Ulysse Nardin Sonata Cathedral: Dual Time, Minute Repeater, Alarm, Big Date, and Cathedral Gongs, It Might Recharge your Enthusiasm Watches

Ulysse Nardin could be the the watch panorama’s most attention-grabbing and least appreciated model. Massive sufficient that it’s not some type of cottage store, and sufficiently small that its merchandise stay comparatively uncommon, UN typically will get misplaced within the shuffle between the luxurious majors and the trendy upstart indies.

And that’s a disgrace as a result of watches just like the Sonata Cathedral deserve prime billing on advantage alone.

If this had been a latest product of François-Paul Journe or Denis Flageollet, the hype, reward, and ready record can be limitless. Ulysse Nardin paid a worth for its roughly 2000-2014 monomaniacal deal with Japanese European tastes, and the value was alienating individuals who didn’t particularly need… that type of watch.

The model continues to be recovering. And it’s regrettable, as a result of not all UN merchandise of the 2000s had been designed with oligarchs in thoughts, and several other are bizarre in a great way. The Sonata is one among them.

Ulysse Nardin Sonata Cathedral

Initially launched in 2003, the preliminary Sonata was among the many first haute horlogerie watches to raise a complication historically related to entry to mid-level watches: the alarm.

Mid-market manufacturers corresponding to Vulcain, LeCoultre, and Omega performed with alarms within the mid-twentieth century, however extra accessible manufacturers corresponding to Tudor and Seiko additionally left the alarm with a popularity because the poor man’s minute repeater.

Quick ahead to the twenty-first century, and UN’s Sonata actually merged the minute repeater and alarm right into a single watch.

Ulysse Nardin Sonata Cathedral

At roughly 7:45 on the dial, a mirrored centrifugal governor worthy of a sonnerie sits uncovered on its freestanding bridge. On a real minute repeater, designers make each effort to hide and mute the strike governor, so UN’s outstanding exhibition of the system is a bit of visible rhetoric designed to make some extent about sonic high quality.

The Sonata doesn’t ring like an alarm clock; it chimes like a grandfather clock. Every supply is an prolonged efficiency fairly than a match of rattling racket. In case you missed it, the title of the watch is printed on the dial with a G-clef fairly than an “S.”

Caseback “cathedral” gongs are the second a part of this equation. Precisely just like the wire hoops featured in a répétition minutes, the gongs ring and maintain in a vogue that no Memovox or Cricket ever might.

Whereas normal gongs encircle a repeater motion as soon as, cathedral gongs proceed round over an arc equal to 1.5 instances across the caliber’s circumference. Richer sound is the end result.

Motion of the Ulysse Nardin Sonata Cathedral

Ending of the seen metal striker is mirrored and clearly executed with true minute repeaters in thoughts. The Sonata Cathedral on this web page was a 2005 launch that launched each the upgraded chimes and a sapphire show caseback in lieu of the 2003 watch’s stable again.

UN’s caliber 67 is an enchanting beast that justifies its sapphire porthole, however solely simply. Squint, use some creativeness, and you may visualize the automated winding core of the traditional Lemania chronograph motion that donated its fundamental prepare and pawl-based automated system to the UN.

Again of the Ulysse Nardin Sonata Cathedral

That’s to not say that UN didn’t make the UN-67 its personal; distinctive bridges, ornament, and big complication on the dial aspect – it has 109 jewels – are the explanation no one describes this as a “buyer caliber.”

Ulysse Nardin circumstances from this period all the time put on a bit giant, so the Sonata surprises to the nice on that rely. Not solely is it thinner than it appears, however the form of the lugs doesn’t battle wrists fairly the best way a Freak does.

Ulysse Nardin Sonata Cathedral on the creator’s wrist

Positive, a stiff strap complicates the match – not less than at first – however with time, this could put on true to its 42mm measured measurement. It matches my 16cm wrist. In white gold, there’s a delightful richness to the wrist really feel, and the welded-on lugs communicate to high quality time spent hand-crafting this vessel.

Folding buckle of the Ulysse Nardin Sonata Cathedral

A full clasp – something this heavy and costly ought to have one – retains the watch safe.

