
Something new for Ulysse Nardin is the QR code on the warranty card, dealer said that is done with the intention to avoid grey market and in case of theft. It also makes things easier to identify your piece with UN.
I love the watch can't take it out of my wrist, I should of bought it before but the thought of putting that much money in a watch that wasn't a Patek, ALS, AP, etc scared me a bit. I am so glad I bought it! to me is my combat watch!
Amazing perpetual calendar, GMT, 100m WR, COSC . I love the weight of the watch on my wrist. A modern perpetual calendar, forget about the push piece to adjust and be extra careful to don't damage the movement! This is a daily wear and have fun with it!
Cheers!
This message has been edited by Jorge116.039 on 2014-01-18 05:16:24 
