Ulysse Nardin Unveils The Design-Inspired ‘Blast Amoureuxpeintre’

Minimalism is something that is rarely associated with avant-garde Swiss watch brand, Ulysse Nardin. However, for its latest release, “Blast Amoureuxpeintre,” the watchmaker has partnered with designer and artist, Vsevolod Sever Cherepanov, known by the artistic moniker, Amoureuxpeintre, to create a watch that combines seemingly divergent creative philosophies.

The Kyrgyzstan-born designer, artist and model said in a statement that his design philosophy is “based on the belief that simplicity invites deeper inquiry, prompting an exploration of an object’s true essence.” Rooted in his Eastern European sensibility, the tall and bald designer and artist is often the central focus of his creations, with his face hidden.

Opposites Attract

Intersection is an overused term in describing creative pursuits, but Amoureuxpeintre really stands at the intersection of design, art and entrepreneurship. He founded the clothing brand, SEVER in 2016 and followed this up with the founding of GENESIS 2.0 in 2019, using upcycling techniques to craft unique objects.

He is credited with being one of the first designers to incorporate augmented reality prints into clothing. More recently, he broadened his portfolio to include HOME 2.0, an interiors division, and SOLUTIONS 2.0, a production and design agency.

Ulysse Nardin, in a statement said the Swiss watch brand and the man share an “enthusiasm for rejecting the status quo.” They also share a passion for using new technology. But other than that, at least on the surface, they seem to share little else. Minimalism and simplicity are words rarely used to describe the wild designs and high complications of the watches Ulysse Nardin creates. However, this new timepiece does combine their divergent design philosophies.

Blast Amoureuxpeintre

They chose to use the Ulysse Nardin Skeleton X movement design as the foundation of this collaboration. The watch itself took three years to develop.

Certainly, what stands out in the new Blast Amoureuxpeintre is the dial, which provides a blurred view into the skeletonized and highly stylized “X” shaped movement. A frosted-ice effect was achieved through an advanced laser technique, while the fumé (smoked) effect was created using thin metallization, Ulysse Nardin said in a statement. Those dial techniques alone took two years to develop. Above the frosted window, are two anthracite hour and minute hands with gray Superluminova. All other elements of the dial are removed. Barely visible thin black lines in the gray inner-bezel serve as hour indicators.

The dial is housed in a 42 mm anthracite lightweight sandblasted titanium case and bezel with a muted color palette and aesthetic that complements Amoureuxpeintre’s design sensibilities. The ribbed texture on the crown was removed to further enhance the clean lines of Amoureuxpeintre’s design aesthetic. Perhaps the most elaborate design detail is Amoureuxpeintre’s signature on the frosted sapphire caseback.

The watch is powered by the in-house caliber UN-371 mechanical skeletonized movement with a 96-hour power reserve. It consists of 179 components and 29 jewels that include the balance wheel, escapement wheel, anchor and balance spring in silicon, with nickel flyweights and an oversized oscillator.

The muted color palette continues with a gray Alcantara strap, paired with an anthracite PVD titanium sandblasted tang buckle.

The watch is available in a limited-edition series of 29 pieces, each in a watch box crafted in anthracite and gray tones.

“In my nine years at Ulysse Nardin, we’ve developed some of the most technically complicated projects,” Jean-Christophe Sabatier, Ulysse Nardin chief product officer said in a statement. “This watch stands as one of the most intricate, not only in terms of modifying the components around the caliber but also in giving it a unique personality.”