The Santa Maria, Christopher Columbus’ boldest sail merchant ship, was originally named La Gallega because she was built in Pontevedra, Galicia, in Spain’s north-west. It seems the ship was known to her sailors as Marigalante, Spanish for “Gallant Maria”.
The flagship vessel, used for the explorer’s first expedition in 1492, was larger than her two sisters, La Niña and La Pinta. Although just a second hand or possibly even third hand small sailing vessel, and not designed for ocean going exploration, the Santa Maria is one of the most important ships in history for what she represented – fearlessness.
Now the Classico Limited Edition Santa Maria from Ulysse Nardin pays tribute to the Santa Maria and its story of exploration and adventure. Using the ancient cloisonné technique, paired with the art of enamelling, every detail has been carefully crafted by Ulysse Nardin artisans in vivid colour.
Each of the watches is carefully plated with 18-carat rose and white gold. The case of the watch measures 40mm in diameter and bears an AR-coated sapphire crystal.
The backdrop of deep blue on the dial helps to highlight the ship with its proud masts and sail, a flag at its top waving freely in the wind, a splash of water coming up from the greenish blue sea to meet the deep grain of the wooden “nao”, or cargo ship.
The Classico Limited Edition Santa Maria took more than 50 working hours and 26 individual baking processes to complete each handmade cloisonné dial. Each dial is then crafted by a skilled enameller.
The process is a complicated mix of skill and steady hand, and is one of the most intricate and difficult artistic disciplines to learn. Ulysse Nardin revived this lost decorative technique, and there are less than a handful of artists that are masters of the art.
The watch is powered by the UN calibre 815 self winding movement with a power reserve of 42 hours, and has been COSC Chronometer certified.
The Classico Limited Edition Santa Maria is available in a limited edition of 30 pieces, each in 18-karat rose gold and white gold.
The Santa Maria stood proud as a testament to discovery and adventure, crossing the Atlantic Ocean in a voyage that remains etched in world history. The Classico Limited Edition Santa Maria timepiece by Ulysse Nardin. With a limited edition of just 30 pieces, it’s going to be almost as difficult to get hold of one as it was to reach America.
