Ulysse Nardin Executive Dual Time, c. 2010s

Dealer description — Analog/Shift

Most are undoubtedly familiar with Ulysse Nardin for a very specific type of timepiece — the marine chronometer. Between the company's founding in 1846 in Le Locle, Switzerland and the last decades of the 20th century, these ocean-faring timepieces equipped many of the world's navies, including the U.S. Navy. However, "U.N." is a versatile watchmaker whose contemporary wares span classically styled, vintage reissues to one of the world's most modern watches in the form of the Freak. Besides the aforementioned Freak, there are other collections that embody the brand's pioneering horological spirit, one of which is the Executive Dual Time. An elegant yet fresh take on the dual-time or GMT watch, this model family eschews both the classical lines of the 1930s world timer and the utilitarian shape of the iconic GMT-Master for something more unique. This particular Executive Dual Time, dates to circa the 2010s and is housed in a 43mm stainless steel case with a sapphire crystal, a signed, yellow gold crown, and a deep navy blue ceramic bezel. It features a satin blue dial with oversized, applied gold-tone 'Roman' indices and a matching luminous handset, an inner, rectangular dial framed by a 'railroad' minute track features a second time zone in the form of a window at 9 o'clock, while a date window at 2 o'clock and subsidiary seconds above 6 o'clock round out the design. Powered by the UN 24 automatic movement, this piece comes paired to an integrated navy blue alligator leather strap with a signed, stainless steel deployant clasp. If you're on the hunt for a travel watch that stands out in a sea of more common options, you'll be hard pressed to find something funkier!