It’s rare for a new watch to get an immediate nickname when it comes out. I will continue to call it “Darth Maul®”. The Skeleton X Magma‘s flowing lines of red and black are reminiscent of the iconic villain’s skin and face tattoos, and is the company’s step into a new world of watch design. When it comes to the soul of a watch, Athens is usually at the forefront of materials (check out all the news of them integrating silicon into their movements over the past decade), but has been fairly stagnant when it comes to external materials. It’s not necessarily a bad thing (or a good thing), just “yes”.
Ulysse Nardin released something very unexpected but very cool today. Darth Maul® is a new interpretation of the Ulysse Nardin executive style watch. The general layout of the executive gets a much-needed facelift in the new Skeleton X Magma. In addition to the usual colors, Ulysse Nardin’s forays into more “experimental” materials now appear on the outside of what Ulysses calls a carbon magma case. The red and black finishes create a watch whose overall aesthetic will be the choice of many who normally look to Hublot for something more “edgy”. Review replica watch
Additionally, those on a smaller budget who like the look of some of the red Roger Dubuis Excalibur models will immediately love the look of the new Darth Maul®. Ulysse Nardin’s UN-371 movement also provides buyers with a 96-hour power reserve, which in no way detracts from the watch’s appeal.
The 43mm watch is big enough to stand out on the wrist, but not too big to be obnoxious. Wearing a watch with a red and black case isn’t a subtle accessory choice, so the typical wearer wouldn’t necessarily expect it to be subdued, but this watch does a good job of being both loud and fairly docile. Also, for those who liked the Ulysse Nardin Executive Skeleton Tourbillon “Stars and Stripes” edition a few years ago, this watch will be a more affordable option with a similarly unique color scheme.
If I were running Ulysse Nardin fake, I would want to price my more “edgy” watches a bit lower than Hublot’s in order to gain more market share and then start increasing the cost of “entering” the brand. Ulysse Nardin could do well with this more “exclusive” approach, but that’s a pretty high price to enter, especially considering it’s an increasingly saturated segment. Here’s their current competition: most of Hublot’s watches, some new Defy creations from Zenith, a colorful Royal Oak Offshore, Omega’s steady stream of Speedmaster and Ocean Planet ceramic color combos released, and more.
