Ulysse Nardin x Amoureuxpeintre: “Hidden meanings are all around us”

Press release

January 2025

For Kyrgyzstan-born Vsevolod Sever Cherepanov, known by the artistic moniker Amoureuxpeintre, his philosophy is rooted in the belief that simplicity invites deeper inquiry, prompting an exploration of an object’s true essence. Amoureuxpeintre’s minimalist vision, sharp geometry, and scarcity of silhouette converge into a one-of-a-kind timepiece, which is a combination of transparency and blurriness, that transforms the concept of reading time.

Ulysse Nardin x Amoureuxpeintre: “Hidden meanings are all around us”

Press release

January 2025

Ulysse Nardin x Amoureuxpeintre: “Hidden meanings are all around us”

he independent Swiss watch Manufacture Ulysse Nardin, known for its wild mindset and unconventional designs, partners with fashion designer Amoureuxpeintre, presenting an artistic interpretation of a horological object, the Blast [Amoureuxpeintre].

United by a shared desire to challenge the boundaries and to shatter convention, the collaboration between Ulysse Nardin and Amoureuxpeintre began with a deep reflection on the world around us, focusing on the often-overlooked visual cues of everyday life.

“Hidden meanings are all around us - you just need to look closer to engage and understand how things truly work,” shares the designer.

Ulysse Nardin has built wild horological objects that have stood the test of time and achieved icon status amongst watch collectors. The Maison has long been at the forefront of redefining time telling conventions, first shattering traditions with the Freak in 2001 - a watch with no hands, no dial, and no crown. Yet, it still tells the time… In this spirit of creative disruption, the fashion designer, artist, and model Amoureuxpeintre sought to convey a minimalist yet emotional expression of time, creating a piece that sparks deeper reflection and encourages the wearer to find meaning below the surface.

“Amoureuxpeintre is a very curious, intelligent and articulate designer. He has an energy you find amongst younger generations, where everything feels possible, and boundaries do not exist. He is rooted in his origins, but is a citizen of the world. This boundless spirit has translated into a collaboration that pushes the limits in terms of design,” says Jean-Christophe Sabatier, Chief Product Officer, Ulysse Nardin.

Staying true to Ulysse Nardin and Amoureuxpeintre’s legacy as mavericks and innovators, this groundbreaking collaboration celebrates the curiosity embedded in everyday life, uncovering the hidden meanings that often go unnoticed in our surroundings.

For Kyrgyzstan-born Vsevolod Sever Cherepanov, known by the artistic moniker Amoureuxpeintre, his philosophy is rooted in the belief that simplicity invites deeper inquiry, prompting an exploration of an object’s true essence. Rooted in his Eastern European sensibility, the designer is driven by a passion for unorthodox, yet modest design, which nods to his collaborative feats with Nike, tenure under Matthew Williams’ brand Alyx, the launch of his own clothing brand SEVER in 2016, and GENESIS 2.0 in 2019, exploring upcycling techniques to craft unique objects.

Fascinated by how objects are composed and how they evoke emotion, Amoureuxpeintre became one of the first designers to incorporate augmented reality prints into clothing. His work challenges traditional dress codes, creating collections that transcend occasion and redefine style. He has since broadened his portfolio to include HOME 2.0, an interiors division, and SOLUTIONS 2.0, a production and design agency. Amoureuxpeintre’s unique approach to design knows no limits of form. From furniture, album art direction, to the design and production of accessories, the polymath brings his investigative vision to a horological object with an eye for monochromatic palettes, with clean and understated form. For Amoureuxpeintre, the beauty and meaning of an object is truly revealed through simplicity.

Since its foundation in 1846, the rulebook of Ulysse Nardin was written to defy convention and reconfigure tradition. United by a shared spirit of audacity, both visionaries imagined this exclusive limited-edition series of 29 masterpieces as a canvas to reshape traditional ways of seeing, an invitation to question the role of its elements beyond their initial appearance and encouraging deeper interpretation.

Amoureuxpeintre’s minimalist vision, sharp geometry, and scarcity of silhouette converge into a timepiece that reimagines the expression of time. For this project, the designer presents a stark, idiosyncratic design language that speaks to a youth culture of curious individuals, inspired by in depth meaning and the authenticity of objects. As such, the artist was inspired by the frosted glass panes that occupy the walls in daily working spaces. Through these frames, silhouettes are distorted – apparent, but not obvious, presenting both clarity and mystery.

“Ulysse Nardin is a brand that gave me a whole new perspective on the watchmaking industry, allowing me to see the depth and versatility of the different parts of a single product. I have transferred this insight into the concept of designing a product that comes together. This design should evoke a desire to look inside, to discover new meanings and inspire us to see more of the world around us,” says Vsevolod Cherepanov “Amoureuxpeintre”.

Born from a shared enthusiasm for rejecting the status quo, the watch celebrates the balance between revealing the mechanics of the timepiece in a subtle, restrained way - inviting the wearer to discover meaning beyond the surface.

Guided by Amoureuxpeintre’s pure and minimalist artistic vision, Ulysse Nardin meticulously reimagined every element of the Skeleton X, creating a one-of-a-kind timepiece, which is a combination of transparency and blurriness, that transforms the concept of reading time. By removing elements from the dial, Ulysse Nardin achieved a design that seamlessly combines minimalism, functionality, and readability.

At the heart of this creation beats the Manufacture Calibre UN-371, offering a 96-hour power reserve and featuring one of the FREAK VISION’s greatest innovations: a wide, super-light balance wheel in silicon, with nickel flyweights.

The 42 mm anthracite lightweight sandblasted titanium case and bezel complement Amoureuxpeintre’s muted color palette and visionary aesthetic. The watch features a frosted open sapphire case back adorned with Amoureuxpeintre’s signature, while the crown has been refined, removing any ribbed texture to enhance the clean lines of the design.

Beneath the anthracite hands coated with grey Superluminova, an unmistakable blurred sapphire skeleton dial brings this concept to life. The frosted-ice effect was achieved through an advanced laser technique, while the fumé effect was created using thin metallization. This ingenious and artfully blurred result was the culmination of over two years of development.

The result is a dial that subtly exposes the skeletonized movement’s outlines, faintly revealing the mechanics of time like a window of deconstruction. After all, if modern luxury isn’t just about what you wear, but what you know, an introspection into the watch and the sum of its parts reveals just that.

This limited-edition series of 29 artworks is presented on a modern grey Alcantara strap, paired with an anthracite PVD titanium sandblasted tang buckle. A special watch box, crafted in anthracite and grey tones, completes this exceptional collaboration.

“In my nine years at Ulysse Nardin, we’ve developed some of the most technically complicated projects. This watch stands as one of the most intricate, not only in terms of modifying the components around the calibre but also in giving it a unique personality,” concludes Jean-Christophe Sabatier, Chief Product Officer, Ulysse Nardin.