Ulysse Nardin releases one of the wildest silicon-based watches we've seen

It's sexy, not subtle.

Ulysse Nardin’s love affair with silicon started with the Freak in 2001. That watch pushed modern watchmaking forward by creating a set of silicon based structural elements that reduced weight and added some unique twists to standard horology. This new piece keeps that line alive and makes a point. It is, inexplicably, called the Blast Free Wheel Marquetry Silicon Green and it’s really quite sexy.

The dial is the headline. Ulysse Nardin cuts 103 thin slivers of green monocrystalline silicon and lays them like marquetry across the plate. The color is a nod to circuit boards and the finish shifts between matte and polished, so the dial moves with the light. It is not subtle, but it is tasteful. The hands have a touch of lume while the rest of the face is a stage for the mechanics.