Archive
Thank you for rating this article
The immortal Chairman luxury smartphone
2011-06-08 16:35
What:
Ulysse Nardin Chairman mobile phone
Models:
rose gold, steel, Stealth, diamond limited editions
When: preorders being taken now
Official sponsor of last year's
Monaco Yacht Show, Ulysse Nardin is a brand well-known to yachtsmen and women the world over. Founded in 1846, the Swiss watch makers have built an enviable reputation by pioneering new materials and high-precision components to produce the most innovative luxury and marine timepieces.
Now they have turned their attention to the mobile phone market, with one very special device, the
Ulysse Nardin Chairman, a self-charging cellphone. The device mirrors the latest advances in smartphone technology, with a touchscreen, Wi-Fi and 8-megapixel camera, and runs on Google's Android platform, allowing the user to enhance and customize the phone just as they would any other smartphone.
Today's users will be familiar with the large display clocks, digital or analogue, which form part of the homepage of iphones and similar devices. What they will not have seen before is the watch winding mechanism along the side of this phone which activates the Ulysse Nardin rotor that charges the battery in this first ever hybrid. Even without the winder, the battery can be recharged by kinetic energy, using a technique familiar for many years to wearers of Ulysse Nardin watches.
This is actually far more than a gimmick: how many times have you been caught out with a dead phone and no means of recharging it in an emergency? In this respect, the Chairman offers - through its tried and tested analogue mechanism - a feature that no other phone we know of possesses - immortality (well, as near as dammit).
In development since 2009, the
Ulysse Nardin Chairman represents the pinnacle of research and development for the next generation of watch and phone users, but it's also a stylish accessory, available in materials that are beautiful as they are rugged: rose gold, carbon fibre, scratch-resistant sapphire glass, ceramic and 316 L steel.
There are 12 different models starting at around $10000. Three in rose gold, four in steel, and four, rugged 'Stealth' editions in steel and ceramic. In addition there is a diamond edition, encrusted in 3000 diamonds. The first eleven of these are limited to 1846 in number, and the diamond version to 100 individual pieces. Among the most reliable ever made, Ulysse Nardin’s marine chronometers are still much sought by collectors around the world. We believe this phone will be as well.
Specifications
3.2" capacitive touch screen
Full on-screen QWERTY keyboard
Physical numeric keys
Fingerprint reader for owner identification
8 megapixel camera
High definition video replay capability
Android(TM) mobile phone platform
Facebook(TM) preloaded
Qualcomm 3G GSM/WCDMA
2G Bands 850/900/1800/1900MHz
3G Bands 900/2100MHz
Platform powered by the Freescale i.MX processor
32 GB internal memory
Extensive gaming ability
Ulysse Nardin Rotor (kinetic power system)