Experience the Ulysse Nardin Divernet Wempe Signature Collection — A Stylish Summer Sports Watch

With its Signature Collection, Wempe is presenting special limited editions of watches created in collaboration with brands sold by the famous retailer. The collection already includes beautiful special editions of famous watch models such as the Breitling Navitimer. Now it’s the turn of the Ulysse Nardin Diver Net Wempe Signature Collection.

Appropriate for the season, this limited edition of Ulysse Nardin’s Diver Net model features vibrant orange accents and a matching strap. Nacho and Jorg showcased the Azure and OPS editions of the vastly different Ulysse Nardin diver’s watches, and the new Signature Collection edition impressively demonstrates the versatility of this model. Wempe lent me the watch for the weekend so I could examine it in detail.

Orange like a sunset in paradise

Jorg has explained many details of the Diver Net in his article about the OPS edition, so instead of repeating everything, we will focus on the differences and highlight some details that intrigued us. Notably, unlike the OPS edition, where the entire watch is dominated by one color, the Diver Net Wempe Signature Collection is a combination of orange and black. Orange accents on the dial and bezel brighten up the look of the watch itself, while an orange strap completes the package.

The texture of the black dial is barely visible in most lighting conditions; goosebumps were the only suitable association that came to my mind when searching for something to describe this surface’s structure. A thin orange line subtly outlines a vertically brushed letter X across the center of the dial. The hour indexes at 1, 5, 6, 7, and 11 o’clock are printed to minimize the distraction of the X; the other hour indexes are applied.

The indexes and the hour and minute hands emit a moderate amount of blue lume in the dark; however, the orange hands on the sub-dial do not glow. The unusual shape of the hour and minute hands with their polished rhodium-plated center lines provide a surprisingly accurate read. Like Jorg, I feel that the date window is very well integrated into the small seconds sub-dial. The power reserve indicator at 12 o’clock is also a practical feature for a diver’s watch. Thankfully, legibility is good despite the many details on the dial.

To Dive or Not to Dive

We often hear that the depth that a diver’s watch can go is limited to the bottom of a bathtub. Nowadays, few people use diver’s watches for diving. However, I learned to dive when dive computers were not yet widespread. At that time, divers carried a depth gauge, a decompression table and a diver’s watch to dive safely. Therefore, for me, a diver’s watch is first and foremost a diving tool, not a sports fashion accessory. Therefore, it is important to me whether a diver’s watch is suitable as diving tool.

The carbonium inserts on the bezels of the Divernet Wempe Signature Collection offer an interesting and unusual look. However, the irregular marbled background impairs the legibility of the markings. The 0, 15, 30 and 45 numerals on the bezel are luminous, as are the hour and minute hands. Therefore, at least in the dark, the spiral carbonium has no negative effect. When starting a dive, the diver aligns the zero position of the bezel with the minute hand. During the dive, the current position of the minute hand indicates the elapsed dive time along the bezel. Using the numeral 0 as an index for the zero position is not optimal, since it has no tip that clearly indicates its exact position. This inconvenience is further aggravated by the useless 120 click positions on the bezel, which complicates the setting procedure and increases the chances of erroneous readings.

The bezel has a good grip and produces a bright, audible click when you turn it, but the ratchet is a little too smooth, meaning the slightest jolt can easily knock the bezel out of its precise position.

Wear the DiverNet Wenpe Signature Collection on your wrist

The bright orange strap completes the summer vibe of the Divernet Wempe Signature Collection. This rubber strap is very supple. The ceramic insert at the bottom of the strap features the Wempe logo instead of the Ulysse Nardin signature found on the regular models. I love this detail; the Wempe logo is instantly recognizable to those in the know, but looks like an abstract symbol to those who aren’t. The watch comes with a black version of this strap with the same ceramic insert.

Special black screws on the outside of the case secure the nylon-carbonium mixed side pieces to the steel core. The strap is fastened with a standard spring bar and can be replaced with a standard strap changing tool. The signature butterfly clasp, made of ceramic and titanium, looks very delicate. I would like to believe that Ulysse Nardin tested it for its suitability for use on a sports watch. When closed, the folding clasp looks like a pin buckle. It opens when you press the small round pusher at the base of the buckle. This folding clasp could not be opened accidentally while wearing the watch.

Internal motor

The Divernet Wempe Signature Collection case back offers an attractive view of Ulysse Nardin’s caliber UN-118. The bridges have circular stripes and the baseplate has circular graining. The edges of the bridges are beautifully bevelled and also highlight the recesses for the jewels and screws. The movement has three blued screws around its rim, three of which secure the rotor, which has an openwork vertical brushed finish. The movement parts are not hand-finished, but that is not the purpose of this movement. Although it is quite visually appealing and most of it is visible through the rotor, the strength of the UN-118 lies in the materials used.

Ulysse Nardin was the first watch brand to establish silicon as a material for movement parts at an industrial level. Freak became famous not only for its unique designs but also for its adoption of silicon parts. In the UN-118, the pallet and escape wheel are made of DiamonSil, a silicon coated with a thin layer of artificial diamonds. The expected benefits of such a material include extremely precise and repeatable manufacturing, reduced wear and reduced friction. Owners of watches with movements containing parts of such material should enjoy longer maintenance intervals. The balance spring is made of high-quality silicon, which is antimagnetic and relatively easy to manufacture.

Wear the Divernet Wenpe Signature Collection

For me, this edition of the Ulysse Nardin Divernet is the most attractive one. It’s a great summer watch with enough design details that it never gets old. If you want a slightly more muted look, you can wear the black strap that comes with the watch. At 44mm in diameter and 14.81mm thick, this watch is large and wears as is. If the lug-to-lug length bothers you, it’s too large. In the wrist photo, I’m currently wearing it on a 19.5cm (7.7 inches) wrist. Thanks to the modern materials used for the inner steel case, the watch is relatively light and comfortable. The signature titanium screw-down crown provides a good grip and makes the watch easy to operate.

The fact that the nylon and carbonium used on the sides and bottom of the case are recycled materials, and that 95% of the steel is recycled, may be a reason to wear such a luxury watch to the beach. At 15,750 euros, the Wempe Signature Collection edition of the Diver Net is unfortunately nearly 20% more expensive than the already expensive regular model. But in return, you get a special watch, limited to 75 pieces, that will set you apart from those who wear regular watches on your wrist.

For more information, please visit Wempe’s online shop What do you think of the Ulysse Nardin Divernet Wempe Signature Collection? Do you prefer to wear more colorful watches in the summer?

Watch Specifications