A pioneer in silicon escapements
Ulysse Nardin was the first major Swiss brand to commercialise silicon components in series production, starting with the Freak tourbillon in 2001 (which had a silicon escape wheel). Through the 2000s the brand rolled out silicon across more components, partnering with the IMT institute in Neuchâtel. The UN-118, launched in 2010, was the first UN movement with a fully silicon regulating organ: silicon escape wheel, silicon pallet fork, and silicon balance spring. The hairspring is coated with diamond (the "DiamonSil" trademark) for additional surface hardness.
Why silicon matters
Silicon escapement components have several advantages over the traditional steel-and-jewel construction. They are completely anti-magnetic (silicon has no magnetic susceptibility), require no lubrication at the escapement (silicon is naturally low-friction), have better thermal stability (low coefficient of expansion), and can be manufactured to tighter tolerances using semiconductor-style etching processes. The downside historically was brittleness, but mature silicon escapements have proven robust over a decade-plus of field use. Ulysse Nardin's position is that silicon is the future of mechanical watchmaking, and the UN-118 is the production embodiment of that thesis.
In the Marine Chronometer line
The UN-118 powers the modern Marine Chronometer Manufacture series, which references Ulysse Nardin's 19th-century maritime instrument heritage. The dial typically shows hours/minutes, small seconds, date, and a power-reserve indicator (often as a fan-shaped display). Cases are 43 mm or 45 mm steel, titanium, or pink gold. The Marine Torpilleur family (smaller 42 mm case, more affordable retail) also uses the UN-118 in some references. Retail starts around USD 8,000-10,000 for steel; pink gold versions around USD 25,000.
Where Ulysse Nardin sits
The brand had a turbulent history (acquired by Kering in 2014, sold back to a management buyout in 2022) but the technical work on silicon and the UN-118 has remained a constant. Ulysse Nardin is now positioned as a niche, technically-led independent brand with strong heritage in marine chronometers and astronomical complications. The UN-118, by combining silicon technology with COSC chronometer certification, makes a clear statement: this is a serious technical movement, not a heritage decoration.
In context
Ulysse Nardin's silicon work was years ahead of the industry. By the late 2010s nearly every major Swiss brand (Patek, Rolex, Omega, Breguet, AP) had introduced silicon components in some form. Rolex's Syloxi hairspring, Patek's Spiromax, Omega's Si14, and AP's silicon balance spring all share silicon DNA pioneered (in commercial application) by Ulysse Nardin. The UN-118 is the daily-wear culmination of that pioneering work, making silicon escapement technology accessible at chronometer-grade pricing.
