Experience Review: Ulysse Nardin GMT Perpetual

Ulysse Nardin GMT Perpetual
Experience Report
Part 2

by Marcus Hanke

4. Movement:

a) Technical notes:

Contrary to what is printed sometimes, the GMT Perpetual's movement, Cal. UN-32, can truly be called Ulysse Nardin's "own" movement. To learn more about its development history, please look here:

Click here to read an article on the cal. UN-32 development history
© picture: Ulysse Nardin

While the base movement, or 'engine', that drives the time and calendar indications, can be traced back to the Lémania 1340, which also powered the famous Omega Speedmaster 125, it has been completely redesigned, in order to offer a thin, but powerful base for the perpetual's wheelwork. The latter has been invented by Dr. Ludwig Oechslin, UN's long-time master developer, and one of the most fascinating personalities in current horology. When Dr. Oechslin started his work on a new perpetual calendar, he studied the designs hitherto used, finding that all of them make use of levers and cams for controlling the movements of the programmed mechanism. These have several disadvantages: They are difficult to insert and adjust in the movement, they need additional springs, which makes systems based on them rather complicated and costly in both production and assembly. And, finally, they work only in one direction. Contrary to this, systems based on entirely rotating movements, such as wheels and Maltese crosses, are easy to control, easy to adjust, easy to maintain, AND work forward and backward, without the danger of damage to the mechanism.

Consequently, the new calendar mechanism should consist entirely of epicycloidal wheels, step wheels, Maltese crosses, and flat dents. With the exception of one flexible (locking) spring, the GMT Perpetual's calendar is composed exclusively by rotating elements. This is unique, and relatively simple. The only slight disadvantage of that system is the impossibility of an instantaneous jump of the calendar indication. The change will occur continuously within a brief, predetermined time span instead.

But the calendar part, while without doubt being the movement's highlight, is not the only interesting feature: Another patented innovation is the big date. The first concepts of the perpetual shown to Ulysse Nardin's president, Rolf Schnyder, still had a small date window. Schnyder, a very practically-minded man, was well aware of the fact that most enthusiasts able to afford such an exclusive timepiece, would be in an age that generally has difficulties with the eyesight at close distances. Therefore, he asked Dr. Oechslin to add a big date, which was promptly done.

This illustration from the original patent file clearly shows the small date window above the watch's centre
© Ulysse Nardin

This was the status of the movement when the first perpetual, dubbed "Perpetual Ludwig", to honour its inventor, was released by UN. Only after this limited edition was sold out, the unlimited serial production started. As it was intended to release a real travel watch, the also patented mechanism of a second time zone was added. Its implementation into the perpetual was rather easy, as it works with the same concept.

b) Finish:

Already the first glance onto what is revealed by the sapphire display back makes it apparent that this movement is somewhat different: While already the "côtes circulaires" on the bridges is a decoration rarely seen, the white gold rotor, which winds the movement bi-directionally, is adorned with a bright blue enamel inlay, showing the anchor logo, and an engraving of the movement patent number.

Altogether, it is an absolutely striking sight, and I cannot get tired looking at it.

Also the rest of the decoration is very well executed. There are heat-blued screws, and most edges are bevelled. An engraving shows the old UN crest. Even under a strong loupe, the finish reveals no flaws.

5. Strap and clasp:

The watch came with a dark brown alligator strap and an 18k pink gold folding clasp. Typically for UN, the strap is very thickly padded. Certainly, the thickness of the strap is uncommon for such an elegant watch, but it is a very good optical match. As a result of this, the strap is quite stiff in the beginning, but after some time of wearing, it adapts its shape onto the wrist. While I never had any quality problems with UN straps, I would nevertheless wish they would not have them simply cut and lacquered on the edges. One could await a better manufacturing method, by means of overlapping top leathers, which are wrapped around the core and sewn together with the lining (sorry for that clumsy description, in French it is simply called "rembordé"). Another strange thing is that the lacquer on the strap edge was worn off after some time, on the spot where the finger has to slide under the strap in order to open the clasp. A friend and fellow UN owner had the same problem with his brown strap, while I never experienced this on my blue straps, which all kept their good shape for a long time.

This picture clearly shows how the lacquered edge of the strap is worn off where the finger has to slide under it to open the clasp

The deployment clasp is a nice accessory, retaining the appearance of the standard buckle with the small anchor logo.

On the web I read some comments, reporting a tendency of the central hinge's screw to become loose and get lost. Therefore, I give it a twist with a watchmaker screwdriver once in a while. Additionally, one has to be aware that gold is far softer than steel. Consequently, the clasp's closing pin has the tendency of loosing its secure lock after some time. However, it is very easy to bend it back into its original position.

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