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Watches & Wonders 2025: Ulysse Nardin makes time lighter with the Diver [AIR]

Like all diver’s watches, the Diver [AIR] is robust, but Ulysse Nardin has managed to make it the lightest mechanical diver’s watch: only 52 grams.

Por: Raquel Seijas
The Ulysse Nardin Diver [Air] is skeletonized, just like its predecessor, the Diver X Skeleton, launched in 2021 / Photo Ulysse Nardin
The Ulysse Nardin Diver [Air] is skeletonized, just like its predecessor, the Diver X Skeleton, launched in 2021 / Photo Ulysse Nardin

If there is one thing that Ulysse Nardin prides itself on, it is never stopping on the road to innovation. That’s what its Freak watches without dials, crowns or even hands are all about. Or their innovative silicon escapements.

 

This time it appears in the 2025 edition of Watches & Wonders with the lightest mechanical diver’s  watch ever made. They’ve called it the Diver , and although it’s a harbinger of things to come at 44mm, it weighs just 52g with strap (46g without).

 

Why is it called Air? The inside of the case is 80% air and 20% matter. This means that the UN 374 caliber weighs only 7 grams.

The lightness of the Diver has been achieved through resistant structures / Photo Ulysse Nardin
The lightness of the Diver has been achieved through resistant structures / Photo Ulysse Nardin

All these innovations prove that Ulysse Nardin’s philosophy can be summed up in the words of Paul-David Nardin: “If it’s possible, it’s done. If it’s impossible, it will be done.”


The Diver is skeletonized, just like its predecessor, the Diver X Skeleton, launched in 2021, which was already light at 105.6 grams.

How did they manage to make the Diver lighter?

  1. Less is more. To make it even lighter, it was necessary to reduce the number of components in the mechanism, even using high-tech materials, without compromising the watch’s performance.
  2.  Stronger. The fact that it has fewer components does not mean that this new Ulysse Nardin watch is fragile. Like any high-end diver’s watch, it is resistant and robust.

Hands-on work

The lightness of the Diver has been achieved through resistant structures, new arrangements and a new presentation of the same components.

 

Ulysse Nardin‘s engineers structured the UN 374 caliber with triangular shapes, a rigid form used in engineering and architecture to resist bending and deformation. This allows it to withstand an impact of 5,000 grams, in addition to thousands of shocks and vibrations per day, which has been proven both in the laboratory and in real life.

Key components such as the mainspring barrel, where the energy is stored, have been redesigned. In the Diver , this part is a flying barrel.

 

Other components, such as the bridges, were hollowed out to make them even lighter.

Recycled and high-tech materials

Another important factor in achieving lightness is the materials used. The UN 374 caliber is made of titanium, a light material that is complicated to work with, so it was a challenge. Titanium was also used in the case, along with carbon fiber.

 

The side components are made of Nylo® foil, a unique blend of 60% Nylo® and 40% carbon fiber (lighter than traditional carbon fiber).

 

The Nylo® is made from recycled fishing nets, while the carbon fiber in the Nylo® foil is recycled from sailboats.

Two ultra-light elastic straps in white and orange, secured with a safety clasp for convenience / Photo Ulysse Nardin
Two ultra-light elastic straps in white and orange, secured with a safety clasp for convenience / Photo Ulysse Nardin

Everything you need to know about the lightest mechanical diving watch

  • How much does the Diver weigh? It weighs just 52 grams with the strap (46 grams without the strap).
  • What is the power reserve of the Ulysse Nardin Diver ? The UN-374 caliber boasts an impressive 90-hour power reserve, thanks to its innovative flying barrel.
  • What bracelets come with the Diver ? Two ultra-light elastic straps in white and orange, secured with a safety clasp for convenience. These straps are easily interchangeable without the need for tools.
  • What is Nylo® Foil? It is a blend of 60% Nylo® and 40% carbon fiber, making it even lighter than traditional carbon fiber. Nylo® is made from recycled fishing nets, while the carbon fiber in Nylo®-Foil is recycled from sailboats manufactured by CDK Technologies.
  • When was founded Ulysse Nardin? It was founded in 1846 in Le Locle, Switzerland, by the watchmaker Ulysse Nardin.

If you found this article about the new Ulysse Nardin watch interesting, share it. You can also check out this one about the Land Dweller by Rolex. And keep an eye out for other releases in Watches & Wonders 2025 in the Discover section.

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