The Ulysse Nardin SuperCat concept table clock is a pioneering achievement that reflects a new and radical approach to the art of watch-making. A free and futuristic metaphor of a racing catamaran, it highlights the expertise of the Manufacture in an unprecedented manner.
Ulysse Nardin has pooled its talents to create the SuperCat Concept, an extraordinary table clock where the movement becomes the giant engine of a futuristic boat. The work of one of the Manufacture’s young watchmakers and loosely inspired by the competition catamaran of Artemis Racing – which Ulysse Nardin is sponsoring for the America’s Cup – the SuperCat Concept combines sailing, sleek design and micromechanics to recreate the magic of a luxury timepiece.
The SuperCat Concept is a new expression of the art of watchmaking completely in line with the identity of the brand and its undeniable connection to the sea. It also demonstrates that the company is willing to trust and nurture young talent in-house. An unparalleled stylistic exercise, this extraordinary table clock propels Ulysse Nardin into the future and further anchors the brand to its passion for sailing.
The taut curves and progressive shapes of the SuperCat match the hydrodynamic design of the America’s Cup sailboats, which rank among the fastest in the world. Its profile meets the constraints imposed by the water, wind and speed while retaining a sense of purity, transparency and absoluteness.
On the bow of this futuristic 35 cm-long horological creation, two vertical strips extend beneath the keels to sup-port the SuperCat. These are reminiscent of the foils – the mobile vanes on which the catamarans rely to lift them out the water and drastically increase their speed. At the aft, the sculpture rests on a platform featuring a similar design, but which extends upwards to form the frame of the roof. The hull is fashioned from a technological resin, while the keels are molded from rolled carbon fiber, a material also used for the Artemis Racing catamarans.
Arranged linearly, the movement of the SuperCat directly recalls that of the Freak watches, Ulysse Nardin’s iconic models which see their entire revolutionary movement rotate inside the case to display the time. Developed by Ulysse Nardin and produced in-house, the linear UN-910 movement of the SuperCat Concept features 230 components and beats at a frequency of 18,000 vibrations per hour.
It displays two time zones with jumping hours, each one visible on either side of the cockpit. The hours and minutes of each of the time zones are indicated by two cones. The mainplate of the movement extends forward from the stern to form the boat’s deck. Decorated with long grooves, the plate is made from brass that has been given a protective black PVD coating. Meanwhile, the gears revolve above; hand decorated and with a mirror-polished finish, they are held in place by bridges shaped like arrows, which is characteristic of yacht masting.
Unprecedented in its design, the power reserve indicator is revealed on the rear deck. In fact, the remaining energy is not only indicated in days as usual, but in days and hours by means of two counters. The first, small and featuring red indications, displays the days of power reserve, while the hand of the larger counter indicates the additional hours remaining. The motor system, the double time indicator and the power reserve indicator are protected by a cockpit made of transparent technological resin.
