MichaelC
[AP Moderator]
22205
Does anyone else feel Ulysse Nardin is a ship without a rudder?
My interest in this brand started in 2000. I own a few pieces, and enjoy seeing countless others I do not. I have always felt the brand's ingenuity and technical prowess are second to none.
But these past few years, the ship is sinking for me. The undying commitment to using an X or rectangle on most every watch they make now, I feel it is a huge mistake.
This new "Diver X Skeleton" (photo credit to Ulysse Nardin website).... where to begin. I'll admit at first glance there is excitement and intrigue. But after that second passes, what are we left with? A confusing mess of elements that have nothing to do with a dive watch. I accept most people who buy haute horlogerie dive watches won't actually take them below water, but some of us absolutely do. If you are going to call a piece a "dive watch", should it not be very legible? I look at this piece and struggle to think of other watches that are so hard to read. The relationship of the minute hand to the bezel is rather important for a dive watch, I see the lume but when that is over any of the 4 X areas, forget it.
I have felt for some time this brand needs a new head designer. Maybe they don't even have one now, I really don't know. I also feel they need a new marketing direction. "...Diver X Skeleton is an explosive fusion between the sporty design of a Diver and technical prowess of the Executive Skeleton. It's a match that was written in the stars." WHAT? Are you really serious?
As a designer, I try to never criticize other peoples work. But given where this brand is now - the lowest I have seen them in 21 years - I can really imagine them going out of business.
Does anyone else feel Ulysse Nardin is a ship without a rudder?
My interest in this brand started in 2000. I own a few pieces, and enjoy seeing countless others I do not. I have always felt the brand's ingenuity and technical prowess are second to none. But these past few years, the ship is sinking for me. The undying...
I see your point
It seems there are venturing away from what They used to be, which for me was, haute horolgy with a nod to classic time pieces. Now their watches look like cookie cutter “futuristic” designs like Roger Dubois and others. They are losing their brand DNA im...
I like when brands are daring and try new things.
But to your point, that seems to be the essence of the brand now. UN's identity has disappeared. I don't know what it is anymore.
Absolutely agree - putting a giant X on the dial does not create brand identity!
UN has the knowhow to do anything, but the vision of the current management seems to be more suited for a mid range fashion brand. Maybe it works for some markets?!
Unfortunately...
...for some time now I have wondered the same thing. Some great technical stuff. Some really cool watches. And then a recent twist into trying to be a (cut-price) Roger Dubuis. Who calls a watch ‘executive’? Terrible name! And that square thing...and the ...
I understand what many of you are saying
I was watching Watches and Whisky with Roman Sharf and they were discussing all the new releases and he was talking about just how UN is repositioning itself in the market place. They are doing this in his opinion by making their watches at a more mid tie...
The good news here is it would be easy for them to make a HUGE comeback.
But changes need to be made. Big ones.
Yes, indeed
Although I must say, a friend of mine has one, and it is an attractive watch - even if its engineering purity is not quite the same. Best E.
Hi E
I think this is what is troublesome to me. The X and rectangle are passing through to most every new thing they make. I would love to know who made that decision for this brand.
The old timers bleed even more.
I have not lost all faith, and I know they can do it. But each year that passes like this, I have a harder time keeping attention here.
I think when Rolf Schnyder died unexpectantly the brand jumped the shark.
His collaboration with Ludwig Oechslin on some of the incredibly complicated pieces also put the revitalized brand on the map. Now the brand is really hit and miss and seems to have no focus. I have had 4 pieces and still have two. ...
You have 2 good ones. The Fonz would be proud ;-)
Rolf and Ludwig were a pair of Legends, we all get that. And the UN glory days with those guys were amazing. But with a new direction (and surely some new people at the company), they could get back to that spirit.
Good points
You absolutely right Mike. The X theme is over the top. You can not see the hands good enough and the minute hand blent into a X. Also the sharks are boring and the un original city photo’s. Which customers they want, city people hanging all day in a pub?...
I think the lack of vision from Rolf...
And the lack of creativity from Ludwig and Pierre is the main cause. Not being independent any more may factor into it.
I have to agree.
At one time I owned 7 UN’s and still own 3, all of which I love. However the newest of the 3 was made in 2002 and I have really stopped considering adding any current pieces for at least 10 years. Still drawn to add some of the older pieces though. 👍 ...
Me too. I still hold hope they can get back to releasing things we want.
Appreciate your reply, Russell.
Le to 175 (brave people)
Then you look at the normal collection, and here we go. They have not been able to draw an X without cutting the brand's name. Pale and hollow watch. First, they must remove the date window from nearly every dial. They all look the same watch. Focus on Fr...
Too much X
It starting to irritate using X all the time. Taxi? The X factor nonsense drivin too far. The Alpha theme maybe the next mistake?
A point well illustrated.
The commitment to the X is more important than the brand name? Ridiculous. C'mon, UN!
Unless they are selling all their watches to russian oligarchs...
I don't see the current (new?) CEO keeping his seat for much longer given all the releases they have come up with over the past 2 years. The website still claims that the freak x is a new model even though it dropped in late 2019. For all intents and purp...
I totally agree.
Though even at their high points, I felt the design was always a little wonky. I best characterized them as Breitling’s more sophisticated cousin. The movements were amazing but the design could always you some tidying up. The X is a major turnoff for me ...
LOL. And IMO, the clock is the only interesting thing they have done in some time.
The Blast is OK, but not great. Which raises another point, please give up on the sensationalistic marketing - Blast, Vertical Odyssey - just make us some well designed products and stop wasting time and marketing on things that have 0 to do with your bra...
I have lots of respect for this brand...
being innovative and quirky....but after a 2013 Cruise ship to Mediterranean, with a stop to Istanbul....where afterwards, I saw even kids wearing their Diver series watches, I never take a 2nd look at this brand.
I could care less who wears them, kids, adults, that has no bearing on my decisions.
But make me a product I like. Innovative and quirky - that is absolutely what they used to be. Sometimes the quirk part turned people off, but that was OK. At least they were still original.
I meant to say after Istanbul stop, lots of tourist bought fake UN at the Grand Bazaar....
Lots of fake UN, but we know equally if not more fake Rolex and Omega. It left me a bad impression is my point.
I agree completely. Very few intriguing pieces these last 10 years
The designs with a few exceptions are too over the top and audacious. I’m being hard of them because it was Ulysse Nardin over 20 years ago that sparked my interest in horology.
I agree.
It was one of the brands I respected the most. They seem to have experimented too much in recent years with their designs just for the sake of experimentation without building on what I feel was a strong brand identity. Shows the damage the wrong investor...
Fully agree with you
I feel really sorry for the way UN is heading. When I was a teenager, UN designed most of my grail watches like the Trilogy series (Astrolabe, Planetarium, Tellurium ) and more classic but beautiful enamel pieces. It is weird now, but I when sometimes not...
Let's hope they "right the ship".
I look for solutions to problems, and see many here,
Michael
This is a fashion watch. Yes. UN has lost their way. Now you can relax and know you are correct in your perception. Yes, UN makes exquisite watches of extraordinary invention and innovation at extraordinary execution levels. This watch is for the look at ...