Ulysse Nardin's new Classic Schooner America pays tribute to the sailing vessel that gave the America's Cup its name. Indeed, in August 1851, members of the New York Yacht Club (NYYC) sailed the schooner "America" to victory in England's Royal Yacht Squadron's 100 Pound Cup. After this triumph, the trophy was renamed the America's Cup to honour the winning vessel. The America's Cup is also the oldest international sports trophy; and it is still considered the most important sailing competition, representing the pinnacle of a sailor's career. The America's Cup, in fact, is much more than a competition, being also a symbol of innovation in design. To celebrate the revolutionary engineering of the original "America" boat that led to this milestone in sailing history, and to support the 35th America's Cup as an official partner of Team Artemis Racing, Ulysse Nardin presents the Classic Schooner America, produced in a limited edition of only 30 pieces, in 40 mm 18-carat white or red gold and with a cloisonné enamel dial. On the same dial, there is an exquisite reproduction of the aforementioned America boat. The rugged terrain of the Isle of Wight forms a backdrop and vanishes in comparison to the colossal masts and sails of the boat. Handcrafted in-house at Donzé Cadrans, part of the Ulysse Nardin group of companies, the cloisonné enamelling process is extremely complicated and is mastered by only a few specialised masters. With this method, opaque or translucent colours are created by mixing different portions of elements to achieve specific combinations that are often kept secret. Each section is divided by a thin gold wire, and over 500 mm of wire is required to make the partitions. In addition, each cloisonné dial requires 50 hours of expert craftsmanship and 26 different procedures to complete. Like winning the America's Cup, mastering the art of cloisonné enamelling is no easy feat. The America's Cup was the precedent for what the America's Cup would later become, a race that advanced sailing sports through revolutionary design and highly engineered vessels. Sharing this approach, Ulysse Nardin infuses its innovative spirit into the Classic Schooner America, a timepiece that celebrates America and the wave of milestones it continues to inspire.