From the surface working in, it’s clear that this watch sprung from an impressed second of UN’s “extra is extra” design section; the design is busy however profitable.

Caseband and pushers of the Ulysse Nardin Sonata Cathedral

There are two flanking triggers for native time adjustment when touring. This function debuted on the 1994 San Marco, and is each helpful and handy.

Ulysse Nardin Sonata Cathedral alarm off/on indicator

A crown at 9 o’clock arms and disarms the alarm perform. At three o’clock, a multifunction crown winds the alarm when turned counterclockwise, and units the time when turned clockwise,, and when pulled out totally it units the alarm.

There’s additionally an intermediate place wherein the grande date may be adjusted in each instructions for comfort.

Ulysse Nardin Sonata Cathedral dial particulars

Whereas chaotic at first look, the Sonata’s dial is a deep nicely of gratification. There’s loads of lume, a 24-hour second time zone, the massive date, and two dials for setting the alarm. Dial-side côtes de Genève, blued screws, and superimposed layers add richness.

The polished hour indices, brushed metallic blue rehaut, and sub dial bezels add richness. And the bow-like yellow fingers… remind us that UN typically manages to be good-weird fairly than the opposite sort.

Ulysse Nardin Sonata Cathedral subdials

The alarm system is surprisingly concerned. After manually winding it, the alarm may be set in a 24-hour format in order that it is aware of to ring at 8 am fairly than 8 pm, for instance. That is carried out utilizing the sub dial at higher proper.

Alternatively, the alarm may be set utilizing the dial at higher left which allows the person to visualise the designated alarm time in a countdown format.

When setting the look ahead to utilitarian functions corresponding to cooking, the countdown is a helpful function. Only a few alarm watches launched because the Sonata have included a countdown mode.

Ulysse Nardin Sonata Cathedral

Watches functionally much like the Sonata are few. And its mechanical refinement locations it on a airplane with a naked handful of ultra-luxe alarms from Patek Philippe, Harry Winston, and Breguet. In some methods, used watches like this are nice for the watch interest.

Ulysse Nardin Sonata Cathedral dial particulars

Too many collectors fixate on hype genres, fashions, and types that border on generic relative to one another. And as a counterweight to all that noise, there are masterpiece-level choices just like the Sonata available for 1000’s lower than they value when new a long time in the past.

Ulysse Nardin Sonata Cathedral

I encourage collectors who have to recharge their enthusiasm for the interest to exit and discover watches like this: uncommon, high-quality, difficult, and depreciated. When a watch fanatic burnout candidate finds one thing this magical buried deep on Chrono24, it looks like rediscovering the interest.

Relying on the person, any variety of watches may rekindle the flame. For me, that watch was the Sonata. Even having by no means owned one, I’m grateful for its existence.

For extra data, please go to www.ulysse-nardin.com/en-us/watches/haute-horlogerie

Fast Information: Ulysse Nardin Sonata Cathedral
Reference Code: 670-88/213
Version: Launched in 2005
Features: Hours; minutes; twin time; alarm in 24-hour format; massive date; alarm on/off; minute repeater
Case: White gold; 42mm diameter; 13.6mm thick; 50 lug-to-lug; 21mm lug spacing; 30 meters of water resistance; push down crown; GMT time zone triggers on each flanks
Strap: Blue alligator leather-based strap with calf lining
Clasp: White gold double deployant with set off launch and “UN” signature inside and outside
Dial: Layered with blue higher and silver base; côtes de Genève; alarm strike governor at seven o’clock; massive date; two alarm-setting subdials for clock time and countdown time; second time zone at six o’clock; alarm on/off indicator at 9 o’clock; blued screws; luminescent
Motion: UN-067; distantly Lemania1340-based; automated winding for time and manual-winding for alarm; 48-hour energy reserve; 4Hz; 109 jewels; 12/24-hour twin time; alarm; strike governor and cathedral gongs for alarm; bi-directional fast set for date; doesn’t hack
2024 Preowned Worth: $26,500-$30,000

* Tim Mosso is the media director and watch specialist at The 1916 Firm. You’ll be able to try their very complete YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/@the1916company.

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