Article originally published on November 15, 2011
Ulysse Nardin and their partner, Scientific Cellular Innovations (SCI) first announced their collaboration on the Android smartphone two years ago to much fanfare. While there have been plenty of jewelry, fashion, and a few watch brand collaborations for cell phones, none have actually incorporated elements of horology until the Chairman, by Ulysse Nardin.
Only this year at Baselworld 2011 was a working phone shown to the public, along with the announcement of a new line, called “Wave“. Orders have just started shipping as of October. Being the only true example of a hybrid between Haute horology and a smartphone, I’d love to share it with you.
The Chairman – Android Smartphone by Ulysse Nardin
The phone is made from over 300 handmade parts, all sourced from Europe, the range of models incorporates hand-finished anodized aerospace-grade aluminum alloy, marine-grade stainless steel, and rhodium-plated elements, carbon fiber, 18k rose gold casing, 22k gold rotors, and sapphire crystals.
The rotor found on the back is Ulysse Nardin’s signature and is not just an ornament. Winding up the crown will actually use the rotor to charge the battery. Of course, we can’t expect it to take the place of the AC adapter, but it is a great touch by the master watchmakers at Ulysse Nardin. It is also offered in a range of color themes.
The Diamond Edition
The Diamond edition Ulysse Nardin phone is limited to only a hundred made and has over 3,000 round and brilliant cut diamonds mounted on an 18k white gold case.
The Wave Edition
The Wave edition features new details inspired by Ulysse Nardin’s nautical history. Using a wave design throughout the bezel’s crystal and ceramic inlays between the keys and back cover. The phone itself will feature a new crown and rotor design, all on a polished case of either rose gold or stainless steel, with a ceramic backing.
Tech Specs
Costing upwards of $50,000, the Ulysse Nardin Chairman phone is the most expensive Android smartphone to date. There have been plenty of luxury and bespoke cell phones made, such as the long-running and successful luxury cell phone line Vertu, by Nokia. A great feature of this smartphone is the popular Android operating system, which will give this phone a much longer life through OS upgrades and new apps.
The current model is 3G, with a 4G version planned. It has a 3.2″ touch-screen made with a watch-grade sapphire crystal with biometric fingerprint recognition. It has physical numeric keys, 32GB of onboard memory, and an 8-megapixel camera.
Luxury Service
As with any luxury item, luxury service is expected. For a $ 5,000-a-year membership, you can send your phone back to Ulysse Nardin twice a year, to clean, polish, and upgrade the Chairman’s software. During that time a loner will be sent for you to use.
This also includes a replacement insurance plan in case you’re unfortunate enough to lose or break it.
Luxury Speaker and Charging Dock
And not leaving an important detail out, the Ulysse Nardin phone also includes a handcrafted luxury speaker and charging dock just for the Chairman. Built with over 260 mechanical parts in a lacquered box, it comes in either a natural wood or piano black finish.
It has a microphone and speakers, controlled via Bluetooth to listen to music or talk hands-free. And not only does it charge the phone, it also backs up its 32GB of memory automatically. It also includes storage space for additional accessories and a travel adapter to allow you to charge anywhere in the world.