Ulysse Nardin Macho Palladium 950 Luxury Watch Review

http://www.thewatchbox.com The new-for-2007 Ulysse Nardin Macho Palladium 950 was a departure even by the outré standards of Ulysse Nardin. Composed entirely of 95% pure palladium, an exotic precious metal, the “Macho” represented the first watch to be serially manufactured in this extravagant material. A member of the platinum group of metals, palladium retains the blinding white sheen, immunity to tarnish, and hypoallergenic qualities of the famed “king of precious metals.” Unlike most white gold used in the luxury watch industry, palladium does not require periodic rhodium re-plating; most white gold is a milky yellow substance coated with rhodium. Tech aside, how does the Macho Palladium 950‘s high-class mass feel on the wrist? Like money. Lots of it. Eyes closed, this Ulysse Nardin wears like a hardcore precious metal “power watch.” More than a palladium case, the Macho Palladium 950 is a solid ring of its namesake metal: case, bracelet, and clasp. The watchmaker’s treatment of the material is more than a novelty; UN positively glorifies the palladium with a complex contrasting pattern of finishes. A mass of white metal this epic might become monolithic and overbearing in the hands of a less nuanced sensibility than Ulysse Nardin‘s. But the company that somehow pulled off the otherworldly 2001 Freak is an old hand at managing excess. Consider the Macho’s bracelet as “exhibit A.” From flank to flank, the three-link design alternates between brushed shoulders, polish