Ulysse Nardin

Hi All,

Following my last post about 10 months ago on the serendipity of getting my Ulysse Year of the Dragon watch (link below), another serendipitous event happened again for the Year of the Snake !!  Photos of the brothers are attached.

ulyssenardin.watchprosite.com

As someone born in the Year of the Dragon, I was happy and content to have this unique watch with a nice number out of 88.  Upon researching more on the enamel work by Donze and the Serpent watch, I liked the Serpent more and more.  Thinking more about the snake being referred to as “small dragon” by Chinese culture, I found a reason (actually more of an excuse) to get the Serpent.  Upon calling my AD, there were only a few pieces left.  Serendipity:  AD later told me a few days later that the same number out of 88 was available for me!!  Without hesitation, I told my AD to get it.

Got this younger brother of the Dragon a few days ago and the close inspection process is still continuing with the loupe.  Below are some observations:

• Each of the leaf in the background has very fine lines running from one end to the other
• The small spaces between the leaves have small dots in them (just like the ones in the head, arm,legs and tail of the Dragon) and to me they represent the pebbles on the ground
• The Snake is 3D in that the motif has the upper body (with smaller scales) and underbelly with bigger scales
• The head of the Snake has several colors and different shading for the same color, and likewise scales behind the head are the same, whereas the scales of the Dragon contains the same color and shade
• The mouth of the Snake is red and has very fine lines running from one end to another, whereas the Dragon contains pinkish dots
• Both the Snake and Dragon are fierce but I find the Snake more fierce because of the shaped eye vs round eyes for the Dragon
• The Snake has nostrils and the Dragon does not
• The Snake contains 1 more color (7 in total=brown, green, blue, red, black, white / pink, and gold wire) than the Dragon (6 in total=orange, yellow, blue, pink, black and gold wire)
• The Dragon itself is more colorful and jumps out more because of the orange and yellow colors on the body
• The brown color (for the leaves) as the background of the dial for the Serpent watch matches the rose gold case better than the blue enamel (without details) of the Dragon
• The colors of the Dragon match the rose case better than the Snake (green, blue predominantly)
• Overall, the Snake has even more intricate details than the Dragon (which I did not think could be outdone)
• More respect gained for UN's email work

I love both equally (same as my twins).

I cannot wait to see the Horse watch in the metal for the coming Chinese New Year.  I might be tempted again !!

Wondering if another serendipitous event will occur for the Year of the Horse.  If this happens, then I need to get the Year of the Goat (or another Zodiac) so that each twin can have 2 watches eventually.

Thanks for reading and appreciate your thoughts and comments on these two enamel dials and what you like or dislike along with reasons.

Gordon

Chromatically speaking, I prefer the Dragon, while the work on the Snake is even more impressive.

At this pace, you will get them all!



Best, G.

Nicolas

... it really is a sickness akin to OCD (obsessive compulsive disease) !!

...so we'll give you the benefit of doubt    In any case, your obsession is understandable - the work is exquisite. I hope you have patience as UN is only into the third of a 12-sign series. Maybe by then you would truly have gone mad! 

Looking at these pieces, I have to wonder if UN can maintain the pace. They are starting with the stronger characters in the zodiac and have done remarkable work. I hope they can.

Congrats!

... I think I have stepped over the line into the madness zone, with at least one leg !!

The key issue is whether the other leg will follow, which really depends on seeing the Horse watch in its metal

As you and others have mentioned, the photo of the Horse dial seems less exquisite vs the Dragon & Snake.  However, given the skills exhibited by UN thus far on the Chinese Zodiac series and other enamel dials with vessels, hopefully it is only the photo of the Horse not doing justice to the dial  

We will have to wait (a few months) and see before passing judgement

my case with these wonderful enamel dials, fortunately or unfortunately !!

... and I wish you a lot of joy with it! I hope to see the "Horse" at Basel this year, and will try to take satisfactory pictures for you.

Marcus

... on the dial and its intricacies will be most useful !!

... the "Horse" dials seem to be much more vibrant in colour than the toned-down appearance on the first picture. I definitely like the version as now presented by UN!



Marcus

As hoped, UN is able to put in small details on each animal and in the background

My original disappointment with the Horses has disappeared !!

Which is not the case anymore. Good!

Best,

Nicolas This message has been edited by amanico on 2014-01-13 09:11:06

...uninspiring !!

Now expect to see some fine detailing on the horses and mountains and ground in the background

the horses now are galloping out of the dial, instead of standing motionless in the original photo !!

... or, black and white (pun intended   ). Thanks very much for the pictures. I think there has been some suppressed disappointment over the horse compared to the dragon and snake. New details include the deep blue background, which gives it a dream-like quality - looks like moonlit earth or ocean waves at the same time. And the gold outline and shading on the white horse gives it definition. The use of two horses gives it a very spirited feel. Would love to see it In the metal - a luminous sheen on the white and black parts would look great!

One day I need one of these exquisite dials by UN.

...why wait ??  A few last pieces of the Dragon and Serpent are still available.  Let them sing to your heart !!

What you really need to do is commission UN to produce a Pheonix !  The pair to have, according to many in the Middle Kingdom, is the Dragon and the Pheonix. (I have a Dragon tattoo and my brother has a Pheonix).

... commissioning a Phoenix dial because both are mythical animals !!

Is it possible that Ulysse would entertain such an idea from a small collector like me ??  If so, it must cost me arm and a leg (if not both arms and both legs), right (especially given the high defective rates on producing an enamel dial with such fine details) ??

Am a huge admirer and advocate of watch and art in into an elegant form !

...has great artistic dials

For the Chinese zodiac series, I found that Droz's miniature enamel painting dial (Petite Heure) for the Dragon is nice but not have the "wow" factor vs Ulysse Nardin. 

On the other hand, Droz's minute relief reference with a dragon sculpture is outstanding !! I saw this piece in the Shanghai boutique and it was really eye-catching and the work was exceptional.  The issues for me were 1) the watch had a large "dome" covering the dragon sculpture thus making the watch very big and 2) pricing was much more than the Ulysse champlevé enamel dragon (perhaps because of the amount of gold used on the scupture).

Let's keep our fingers crossed for the Year of the Horse from Ulysse !!

A pair of stunning pieces.  I still contend that the pictures do not do the pieces justice.  I have seen the Snake and it is amazing in person.  i can only imagine how fantastic the dragon must be.

I see these two as a perfect pair: the dragon is more mythical and traditional in form/execution to  Chinese cultural depictions whereas the snake is so artistic and more vibrant, in my observation...so they make a perfect pair..and looking at the horse, it is the perfect addition of a more restrained and very elegant addition to the colorful series, so actually they all go perfectly well together I really like the class of the horse, suits the nature of the creature..infact, all these three executions suit the nature of these three creatures in my opinion extremely artistically done work and very pretty to behold.

been worn together on a couple of occasions with younger brother on my left and older brother on my right wrist

These siblings are inseparable, at least for the near term...

or until the arrival of the Horse siblings...

but whether the arrival will happen or not is uncertain at this time, although I know how you would vote !!

Cheers,

Gordon

wearing the siblings on both arms must be great fun

...because I do not have three arms for wearing all 3 siblings on my wrists

perhaps I could wear one on my ankle !!  In such case, who should be relegated to below ???

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which of the three belongs front and center ??