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Ulysse Nardin presented only one new model at Watches & Wonders 2025 in Geneva. But it was more than enough to impress. The Diver [AIR], crafted from titanium and carbon fiber, weighs a mere 52 grams and is officially the world’s lightest mechanical dive watch. To achieve this astonishingly low weight (strap included!), Ulysse Nardin developed an entirely new movement from the ground up — the Caliber UN-374, which beats at a frequency of 3 Hz (21,600 vibrations per hour).
But first, a little context. Did you know that Ulysse Nardin created its first waterproof instrument back in 1893? Then came its first dive watch in 1964, followed by the 2001 launch of the Aqua Perpetual — the first and only perpetual calendar dive watch with 200 meters of water resistance.
In 2021, the brand released the Diver X Skeleton, which made waves as the first skeletonised dive watch. Most collectors turn to dive watches when they want a rugged, everyday sports timepiece — and reserve their refined, haute horlogerie models for evening wear. For the first time, thanks to Ulysse Nardin, there was a watch that brought those two worlds together. And now, in 2025, the brand has gone even further — delivering a dive watch that’s more refined, more resilient, and above all, lighter than ever before.
To truly appreciate the significance of the Diver [AIR], it helps to compare it to its predecessors:
Building on the UN-372 movement from the Diver X Skeleton, Ulysse Nardin created an entirely new and technologically advanced movement — the Caliber UN-374 — redesigned from scratch. To bring the weight down to just 52 grams (with strap, or 46g without), they removed as much material as possible from the movement, without compromising reliability or performance.
The engineers followed a counterintuitive philosophy: by removing mass, they increased rigidity. As the structure became lighter, it was re-engineered to become even stronger — using ultra-thin bridges arranged in triangles, a shape known in engineering and architecture for resisting bending and deformation. This skeletonised expertise is something Ulysse Nardin has been honing for over 30 years, since its first openworked timepieces. The UN-374 movement also boasts an impressive 90-hour power reserve.
Though 80% of the movement’s interior is air and only 20% solid material, the UN-374 can withstand shocks of up to 5,000g. The skeletonisation is so extreme that the bridges are only a few millimetres thick, and the automatic winding rotor has been stripped down to its bare essentials. Even the mainspring barrel has been redesigned to eliminate the need for a top bridge, cutting even more weight. Material was even removed from the barrel itself — resulting in a movement weight of just 7 grams! — resulting in a movement weight of just 7 grams!
The 44mm case also underwent a complete reengineering to reduce every possible gram. The result: a modular construction made from titanium and carbon fiber — two materials widely used in the automotive and aerospace industries. However, since carbon fiber has an ultra-low density (only 1.8 g/cm³) and is not very water-resistant, the movement is housed in a protective titanium middle case, ensuring water resistance up to 200 meters.
The titanium used in both the movement and the case is premium grade, rare, and 90% recycled. For this key material, Ulysse Nardin partnered with TiFast, a leading titanium producer, and Thyssenkrupp, a global leader in materials and engineering. TiFast recovered titanium from the Swiss biomedical sector and recycled it in Tuscany, while Thyssenkrupp applied advanced thermal treatments to enhance its strength.
The lateral sections of the case are crafted from Nylo®-Foil, a unique blend of 60% Nylo® and 40% carbon fiber, making it even lighter than standard carbon composites. The Nylo® is sourced from discarded fishing nets retrieved from the ocean through the French start-up Fil & Fab. The carbon fibers are reclaimed from high-speed IMOCA racing yachts made by CDK Technologies, and are recycled into their original fibrous form by Extracthive, a company specializing in circular economy materials. The final transformation into Nylo®-Foil is handled by Lavoisier Composites.
The luminous bezel insert is made from CarbonFoil, composed of 100% recycled carbon fibers from IMOCA boats — cut and compressed into a marbled, stone-like texture. Finally, the escapement is made from recycled silicon wafers, produced by Sigatec.
The Diver [AIR] comes with two ultra-light rubber straps, in white and orange, both equipped with a practical scratch-closure system. They can be swapped quickly and easily without tools, making the watch as versatile as it is functional.
Price: €38,400
