At this year’s Watches and Wonders Geneva, one booth stood out for its experiential playground that demonstrated Ulysse Nardin’s core values of high horology, high technology, and high performance. I met Jean-Christophe Sabatier, Ulysse Nardin’s Chief Product Officer, in this immersive space to find out more about the new, ultra-light Diver [AIR] watch and its use of innovative, sustainable materials.
Fitting the piece to my wrist
Jean-Christophe Sabatier introduced the Diver [AIR] as the lightest mechanical dive watch ever made. Weighing a mere 52 grams — about the weight of a small egg — it is a technical and artistic achievement that distils the brand’s pioneering spirit into tangible form.
For Jean-Christophe, who has been with the brand since 2016 and is now responsible for product development and strategy, the Diver [AIR] represents a culmination of ideas that have shaped Ulysse Nardin’s modern era.
“This is not just another dive watch. It’s a symbol of who we are — independent, daring, authentic, and deeply connected to the ocean.”
An Independent Force
Independence has always been the quiet power behind Ulysse Nardin’s boldest moves. Founded in 1846, the brand became synonymous with marine chronometers long before it turned to wristwatches. Its modern renaissance began in 2001 with the Freak, the first model to feature a silicon escapement.
“We are constantly innovating,” says Jean-Christophe. “We have pioneered the use of silicon in our hairsprings and oscillators, and have now launched the upcycled silicon escapement in the Diver [AIR].”
Silicon is favoured for its durability, magnetic resistance, and lightweight properties. It enhances the precision, durability, and overall performance of Ulysse Nardin timepieces.
Over two decades later, that willingness to explore uncharted waters defines the brand’s approach to sustainability.
Eight years ago, Jean-Christophe was tasked with developing two projects in the sports collection — one focused on sustainability, the other on weight (the lightest possible). Initially, with all the brand’s suppliers within a 60km radius, he wasn’t sure how much more could be done. However, the brand had already made strides in the sustainability field before it became an industry focus, starting with the Diver NET concept watch and a subsequent limited edition.
From Silicon to the Sea
What began with micro-innovations in materials soon evolved into a holistic design philosophy. Achieving that extraordinary lightness — 52g with the strap in orange or white fabric, under 46g without it — demanded a radical rethink of materials and structure.
The case combines carbonfoil, a high-performance composite made from recycled aerospace-grade carbon fibre, with recycled titanium for its caseback and components.
The Diver [AIR]’s upcycled silicon components are a world first, produced by reusing material from the production of silicon escapements.
“We realised we could recycle silicon particles to create new parts without compromising performance,” explains Jean-Christophe. “It’s a very tiny component, but we were able to do it.”
In addition, the bridges and mainplate of the calibre are made from 90 per cent recycled titanium. It is sourced from the Swiss biomedical industry and re-treated through a partnership with German multinational ThyssenKrupp. The bezel is made from a specific carbon fibre upcycled from production waste of CDK Technologies, a French shipyard that produces IMOCA racing boats. Even the middle case incorporates recycled titanium and Nylo-Foil, a blend of recycled carbon fibre waste and nylon recovered from fishing nets.
The UN-374 calibre that powers the Diver [AIR] is entirely skeletonised to reduce weight and maximise visual transparency — finally meeting that earlier brief for lightness. Its architecture reveals every gear, every bridge, every breath of the mechanism, giving the impression that the watch is almost levitating on the wrist.
“What remains is only what’s necessary,” says Jean-Christophe. “It’s still a dive watch, water-resistant to 200 metres.”
Each watch is unique because the carbon fibres create different patterns. Meanwhile, the skeletonised dial, stripped of excess, amplifies the sense of space. Floating indices and slender hands provide clarity and depth.
Sustainability with Substance
For Ulysse Nardin, sustainability is a continuous journey.
“We started with the Diver Net in 2020, using recycled fishing nets for the case,” says Jean-Christophe. “That was the first step — a statement that we could make watches differently. The Diver [AIR] is the second chapter, proving that innovation and responsibility can coexist at the highest level of performance.”
The brand also partners with people and companies that mirror its values. Ulysse Nardin’s role as official timekeeper of the Vendée Globe reflects a shared respect for endurance, precision, and protecting the ocean.
Where Innovation Meets Experience
The Diver [AIR]’s design language balances technical modernity with emotional resonance. It’s a watch that celebrates the act of wearing —of feeling the interplay of weight, texture, and rhythm against the skin.
“When you put it on, it’s almost not there,” says Jean-Christophe. “But you know it is — and that’s the paradox we wanted: to make something that feels like air but has a heartbeat.”
Ulysse Nardin’s modern narrative is one of authentic evolution — where heritage meets experimentation without nostalgia.
“Luxury today is not about weight or shine,” says Jean-Christophe. “It’s about intelligence, sustainability, and individuality. The Diver [AIR] expresses all of that. It’s pure, technical, but also poetic.”
Even the strap echoes this duality. The result is a watch that doesn’t merely tell time — it tells a story of transformation.
In many ways, the Diver [AIR] encapsulates the philosophy of modern Ulysse Nardin: a brand unafraid to take risks, to reinvent itself, to question the meaning of progress.
“When we started the journey into sustainability, we didn’t know where it would take us,” admits Jean-Christophe. “Now we see that innovation and responsibility can be the same thing.”
A Future Carved in Blue
As the Diver [AIR] makes its way from Geneva to collectors around the world, it carries a message as clear as the ocean depths it evokes — that true innovation is both fearless and mindful. For Ulysse Nardin, that balance defines the future of watchmaking.
“In the end,” Jean-Christophe reflects, “luxury is about emotion — and emotion comes from sincerity. We don’t follow trends. We follow our instincts. That’s what independence gives you — the freedom to create your own path.”
And in that path, carved between sea and sky, lies the essence of the Diver [AIR] — a watch that breathes, that floats, and that reminds us that even in the deep, there is light.
