Ulysse Nardin’s erotic watches show link between sex and new technologies

In a sinfully red boudoir chamber, three of the 18 red-gold and platinum Classic Voyeurs sat on velvet pedestals. The erotic watches – a tradition dating back to the 18th century and proof that sex has long been a driver of new technologies – were surrounded by whips and other tools you’d find at Mr Gray’s. 

Demonstrated by an extremely red-lipped, somewhat risqué hostess, the watches feature two Jaquemart automaton couples, caught in erotic acts coinciding with the movements of the hammers of the minute repeater. Even though the booth created a buzz during the 28th SIHH, Ulysse Nardin’s new CEO Patrick Pruniaux stressed that the erotic watches play a small part in the company. 

“It is a niche in a niche market. But it gives a sense of freedom and innovation. Go with it; let’s not be shy. But in 2018 the main focus is the Freak Vision,” says the 45-year-old with a background at Apple Watches, TAG Heuer and LVMH Spirits. 

Embodying the first automatic watch in the Freak Collection, the Freak Vision builds on the silicon heritage the brand has been exploring since it first introduced the material to the watch industry with the original Freak watch in 2001. Among the innovations on the 2018 Freak Vision is a superlight silicon balance wheel welded with nickel mass elements – stabilised by silicon microblades that make for uniform amplitudes, thus  increasing accuracy. The ingenuities are housed in a new case design made thinner than a French model, thanks to a box-domed crystal.

“The Freak Vision is a very strong piece from our R&D team, which is made up of crazy guys always looking for new ideas. Ulysse Nardin has always been an innovator,” Pruniaux says.

The main part of the Ulysse Nardin stand was, however, a blue, underwater experience – but in a different way, with ocean videos in the ceiling and “coral” sculptures by Damien Hirst – a suitable setting for the groundbreaking Diver Deep Dive. “It is a tribute to our long relation with the sea – and one way to express technical ability, that we can make a watch to withstand the pressure 1,000 metres down. So we made a very attractive, very different product, daring in technology, with a very bold design.”

History backs him up: the brand founded by Ulysse Nardin in 1846 was famous for extremely accurate marine chronometers. The historically award-showered brand was, however, hard hit by the quartz crisis and picked up in 1983 from the Nardin family by watch entrepreneur Rolf Schnyder, who paired up with genius watchmaker Ludwig Oechslin.