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Ulysse Nardin Blast Skeleton X 42mm Titanium Case
Ref. 3713-260-3/03
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Stepping up in Ulysse Nardin's range
The Blast line is where Ulysse Nardin works without compromise — a collection built around silicon components in the escapement, anchor and gear train that require no lubrication, which matters practically because it removes the degradation that eventually costs conventional movements accuracy and service intervals. The X-shaped bridge crossing the dial is not decoration applied to a working movement but the actual architecture holding it together, which gives the skeleton its logic rather than its theatricality. At 42mm in titanium the watch sits at roughly 59 grams complete on the wrist, which is light enough that the engineering behind it reads before the weight of it does. The dial in blue shifts considerably between light conditions — the openworked bridges and floating indices produce depth in low light that a printed dial cannot approach, and the Super-LumiNova accents mean that depth continues after dark. The rubber strap, matched in blue, keeps the weight down and suits the industrial character of the case without looking like an afterthought. The 96-hour power reserve from a single barrel is genuinely useful for a manual-wind: take it off Friday evening and it is still running Monday morning. The sapphire caseback makes the silicon components visible and worth looking at — silicon runs without oil and remains dimensionally stable across temperature, which is the real point of the caseback view rather than mere display.
- Reference
- 3713-260-3/03
- Brand
- Ulysse Nardin
- Case size
- 42mm
- Case material
- Titanium
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Blue
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Manual
- Calibre
- UN-371
- Functions
- Skeleton dial
- Water resistance
- 50m
- Bracelet / strap
- Leather strap
- Strap colour
- Blue
- Clasp
- Buckle
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- Goldsmiths
Additional specifications
- Power reserve
- 96 hours
Learn more about Ulysse Nardin
Leonard Ulysse Nardin founded his workshop in Le Locle in 1846 and specialised in marine chronometers — the instruments ships used to determine longitude, where an error of seconds meant an error of miles.
The house became one of the two or three most important chronometer makers in the world. More than fifty navies used Ulysse Nardin instruments, and the company holds an extraordinary record at observatory trials: over four thousand certificates and dozens of gold medals, more precision awards than any other manufacturer.
Its modern era began in 1983 when Rolf Schnyder bought the failing company and partnered with Ludwig Oechslin, a scientist and horological historian. The results were the Astrolabium Galileo Galilei of 1985, which displays the positions of sun, moon, and stars and entered the Guinness records as the most functional wristwatch, followed by the Planetarium and Tellurium — together the Trilogy of Time.
Oechslin also designed the Freak of 2001, arguably the most radical wristwatch of the modern era: no dial, no hands, no crown. The entire movement rotates to indicate the time, and it was the first watch to use silicon components in the escapement, a material now standard across the industry.
The Marine collection continues the chronometer heritage. Kering acquired the brand in 2014.
- 1846
- Leonard Ulysse Nardin founds the workshop in Le Locle.
- 1985
- The Astrolabium Galileo Galilei is released.
- 2001
- The Freak pioneers silicon escapement components.
- 2014
- Acquired by Kering.
Also in 5 collections
This watch appears in Back in Stock (3,460), Leather Strap Watches (854), Blue Dial Watches (701), Skeleton Watches (248) and Titanium Watches (167).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
What the specifications mean
Strengths
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
Worth knowing
- 50m suits rain and handwashing, not swimming
Ulysse Nardin Blast Skeleton X alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 3713-260-3/03 | QdB s Black Enamel | 89356TT05.BTT90 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £20,660 | £20,900 | £17,500 |
| Case size | 42mm | 38.5mm | 40mm |
| Water resistance | 50m | 50m | 100m |
| Movement | Manual | Manual | Manual |
| Strap | Leather strap | Leather strap | Fabric strap |
| Power reserve | 96 hours | — | 100 hours |
| This watch |
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Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Showering yes, swimming no. 50m covers splashes and brief immersion, but a swimming stroke generates well above the pressure that figure describes.
Water resistance explainedWill the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Sapphire, mineral and acrylic comparedDoes it need a battery?
No. It is hand-wound, so it needs winding every day or two but never a battery.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedHow long does it run for when it's not worn?
About 96 hours fully wound — enough to sit off the wrist over a weekend and still be running.
Cheapest place to buy
Goldsmiths is the only UK retailer we track stocking this reference, so there is nothing to compare it against today.
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