Uolysee Nardin has extended its Jade collection of women’s watches with the addition of a model that shows off the art of cloisonné.

When it was first launched in 2013 Jade represented several firsts in haute horlogerie, the Swiss watchmaker points out. 

Its UN-310 caliber was the first movement to be designed and produced in-house by Ulysse Nardin specifically for a woman’s watch. 

And it was the first timepiece to take into account a woman’s delicate manicure when manipulating the settings thanks to its innovative crown design: no pulling is required to wind the watch, set the time, or adjust the date back-wards or forwards, only a simple turn. 

For the new Jade Lionfish, Ulysse Nardin has created a “cloisonné” enamel timepiece in rose gold that displays all the craftsmanship of its Donzé Cadrans enamel specialists with a marine-inspired design.

Cloisonné is an enameling technique in which the outline of the dial designs is produced first on paper and then on the dial itself. 

Extremely fine strips of gold wire measuring only 0.07 mm wide (no larger than a human hair) are hand bent, applied and glued to the outline using two pliers. 

The individual cells that give the image de-tail, dimension and nuance are also formed by gold wire and placed within the outline. 

Colours are then picked out for each cell in order to create the cloister effect. Five layers of enamel are applied to the cloisonné dial with a brush; all colored cells filled in and baked (800-1200 deg C) in the kiln for a total of five times or more, if needed. 

Then come the surfacing step before the polishing the dial with a file. These multiple levels of color create the sense of depth and three dimensions that make the enamel dials come to life.

While it appears wonderfully decorative, set with 56 diamonds, Jade has a deeply practical side, as its crown design attests. Its movement incorporates silicium components for enhanced precision and durability. It boasts anti-reflective sapphire crystal and case back and a water resistance to 30 m. 

The watch has a power reserve of 48 hours and has a satin strap with a folding buckle.