Ulysse Nardin has once again redefined the boundaries of watchmaking with the launch of its most audacious timepiece yet — the Blast [Sparkling Rainbow]. Limited to just eight pieces worldwide, this radiant new creation combines avant-garde design with high jewellery artistry, turning the brand’s iconic Blast model into a breathtaking mechanical and visual spectacle.
Since its explosive debut in 2020, the Blast collection has represented Ulysse Nardin’s trailblazing spirit, drawing on cutting-edge materials, skeletonised architecture, and a design inspired by stealth aircraft. The Blast [Sparkling Rainbow] builds on this legacy, lighting up the collection with 211 invisibly set, rainbow-coloured sapphires weighing a total of 13.33 carats. These precious stones are meticulously set into the case, bezel, dial, crown, and clasp — forming an unbroken spectrum of colour that dazzles from every angle.
The artistry behind the Sparkling Rainbow lies in its mystery setting technique — a rare métier d’art that requires each sapphire to be specially cut and set into a hidden structure, allowing light to pass through and create the illusion that the gems are floating. The process is so intricate that it takes at least four weeks for highly skilled artisans to decorate just one watch. The result is an imperceptible gradient of colour and seamless brilliance, achieved through 85 different cuts and an extraordinary level of craftsmanship.
Inside the 45 mm white gold case, the watch houses Ulysse Nardin’s UN-172 manufacture skeleton movement, featuring a flying tourbillon, a platinum micro-rotor visible at noon, and silicon components such as the escapement and hairspring. With a 72-hour power reserve, 50 metres of water resistance, and a white rubber strap paired with a white gold clasp (also set with sapphires), the Sparkling Rainbow is as technically robust as it is visually stunning.
Retailing at USD 476,500 (VAT excluded), the Blast [Sparkling Rainbow] reflects Ulysse Nardin’s unwavering commitment to fusing innovation with tradition, and to advancing the art of horology through creativity, precision, and boundary-breaking design.
